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10 sci-fi sports that should be in the future Olympics

From Rollerball to Blernsball, the Olympics just got an upgrade.

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When sci-fi writers want to build a believable future, they often use futuristic sports to show how our recognizable pastimes have changed (usually by getting a lot more violent).

With robots already taking over the Olympics and new sports having incredible showings, how long is it before they’re handing out medals in these sci-fi sports?

Here are 10 amazing sci-fi sports they could be playing at the 3020 Olympics (but probably not).

10. Rollerball — Rollerball

Rollerball is the oldest fictional sport on this list and the most down-to-earth. Imagine roller derby plus motorcycles and you’re pretty much there.

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9. Redline race — Redline

Racing is a popular choice for fictional sports, probably because it’s easier to follow than a made-up game. Redline stands out for the incredible sense of speed packed into the animation.

8. Robot Boxing — Real Steel

Sci-fi sports tend to be bloodier versions of existing games. Real Steel moves in the other direction, replacing human boxers with robot counterparts for safer and more spectacular fights.

7. Skateball — Solarbabies

For some reason, the characters in Solarbabies thought the best sport for their desert wasteland should involve roller skates. Hence skateball — basically lacrosse on skates — was born, but even the movie decides to ignore the game after a while.

6. Motorball — Alita: Battle Angel

Another entry in the “roller derby but with murder” genre, Alita’s Motorball stands out as particularly vicious. That’s owing to the fact that its players are cyborgs, so full-body replacements are as common as post-game massages and ice baths.

5. Robot duels — Robot Jox

The giant mech duels in Robot Jox are the future’s answer to war, rather than a sport, but they still have referees so we say it counts. The movie is a little light on actual matches, but the charming practical effects make it a blast.

4. Podracing — Star Wars: Episode 1

The best thing in the Star Wars prequels has nothing to do with the Force. The ludicrously dangerous sport of podracing has a leg up over other sci-fi death races for its wild vehicle designs.

3. Parrises Squares — Star Trek

Aside from its fun-to-say name, the most interesting thing about Parrises Squares is that it’s never actually been shown. We only know it involves ion mallets and some kind of ramp — and causes a worrying number of injuries to members of Starfleet.

2. Light Cycles — Tron

A few games are played in the Tron universe, but none is more iconic than Light Cycle racing. The signature light trails the cycles leave behind make this one of the coolest looking sci-fi sports ever.

1. Blernsball — Futurama

Blernsball is what you’d get if you took baseball and jazzed it up. Baseball has a reputation for being... well, boring, but Blernsball’s multi-ball phases, exploding bases, and 10-foot-tall spiders could change that.

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