Cricket fever is always on! With different teams playing any of the three formats against each other, there is always a series being played. Cricket and video games, when made properly, go together like Mahendra Singh Dhoni and the helicopter shot, or Dishan’s Discoop, or well even Ricky Ponting’s pull shot. However, due to the game’s slow nature, fans who enjoy the game have to grind and gradually build up to the thrilling matches. Both PC and mobile games offer cricket fans a virtual World Cup experience with realistic gameplay. We have made a list of the 10 Best Cricket Games that cricket fans will love to play. Most of these games have been designed and developed by commended publishers and deliver authentic game experiences, just like Harbhajan’s Doosra!
10. Big Bash Boom
Developed by Big Ant Studios, Big Bash Boom is the cricket equivalent of NBA Jam which is an arcade version featuring silly over the simulation. The renowned over-inflated heads of NBA Jam were the muse and taken over to Big Bash Boom. The game is more about having fun than an accurate reflection of the gentleman’s game.
All Big Bash and Women’s Big Bash League teams are added to the game, including the club mascots. Furthermore, players can also earn additional items to bring out the bling in their teams. The game is available on Microsoft Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PS 4, and Steam. It includes 3 modes (Casual, Tournament, and Online) and primarily consists of the T20 format that allows the players to play fast-paced cricket. Thus, if you are looking for fun and are not a stickler about realistic animations, this game is for you.
9. Cricket 19 – The Official Game of the Ashes
The Official Game of the 2019 Ashes series, Cricket 19 features greater depth and new content brought in by Big Ant Studios’ acclaimed cricket engine. The players will be able to take on the challenge of the Ashes by choosing either Australia or England and leading them to glory. Furthermore, it presents photo-realistic player renders of the iconic English stadiums.
The scenario mode allows players to create match situations and jump in at any moment. Players usually use this to create iconic match moments, like grinding out a win in an extremely tough situation with all the odds against you. The World Cup mode also allows you to play against 10 teams and lead your nation to glory. The career mode that allows you to take your junior player to a cricket club and develop him into one of the greatest and richest AI is what makes this game absolutely amazing.
8. Brian Lara Cricket ’96
This one is for pure nostalgia. Back in the 90s, cricketers were not as flashy or entertaining to watch. However, West Indies’ Brian Charles Lara was the man who brought charm and the ‘cool factor.’ The game used pseudo 3D graphics but the animations were later updated. With Brian Lara arguably being the GOAT of cricket, it was obvious that companies wanted to endorse him as much as possible. The ’96 version carried over the tight mechanics and strong visuals (from its time) from its predecessor Brian Lara Cricket ’94.
This game includes different game modes like Standard Games International, County, and Classic. The Quick Start gives you 2 choices, International as well as County. You can play solo, against the computer, or even multiplayer by calling your friend over. Also, there is an option to edit players and play at different locations.
7. Stick Cricket
We covered players with oversized heads, now it’s time to shift our attention to ultra-thin bodies. Stick Cricket is one of the games launched by the popular Stick Sports and is a pick-up-and-play cricket game playable on your Android or iPhone. You will find thin versions of famous cricketers and basic controls to lead your team to victory.
Stick Cricket also features an option to take full control of your career in the Super League. You can create your own player, choose your own team from a list of 70 teams, sign superstars, captain your team and indulge in team selection, fast-track the innings, as well as track your stats. A live version of this game was released back in 2019, making it the 10th official title by Stick Sports and the 5th installment in the Stick Cricket series for mobile platforms.
6. Don Bradman Cricket 14
Many refer to Don Bradman Cricket 14 as the turning point for cricket video games. After a lot of time, effort, and love from the Big Ant Studio, a true cricket simulator that contended with other ‘top’ sports simulators was created. The game was launched for PS 3, PS 4, Xbox One, and Microsoft Windows and consisted of both single and multiplayer options. However, the bowling felt a bit cumbersome due to a lack of licensing.
Don Bradman Cricket 14 had various game modes, including career, custom matches, and online games. Players had the option of creating a player starting off at the age of 16 up till they became professional. Furthermore, there is a Cricket Academy program that you can use to create and edit teams, players, and competitors. The game consists of 17 international teams, 6 Australian domestic teams, as well as 18 English domestic.
5. Cricket 07
This is one of the favorite games of cricket lovers. While EA Sports lost the licensing for players in the Indian subcontinent and had to use different names, it had all the licenses for Australia, England, South Africa, and New Zealand. This is why you would see Indian players named Yevray Singh (Yuvraj Singh), S. Tendehar (Sachin Tendulkar), A. Krumble (Anil Kumble), and many more. The cover features English cricketer Andrew Flintoff and is the last cricket game made by EA Sports.
Cricket 07 consists of different game types, counting limited overs (5, 10, 20, or 50), 4-day, and 5-day test matches. The players had an option of selecting weather and pitch conditions, as well as the location of the match. This version of the game had a really nice soundtrack, and commentary by Mark Nicholas joined Richie Benaud. The Ashes was a popular game type that let you choose between England and Australia and play real-life scenarios in the game.
4. Super International Cricket
This one is another trip down the nostalgia lane. Super International Cricket is perfect for cricket fans who watch highlights of the old games and reminisce about the ‘good old days.’ The game was released only in Australia and Europe back in 1994 for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System and was a sequel to International Cricket. It also featured both single and multiplayer options.
The game included 8 teams: Sri Lanka, Australia, England, South Africa, New Zealand, India, Pakistan and the West Indies. It came with 3 difficulty levels from easy to hard and the bowlers had an option to choose between four types of deliveries for four unique speeds. Furthermore, some of the players used in the game were made after the names of the game’s developers (M. Parker is Marshall Parker, G. Anders is Gavan Anderson, A. Milgrom is Alfred Milgrom).
3. Don Bradman Cricket 17
The Don Bradman Cricket 17 brought in a revolutionary control delivery system to provide the best batting, bowling, and fielding experience. This game was released by Big Ant Studios for PS4, and Xbox One, and later for Microsoft Windows. Players have an option to jump into career mode to make their young players achieve great heights. This was the first game that included female players and competitions.
The teams are dynamic and players keep changing as you progress through your career. You will see players get retired, injured, and progress to a higher level of cricket. Furthermore, the ‘Be A Pro’ option lets you play the Career Mode with an existing player. You can choose to play with a particular player or the whole team. It also consists of famous batting shots like the Helicopter shot and adds new visuals and special effects.
2. Cricket 22
Published by Nacon and developed by Big Ant Studios, Cricket 22 is the official video game of the 2021-22 Ashes series of cricket. While the previous version was Cricket 19, this game was released after 2 years and the fans were elated. It featured all new bowling and fielding controls, a deep-narrative career mode, and a commentary team of Michael Atherton, Ian Healy, Mel Jones, Alison Mitchell, and David Gower.
Cricket 22 secured licenses of both men’s and women’s editions of the Big Bash League for the first time, as well as the Caribbean Premier League and The Hundred (100 ball tournaments played in England and Wales). A revamped bowling and fielding system was included that utilized an arcade style of gameplay as well. The cover stars of Cricket 22 are Meg Lanning and Pat Cummins.
1. Cricket 24
The latest cricket game developed by Big Any Studios, Cricket 24 is the official cricket video game of the 2023 Ashes series of cricket matches. With more than 50 licensed teams, Cricket 24 features Australia, England, West Indies, New Zealand, and Ireland. Tournaments like The Ashes, Big Bash League, Women’s Big Bash League, The Hundred, Caribbean Premier League, and the Pakistan Super League (newest addition) are added to the game along with a number of Indian T20 teams.
The gameplay features a complete overhaul of fielding to provide the most realistic and responsive fielding controls, over 200 players with complete photogrammetry, Career Mode that lets you choose your preferred format of the game, and cross-platform enabled. This means that players playing on PS 4, PS 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and Nintendo Switch will be able to play against each other.
Big Ant Studios have taken up as the best developers for the game of cricket. Their latest editions have proved that they are fully committed to providing realistic cricket games. Although they have not been able to get licenses for the Indian Premier League, or the Indian Cricket team, their gameplay experience is superb.
Which one is your favorite Cricket Video Game? Let us know in the comments below.
Share your thoughts in the comments
Please Login to comment...