Being a professional athlete is one of the hardest professions one can take up. The level of passion, desire, and work it takes to maintain one’s body at the highest level is a full-time job in and of itself - let alone actually going out and competing at a high level on top of it. For most of us, we’re content just playing video game versions of those athletes on a regular basis. No matter what sport you enjoy, there’s a video game out there for it worth checking out. Take a look at the absolute best sports games you can jump into today!

NBA 2K18 - XBox One, Playstation 4, Nintendo Switch, PC

The king of sports games is back with a new attitude, courtesy of cover star Kyrie Irving. New to this year’s game is a booming soundtrack, (including two tracks from Portland Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard) a story driven MyGM mode, and updates to the game’s free agency period and a new feature to “stash” foreign players selected in the NBA Draft. The game’s new shooting mechanic should lessen the skill gap between new and high-level players, said the game’s gameplay director Mike Wang in an interview with Forbes. “Last year we introduced shot aiming and put a heavy emphasis on shot timing deciding makes and misses,” Wang said. “...in many ways, it ended up de-valuing player attributes, defensive impact, and all of the other factors that go into shot success."

NHL 18 (Xbox One, Playstation 4)

The fastest game on ice is also the fastest game on your game systems! NHL 18 brings the fast-paced, hard-hitting action of the National Hockey League to your Playstation 4 or Xbox One, with plenty of modes for new players and veterans alike. “The best advice I have,” said longtime virtual NHL player Zman11, “is to find a friend who is good and figure out how to play! I did it when I started playing, and it has really worked for me.”

Madden NFL 18 (XBox One, Playstation 4)

The longest running series on this list by a mile, no video game collection is complete without Madden. I’ve been playing Madden games since 1996, and I can safely say that the improvements EA Sports made this year worked for the better, and that this year’s game is a ton of fun. Whether you’re a competition junkie or a Franchise mode player like myself, Madden’s got something for you. Plus, it’s Twitch Rewards compatible, so you can use that Prime subscription for some bonus content for your Ultimate Team mode.

EA Sports UFC 3 - (Xbox One, Playstation 4)

The newest game on our list, EA Sports UFC 3 will surely satisfy your need to get into a chained-in octagon with another person and beat the tar out of each other. An updated career mode called the “G.O.A.T Mode,” a new tournament mode, and of course the almighty roster update are some of the new features you can look forward to. MMA video game veteran xlThalionlx said on Reddit one of the most important aspects of this game for new players to learn is the ground game. “This is not Fight Night! You have to learn the ground game!” they said. “This is mixed martial arts, keyword being 'mixed'. You're going to get taken down and even for veteran players, the ground game is all about patience. Stamina management is the key to winning the ground game.”

Haven’t quite had enough sports games for today? Check out our list of the most ridiculous virtual athletes, or our interview with Madden pro Joke!