There’s plenty in the world of PlayStation to keep sports fans happy this holiday season.
The end of the year is a strange time for football fans, with domestic leagues in some countries going into overdrive while others take a break for the winter. However, one thing that everyone can rely on is the array of beautiful games based on the beautiful game available on PlayStation systems.
FIFA 09 on PLAYSTATION 3, PlayStation 2 and PSP is the ultimate football simulator, combining super-realistic gameplay with authentic players, teams, stadiums and leagues to create the next best thing to pulling on a pair of boots and stepping onto the pitch.
PS3 owners can enjoy the most comprehensive online multiplayer features in the series to date, including the FIFA Interactive World Cup - the ultimate virtual football competition, giving one lucky winner the chance to rub shoulders with the most gifted feet on the planet at the FIFA World Player Gala.
Pro Evolution Soccer 2009 on PS3, PSP and PSP continues a series tradition of providing fast arcade football that is easy to pick up and play, yet difficult to master. This season, you can embark on a full UEFA Champions League campaign with any of the competing teams and even enjoy the iconic theme song before each match - Handel's Zadoc The Priest.
If your game is more pedestrian and you prefer to spend this time of year wondering if the Christmas tree formation can cut it in the modern game, Football Manager Handheld 2009 is available on PSP. It takes you closer to the action than ever before, meaning there's nowhere for your overpaid prima donnas to hide, and includes all the formation tweaking and transfer wrangling fans of the series have come to expect.
From quick feet to fast cars, racing enthusiasts will find plenty to get their teeth into this year. Gran Turismo 5 Prologue is the first in the acclaimed series to feature online play, and having already unearthed two racing talents through the GT Academy competition, it's the ultimate proving ground for serious racing fanatics the world over.
On the track, smooth driving is fast driving, but different rules apply on The Island and, in MotorStorm Pacific Rift, aggression is king. Gaining a lead over your opponents is half the battle; your most sinister foe is the environment itself, which seeks to batter and scorch your vehicle before sending it over a cliff in a ball of flames.
If you'd prefer to ride a motorbike without a monster truck breathing down your exhaust, MotoGP 08 on PS3 and PS2 offers a two-wheeled experience with more regulations, but just as much speed. The official game of the 2008 MotoGP season, it features all of the riders, bikes and tracks from the event, along with the Indianapolis track and night racing at the Qatar circuit. And for the first time in the series, players can create their own rider and take them on the tour.
Fans of American sports will find plenty to get their pulses racing on PlayStation. Madden NFL 09 is the latest in a series that has been keeping gridiron lovers happy for 20 years. As well as cutting-edge graphics and online multiplayer, it introduces Madden IQ - a system that assesses each player's ability and adjusts the game's difficulty accordingly.
If big hits on ice are more your thing, NHL 09 and NHL 2K9, both on PS3 and PS2, will have what you're looking for. While NHL 09 offers an in-depth simulation for the sport's purists, NHL 2K9 has an accessible control scheme that will appeal to more casual fans. Both include authentic NHL teams, players and uniforms, for an authentic experience, whichever your preference.
Just as the sporting world has something for everyone, there's a PlayStation game for every sports fan.
