Rugby 22 continues an interesting trend among sports games that neglects casual fans- Hands-on impressions

Rugby is far from a quiet sport, thanks to its rough and tumble nature, violent tackles, and incredible pace that can be breathtaking, yet frightening at the same time. Rugby 22 is the successor to Rugby 2src, and another instance in which Nacon and the franchise’s development team attempts to master bringing the sport to consoles. After spending time with this title, it’s once again time to wonder as to not only about the future of rugby games, but also sports games as a whole.

The latest offering from Nacon features international teams from around the world, including powerhouses like France, Australia, and New Zealand. Additionally, Rugby 22 includes a number of association rugby teams from around the world, even though some go under generic names due to sponsorship issues. All of these squads can be used across the title’s various modes.However, the actual controls for Rugby 22 are where things get rather interesting. Thanks to the rather complex nature of rugby, Nacon and the developers for the title implemented systems that rely on fast senses and button mashing mechanics that share some striking similarities to past, and future, sports games titles. 

In Rugby 22 scrums, players are tasked with playing what equates to a mini-game. Players need to move an icon with the left analog stick into a larger one that constantly moves around, in order to successfully win the push an