Although various other sports have inspired numerous popular video games, there is a distinct lack of rugby-themed titles.

Indeed, sixteen video games have reportedly focused on rugby union, although only a handful has earned positive reviews.

Consider the International Rugby Challenge. The 1993 Mega Drive and Commodore Amiga game made gaming history when the UK magazine Amiga Power gave it a dismal 2% rating, citing several bugs such as spelling errors and players stumbling over the ball picking it up and the clock not stopping when the game is stopped.

Fortunately, there are a few rugby union video games that are enjoyable to play. Here are our picks for the three best.

Rugby Challenge 3

Rugby video games are in short supply, but there are also a few rugby-themed slot games online. You will, however, continue to play online casino games themed around sports, such as golf, baseball, and basketball slots. Rugby Challenge 3 is one of the best available rugby union video games. The third instalment of the Rugby Challenge series from Wicked Witch Software was initially released on Xbox and PlayStation in 2016 before being ported to Microsoft Windows. It is noteworthy for being the franchise's first game to feature a seven-a-side version of rugby union. Additionally, it is the first game in the series to feature SANZAR teams. In contrast to its predecessors, Rugby Challenge 3 introduces many new features and game modes, including improved graphics for next-generation consoles, a Pro Mode in which you can start as a novice and work your way up through thirteen seasons, and a FanHub in which you can build, edit, and share players. Additionally, Justin Marshall and Grant Nisbett provide commentary for the game.

World Championship Rugby

The computer game World Championship Rugby was created in the aftermath of the 2003 Rugby World Cup. It was released for PlayStation, Xbox, Microsoft Windows, and mobile devices in 2004. In addition to including any squad and match from the World Cup, World Championship Rugby also features many other rugby competitions, including the Six Nations and Tri-Nations. It's jam-packed with fantastic games, including a “beat the all-stars” mode, an enticing survival challenge, and audio commentary from Stuart Barnes and Miles Harrison. World Championship Rugby is a fast-paced game that successfully recreates the excitement of a live rugby union match.

Jonah Lomu Rugby

There is only one rugby union game that is on a par with the best football teams. If you haven't seen Jonah Lomu Rugby, you have no idea what you're lacking. Jonah Lomu Rugby, released in 1997 for DOS, Sega Saturn, and PlayStation, places you in charge of real-world national rugby union teams competing in the 1995 Rugby World Cup. This covers both the sixteen champions and the sixteen teams who advanced through the qualification rounds. When the game was out, a review in Sega Saturn Magazine proclaimed it to be “one of the most creative and user-friendly gaming structures ever incorporated into a sports game.” With its accurate representation of weather conditions, four-player support, audio commentary, on-screen menus, rational control scheme, and realistic visuals, it's easy to see why it received such high praise. The Telegraph named Jonah Lomu Rugby as the best video game ever created for the sport of rugby in 2015. Similarly, the Irish Independent reported that it is “the greatest rugby game ever created.” We concur.

Now when it comes to online casino slot games, Rugby themed games are certainly in short supply.

Rugby Star slot is one of the best out at the moment, released by Microgaming and available on a number of online casinos; to find out more, make sure you check out the best welcome bonus casinos by casinorange.com.

Rugby Star Slot

If you're a huge fan of the Rugby World Cup, you're going to want to check out Microgaming's “Rugby Star” online slot game. If you're unsure, don't miss out on this chance – we believe you'll want to give it a go when you learn that you will win prizes for locating various rugby-themed things such as boots, stadiums, and cups, as well as spinning-in stars from all the best teams like England, South Africa, New Zealand, and Australia. There are other fantastic bonus features here, including Stacked Wilds, a Wild Pass Feature, Scattered Rugby Balls, Free Spins, and a Rolling Reels feature, to find more games like this head over to CasinoRange.com to find out the best casinos and online slots.

You'll also enjoy the large range of stakes, which will encourage a diverse range of slot players to maul it out for a slice of the action.

Soak Up The Atmosphere

When you play this game, you can immerse yourself in the great game stadium experience, with the audience cheering for each reward you bank. The visuals are also excellent, transporting you to the heart of the Rugby World Cup, while the winning animations are also enjoyable.

Star Prizes

All rewards and discounts are available in any order from the first bell, but the lowest reward is for pairs of rugby boots, which pay up to 70 coins. After that, safety caps cost up to 80 coins, arenas cost up to 100 coins, and trophies cost up to 120 coins. Additionally, you will win awards for identifying the teams' players, with Wales offering up to 125 coins, Australia offering up to 150 coins, New Zealand offering up to 250 coins, South Africa offering up to 300 coins, and England offering up to 600 coins.

Scattered Rugby Balls will also earn you instant rewards, with five balls earning you up to 12,500 coins. Additionally, 3, 4, or 5 balls will trigger the Free Spins Function, awarding 15, 20, or 25 free spins, during which all prizes are multiplied by up to an incredible 10x. Additionally, Rugby Star Symbol likes to go Wild and substitute for rugby-themed products and players to produce additional rewards. This symbol will also appear loaded on reels 2, 3 and 4. Wilds are guaranteed to be packed on reels 2,3 or 4 during the Wild Pass Feature – and each time this occurs, a victory is guaranteed. Additionally, there is a brilliant Rolling Reels Feature with all winning symbols replaced with new symbols after each victory – allowing for several consecutive wins.

Keeping the Lines

All good rugby players are familiar with running the lines, and this game has 243 ways to score. However, staking them is simple; all you have to do is pick one of the numerous spin-stakes ranging from 0.5 to 50 coins.