World Championship Rugby (Xbox) [video game]

Acclaim’s World Championship Rugby arrives on the back of England’s famous World Cup victory, and it is further cause for celebration. Developed by the team behind PlayStation classic Jonah Lomu Rugby, World Championship takes that game’s design to the next level. Player animation in particular is really impressive, and there’s fine detail drawn in the game’s comprehensive selection of stadia. (Witness the exact replication of Twickenham.)

Rugby fans will be pleased to see all the major nations included (and some not so major, such as Japan and the US) coupled with accurate player likenesses. The World Cup can be played through, as can various tours and other international cups and leagues. This is an authentic and exhaustive simulation. And the game plays in a realistic manner, too: passing is simple to effect, kicking is intuitive, while scrums and mauls are carried off expertly with the aid of some good old button mashing. World Championship Rugby is an accessible and lifelike take on a sport that is quite difficult to simulate. Even those who aren’t passionate about rugby will find that there is plenty of enjoyment to be had here. —Jonti Davies