Sponsored Feature: Top 5 mobile sports games

Sport. It all seems a little too much like hard work to me.

That’s not to say the gruelling training schedules and ravaging physical demands are the main reasons why I don’t tend to get involved in such pursuits - I just don’t like running around in shorts with cold rain lashing down.

In fact, I'll only indulge in sporting activities from the warmth of my own home, which rules out everything but sports betting and video games.

Rather than catching multiple colds and picking out mud from your hair for weeks after, why not settle down next to a nice warm fire with these five top mobile sporting titles instead?

Playman Winter Games / Vancouver 2010 - Gamehouse

Technically these two are the same game, bar a few name changes and graphical alterations, so if you’ve got one, you don’t need the other.

However, if you have none, then welcome to some of the finest mobile interpretations of everyone’s favourite winter sports. Ok, there’s no Curling, but I wouldn’t put it past MrGoodLiving and Gamehouse to come up something exciting for that sport, given that they somehow make speed skating an absolute joy here.

As this is the current Playman entry, the graphics are that bit sharper, the controls that bit more refined than earlier games, which, as you’ll know if you’ve played any of those previous titles, means it's pretty bloomin’ good.

Ashes Cricket - Glu Mobile

There have been some extremely enjoyable cricket games over the years - EA’s Cricket 10 only just missed the cut for this top 5, for instance - but few can match Ashes 2010 for its graphical and technical representation of the classic sport.

It helps, of course, that its based around the recent Ashes series in which England destroyed Australia on their home turf, as there’s nothing quite like a bit of patriotic pride to bolster one’s enjoyment of a game.

It’s not too different than the earlier offering - ICC World Twenty20 - in its execution of the game, but when you’re posed with a multitude of ‘aids’ to ease yourself into the controls, you know you’re in for a detailed, and satisfyingly deep, cricketing experience.

PES 2011 - AMA

Football’s not that funny a game. In fact, when it comes to the videogame interpretations of the most popular sport in the world, it’s deadly serious.

PES and FIFA have been at each other’s throats for decades now, across every system imaginable - even our humble Java mobiles. Out of the two, it’s PES that’s currently in the lead, managing to condense the console experience into an easy to play - yet easy to enjoy - experience for playing on the go.

While some purists may lament the lack of control off the ball, its telling that the movement, passing, and goals still feel just that bit more fluid and natural than its most vicious title rival.

Playman Summer Games 3 - Gamehouse

If winter sports leaves you cold (ho ho), then might we suggest the brilliant Playman Summer Games 3 instead?

Cherry-picking five of the best track and field events for you to conquer, Summer Games 3 is arguably still the benchmark for all other mobile sporting titles to match, packing in some fantastic graphics, clever controls that require both skill and speed, and a multiplayer mode that is truly second-to-none among its peers.

It may be getting on a few years now, but unless you’re afraid of breaking your keypad from extended bouts, you really ought to own this one.

Let’s Golf! - Gameloft

It’s not exactly a serious or accurate interpretation of the game, but Gameloft’s Let’s Golf! is easily one of the finest versions of the sport released in the past 12 months.

No doubt Tiger will be back with another worthy stab before too long, but even he may struggle to match the vibrant graphics, large selection of holes, and some fantastically friendly controls that never once come across as unfair.

Naturally, this means that its a whole lot easier than other golfing titles out there - with putts posing little threat on all but the trickiest greens - but if you just fancy dipping into a quick round while waiting at the bus stop, there’s nothing better.