A game called Tape to Tape just hit early access on Steam. It’s a roguelite hockey game which is simple, arcade-y fun. It’s also a good example of how sports games could evolve. I’d love to see an ARPG whose gameplay loop is a sports match of some kind.
Pros: The gameplay loop has been thoroughly vetted; new players have a solid real life reference; sports competitions are rife with emergent story lines and memorable characters; all gameplay is systemic; the narrow scope of the world means there’s a low risk of immersion breakers.
Cons: Electronic Arts have given sports game a bad reputation.
Dodgeball Academia looks like a good example of what a sports/RPG crossover can be (never tried it, but might now). There’s also a passage in Final Fantasy X where the party plays Blitzball, a kind of freeform handball, and it’s the only part that stuck with me.
Should I ever learn Unity, that’s the game I’m making: street soccer with cutscenes and a nemesis system.
