79. UFC Undisputed 2009

(Xbox360/PS3, Yuke's, 2009)
As a pro-wrestler, I met a handful of very good friends, unfortunately, I also encountered lots of people who were some of the worst humans Ive had the displeasure of meeting. Usually loud, arrogant, insincere and hugely untrustworthy, many (not all) pro-wrestlers are horrible people to be acquainted with.
Here's why. Almost all of those people were also massively insecure and lacking in self-confidence. Y'see, Pro-wrestlers have to deal with the fact that they're not really fighting, you think they'd get over that and be proud of their craft, but for some, that seems impossible and they constantly have to big themselves up in a "I pretend to fight but I could batter you in real life honest" kind of way.

MMA fighters don't have such insecurities, as perfectly honed fighting machines, Mixed Martial Artists are fully capable of taking their violent and dangerous practice and raising it to a scientific level and, controversially, an art form.

UFC Undisputed arrived mid 2009, coincidentally at the same time that MMA was reaching its first full-on media acceptance with ratings at their highest ever, fighters on late night talk shows and even it's own reality show. The UFC, once considered a "human blood sport", was now a media darling. With many people just starting to take an interest in MMA, this game needed to deliver.

It most certainly did, UFC Undisputed rocketed to the top of the charts in many countries, as word of mouth spread, more people picked the game up and got to pretend they were legit tough. The game looks, moves and sounds incredible, perfectly capturing the presentation of the UFC show and doing its very best to capture the feel of a sport that's almost impossible to sim.
In a sport where fights can change by the second, Yuke's have done their best to provide an intelligent and highly complex control system which rewards the player who studies it and learns their particular fighter's strengths and weaknesses. The early playing hard punching button bashers were quickly dropped as the games sensitive counter-attack and takedown system was mastered by players who "understood" the science of MMA, as opposed to the people who thought they were playing WWE Smackdown.

The strikes have real impact and the game has good collision detection, a sudden, solid knockout can really make you winch and the online fights, whilst laggy, provide tense action and satisfying victory. I will go on record as stating the in-game commentary is the absolute best commentary for any sports game ever. Flowing naturally, reacting quickly and correctly to the on screen action and delivered with authenticity and passion, it makes any other sports games commentary forced and embarassing.

I haven't gone into the weight divisions, the extensive career and training modes or the unlockable video clips but I simply haven't got enough space to heap praise on this game.
UFC Undisputed 2009 is a solid recreation of a sport that's almost impossible to simulate due to its unpredictability. Its intelligent, good looking, and does what many games forget to; it rewards the player for paying attention and learning its intricacies.
It's place at the No.1 spot in the charts was more than deserved.