9. Ben Coates, Madden 98
Coates is fourth all-time in receiving yardage for NFL tight ends, but it is unlikely that he will be remembered among the likes of Ozzie Newsome, Kellen Winslow, Shannon Sharpe, and Tony Gonzalez. However, Coates was the favorite target of former New England Patriots quarterback Drew Bledsoe, and that that was enough to make him a Madden superstar. He caught 499 passes in his ten-year career, but it was not uncommon for him to make half that many catches in a single Madden season.
Like Jerry Rice, Coates is enjoying a second chance at digital glory in All-Pro Football 2K8. Unlike virtual Rice, Coates was unquestionably the best receiver in the game when he was on the field. Coates never dropped a pass, and his ability to distance himself from defenders was second to none.
8. Randy Moss
Randy Moss was the first cover athlete for the NFL 2K series, and online gamers flocked to the Minnesota Vikings to dominate their opponents over SegaNet. He was the fastest player in the 2K series and made one-handed, sideline-toeing catches look routine. Now a member of the New England Patriots, Moss' status among the elite video game receivers is sure to improve. Moss was a constant Madden threat even while enduring down years in Oakland, but with Tom Brady in his future, his best years are ahead of him.
7. Mike Singletary, Tecmo Bowl
The best player on the best defense, the combination of Singletary on defense and Walter Payton on offense made the Bears an almost unbeatable team. Unlike Payton, however, there was no one better than Singletary at his position.
6. Thomas Johansson, Virtua Tennis
He was so fast that online matches were reduced to nothing but Thomas Johansson vs. Thomas Johansson in a suped-up version of 3D Pong. Not even the game's boss characters could score a point against him.
5. Mario
Mario will be best-remembered for beating Bowser saving the Mushroom Kingdom, but it's hard to overlook the athletic career of history's most adventurous plumber. Mario has starred in a series of video games covering all major sports for three generations of gaming, and he's qualified for the 2008 Olympic Games. And unlike some of the athletes on this list, Mario has always been a fair player. Why, he started his athletic career refereeing matches for the number four entry...
4. Mike Tyson, Mike Tyson's Punch Out!!
Mike Tyson (called "Mr. Dream" in the version released for Wii's Virtual Console) is the last boss of one of the hardest, most addictive games in history. His punches were thunderous and his speed unmatched. Long before Buster Douglas, Danny Williams, or Evander Holyfield, the only boxer in the world with a shot at beating "the baddest man on the planet" was Little Mac.
3. Larry Bird, NBA 2K3
What Charles Barkley was to NBA Jam, Larry Bird was to this NBA simulation. He was a flawless three-point shooter and a powerful inside scorer. Bird would effortlessly dunk over Garnett, Duncan, and Shaq, with his only regret being that dunks didn't count for three points, too. Larry Legend was such a feared opponent that players over Xbox Live didn't exchange greetings, they started their conversations with "No Bird."
Bird vs. Jordan, 1988
2. Deion Sanders
The first athlete to play in a World Series and a Super Bowl, Sanders is in the only one on the list to match Mario's versatility. "Prime Time" passes the erstwhile plumber in excellence. With the Atlanta Falcons, he was Tecmo Super Bowl's best special teams player and cornerback - Sanders was able to cover two receivers at once. With the San Francisco 49ers, Sanders was Madden's ultimate shutdown corner. With the Dallas Cowboys, he starred in his own football game as a corner, kick returner, and wide receiver. He was one of the greatest football players in history, and while that was reflected for generations of virtual football gaming, his best performance came on the baseball diamond Triple Play '96. Deion was so fast that he was guaranteed a steal every time he left the bag - any base, any time.
Prime Time NFL Starring Deion Sanders, 1995
1. Bo Jackson, Tecmo Super Bowl
Jackson was the first real-life athlete to be an All Star in two sports, but he made a bigger impact on pop culture than he did on the Raiders or the Royals. "I can't go a week without someone mentioning something about Tecmo Bowl," Jackson said in 2004. He could rack up 400 yards in a single game, even while running backwards for fifty. Forget Lawrence Taylor, forget Mike Singletary - an entire defense couldn't stop Tecmo Bo.
Where's Jeremy Roenick? No one from Winning Eleven? How does Deion Sanders rank higher than Jerry Rice!? Discuss this list on The Wiire Boards
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