Champions

Champions is a sports management and strategy title that puts the player in the role of a team manager, where success depends on more than simply hoping your best players have a good afternoon. Training, tactics, squad decisions, and competition results all contribute to the campaign, giving the game a more thoughtful pace than a traditional action sports title. It is the sort of experience where a promising season can be wrecked by one unfortunate decision, which is perhaps the most authentic thing about management games. The interface is functional rather than glamorous, but that leaves plenty of room for the underlying strategy. For players who enjoy statistics, planning, and the occasional opportunity to blame the referee, Champions offers a suitably old-fashioned sporting management experience.