This article talks about the greatest cricket video games of all time released for PC and other consoles. The links to purchase and install the games are also available wherever applicable.
What is Cricket?
According to Wikipedia, this is the official definition of Cricket as a sport for the uninitiated.
“Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of eleven players on a field at the centre of which is a 22-yard (20-meter) pitch with a wicket at each end, each comprising two bails balanced on three stumps.
What is the History of Cricket in Video Games?
Cricket video games have been available since the 1990s and are still being released till date.
Of course, Cricket’s global popularity as a sport is insufficient when compared to football (Soccer). As a result, the games released thus far cannot be compared to EA Sport’s Fifa Franchise. Even so, there are fans of this game all over the world, with India having the most cricket-crazy fan following.
Big Ant Studio’s Cricket 22 is the most recent Cricket game for PC and Consoles, and it is as good as a Fifa 22 for cricket fans. In case you’re interested to check out all the available Cricket games in any platform, please check this wikipedia article.
What are some of the Greatest Cricket Video Games of All Time?
The list of some of the Greatest Cricket Games that have been released so far.
Disclaimer: Most of the game names are linked to my amazon.in affiliate link. In case you click on them and buy from Amazon, I get paid a small amount as a referrer. However, you’re not charged anything extra.
EA Cricket 2004
Cricket 2004 is an EA Sports video game released in 2003 that is designed by HB Studios. It was made available for both the PlayStation 2 and Microsoft Windows. Cricket 2004 includes all of the international teams that competed in the 2003 Cricket World Cup, as well as all of Australia’s and England’s domestic teams.
EA Cricket 2005
It was released in July 2005 on Xbox, PlayStation 2, and Windows by EA Canada and HB Studios. The game was released with three different covers based on regions. The Australian cover featured Adam Gilchrist, the New Zealand cover featured Daniel Vettori, and the English cover featured Andrew Flintoff. It was the last game in which all of the players had real names.
Brian Lara International Cricket 2005
Brian Lara International Cricket 2005, known as Ricky Ponting Cricket in Australia and New Zealand, is a cricket video game released on July 21, 2005 by Codemasters for the Xbox, PlayStation 2 and Windows platforms. It includes the Cricket World Cup in 2003 and the 2004 ICC Champions Trophy. The International Cricket Council (ICC) has licensed these two competitions, which include official player names, faces, kits, badges, and sponsors. All other modes are unofficial because EA Sports owns the rights to them, so some players and kits are made up.
EA Cricket 07
Cricket 07 is a 2006 cricket video game developed by EA Canada and HB Studios and published by EA Sports. It is compatible with Microsoft Windows and the Sony PlayStation 2. The game was released in Europe on November 26, 2006, and in Australia on November 14, 2006. Cricket 07’s cover art features English cricketer Andrew Flintoff. This is the final cricket game released by EA Sports. This game has gained enormous popularity among cricketing nations, and numerous patches have been developed to keep the game up to date.
Ashes Cricket 2009
Ashes Cricket 2009 was created by Transmission Games and released by Namco Bandai in Australia and Codemasters in the UK. It is available for Microsoft Windows, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 3. Gusto Games produced a Wii version, which was also made available. In Australia, the Wii version was released under the name Cricket. On June 18, 2010, a sequel, International Cricket 2010, was made available.
Cricket Australia and the ECB have each granted licenses for the game. It contains all of the licensed players from the Australian cricket team and the England cricket team, but not from the other teams.
Don Bradman Cricket 17
Big Ant Studios created the cricket video game Don Bradman Cricket 17. It was published on 16 December 2016 for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One and on 16 January 2017 for Microsoft Windows. It is the follow-up to Don Bradman Cricket 14. In an enhanced career mode, players start their cricket careers at the local level by competing for local teams before being chosen for national and international duty. Teams are also flexible during a player’s career rather than remaining committed to a single lineup for the length; players will switch positions as they retire, have injuries, experience a fall in performance, or get chosen for higher levels of cricket.
Ashes Cricket 2017
2017 saw the global release of Big Ant Studios’ video game Ashes Cricket on the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Windows platforms. After the Don Bradman Cricket games, it was the first Big Ant cricket game to be legally licensed to contemporary teams and players. It also held the full licence for the 2017–18 Ashes series, which was played in Australia. As a result, the game offered the option to play as a star player or lead either England or Australia through the Ashes series. The game also had a player creation option that allowed players to either build actual players and post them on the “cricket academy” of the game or utilise them in series or individual player careers.
Cricket 19
Big Ant Studios developed and published Cricket 19, a 2019 cricket video game. It is the official video game of the 2019 Ashes cricket series, as well as the sequel to the 2017 game Ashes Cricket. It was released on May 28, 2019, for the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One, and on July 31, 2019, for Microsoft Windows via Steam. On October 22, 2020, it was added to Xbox Game Pass. Cricket 19 is the second Big Ant Studios cricket game for the Nintendo Switch, following Big Bash Boom. Cricket 19 adds a new game mode called scenario mode, which allows players to start a match in any predetermined scenario. The game also includes a career mode.
Cricket 22
Cricket 22 is a cricket video game released in 2021 by Nacon and developed by Big Ant Studios. It is the official video game of the 2021-22 Ashes cricket series and the follow-up to the 2019 game Cricket 19. It was released on December 2, 2021, as a prelude to the start of the 2021-22 Ashes series, which was held in Australia in December 2021. The Nintendo Switch version of the game was initially scheduled to be released in January 2022, but was later pushed back to April 28, 2022.
Honorable Mentions
Conclusion
Cricket is an exciting sport, and video games are a sure shot way for fans to play it indoors, in the comfort of their own home. Cricket 22 is the best game yet, with excellent graphics and game play. However, if you can get your hands on some previously released titles, you will have a great opportunity to experience this game up close without leaving your house. What are some your favorite Cricket video games? Please comment and let me know.