Whether it’s the low-driven shot in EA FC 26 or the infamous Michael Vick scramble back in Madden 2004, there have been plenty of sports games with exploits that let you cheat the system. Sports video games are all about competition and rivalries at the highest level possible, but sometimes the game itself does not abide by the rules. In many games, developers have accidentally released broken mechanics that completely change the balance/meta of a game.
These are the infamous exploits, which everyone loves to abuse, but absolutely hate to play against. Some of these are still relevant today, while others are notorious examples from the past. Here’s a look at some of the most broken mechanics in sports game history.
The Finesse Shot (FIFA 11 – FIFA 13)
The Finesse Shot is something that we all fondly remember, at least trying to perfect a decade ago. Once you had the angle and power right, this shot became one of the most abusable mechanics in the FIFA series. Instead of powering the ball at the goal, you’d curl it with finesse. You did it by holding down the right shoulder and pressing the shooting buttons simultaneously, then releasing at 50-75 percent power, depending on how far from the goal you were.
From FIFA 11 to FIFA 13, the curl was too precise. At the right angle and a bit of power, the ball would sail into the top corner almost every time, even 30-40 yards out. It was the perfect shot for the highlight. Even in later casual lobbies, up until FIFA 18 (when low-driven shots were the meta that year), finesse shots were unusually effective.
Rubberbanding AI – Mario Kart 64
Some mechanics are broken in a way that the players gain an advantage, but the rubberbanding AI in Mario Kart 64 was something players themselves had to suffer through. It wasn’t a trick, a button combo, or an overpowered move; it was the game itself blatantly giving CPU racers an advantage. The “catch-up” mechanic exists in a variety of racing games, but Mario Kart 64 was particularly bad.
CPU racers behind you suddenly gain unnatural speed, regardless of character stats or weight class. They also somehow turned into professional rally drivers, recovering instantly and avoiding all your items. Meanwhile, if you took too strong a lead, the game would quietly slow you down without telling you. At the time, it was just the way things worked. If you go back now after playing something like Mario Kart World, then you’ll realize how bad it was back then.
Air Dribble Bump – Rocket League
Rocket League is a game where multiple mechanics are invented completely by the players. The interesting thing here is that when mechanics get too OP, the community and the developers actually encourage it. The Breezy Flick, Musty Flick, Double Flip Reset, and Speed Flip are all great examples of this. However, I can’t think of anything more notorious than the Air Dribble Bump.
The forfeit button becomes very appealing all of a sudden if someone starts pulling this move on you in a ranked 1v1. While the idea is simple, the execution isn’t. You start by carrying the ball up the side wall, transition into an air dribble, then flipping at the last minute to leave the ball and bump an airborne keeper. It is diabolical because most keepers will naturally go into the air to save the incoming air dribble.
However, it is a mechanic that you have to respect because of the skill it requires. It’s been pulled off in RLCS (Rocket League Championship Series) before, and it’s always a highlight of any match.
Rocket Catch – Madden NFL 09/10
The Rocket Catch was an almost meta-defining mechanic that took over online play in Madden 09 and Madden 10. If you played these games competitively back then, you know what this is: the moment receivers turned into superheroes. It was not easy to pull off, but the result was highly effective.
It starts with a high lob pass (often a streak route), and right before the ball arrives, you manually take control of your wide receiver. You then cut back toward the ball and jump straight up (this is the actual core mechanic). Time it right, and the receiver would enter an animation that launches them higher than expected, completely ignoring any defender in sight.
There are still old GameFAQ forums out there from 15 years ago that talked about how big a problem it was. You can still do it in Madden 26, but it depends more on catch ratings than it did 15 years ago.
On Fire – NBA JAM
NBA Jam was never meant to be a realistic basketball game, but even by arcade standards, the On Fire mechanic was ridiculously overpowered. If you made three baskets in a row without your opponent scoring, your player would be “on fire”. That means unlimited turbo, faster animations, better ball control, and a significantly higher shot success rate. This meant that shots from wild angles or beyond the half-court were much easier.
This was meant to be overpowered by design, but it made you unbeatable for several possessions. Your player could shove others without being penalized, pull off near-impossible dunks, and drain threes like they were layups. On the fourth consecutive basket, the fire would fade away. By then, it may already be too late. A lot of matches in NBA JAM were decided purely on this mechanic, being a matter of who got to it first.
