Madden 23 is one of the many video games released recently, and is sure to be popular among football fans and the gaming community after the death of the iconic John Madden.
Since the Madden franchise has dominated the football video game market, fans have become frustrated with the lackluster efforts to add new features and fix the issues. Redditors have listed their all-time favorite football video games, and it’s not surprising to see that they haven’t listed any recent Madden games.
10/10 NFL Street
PS2/GameCube/Xbox
NFL Street is one of the more unique entries on this list, which is most likely why Redditor suggested pernero. They enjoyed that the “pure randomness of every pass and clumsiness made the game feel pretty insane.”
This is exactly what sets the game apart from traditional football games. First, it’s 7 out of 7 instead of 11, and showboating after scoring a touchdown is strongly encouraged. The player can earn “style points” by performing style moves, such as generating a big game or challenging the opposing team. Although played on the street, the game features NFL rosters from 2003, as well as many NFL legends.
9/10 NFL Blitz 2000
PlayStation / Nintendo 64 / Dreamcast / Windows / Game Boy Color
“Do you have fans of NFL Blitz?” asks Redditor arichi. They, along with fellow Redditors, agree that this game was a blast to play. NFL Blitz seems to be a hidden gem as it is one of the many great sports video games time forgot.
What started as an arcade game, NFL Blitz is comparable with NFL Street in its departure from standard NFL rules. Everything is designed to increase the speed and aggressiveness of the game, making it more attractive to players. For example, there is no pass interference or timeouts, and much shorter quarters. The style was theatrical and exaggerated, as the quarterback could throw the ball almost the length of the field himself, and the tackles were inspired by wrestling moves.
8/10 Tecmo Super Bowl
NES / PlayStation
A deleted Reddit user points out that: Tecmo Super Bowl”was revolutionary for a 1991 NES game” and there are many reasons for that.
The game was the first to feature actual NFL teams and players, which has become a staple in today’s games. It expanded upon its predecessor, Tecmo Bowl, in that it contained larger playbooks and kept stats and records. The game was so popular that it landed at 53 in a ranking of “Top 100 NES Games of All Time” (according to IGN). Bo Jackson was almost unstoppable, which made him a joy to play with and a terror to play against.
7/10 Madden NFL 08
GameCube / Wii / PS2 / PS3 / Xbox 360
Redditor Skepticism and Survival Feels That Madden 08 is the best of all Madden games and bills it as their favorite. Since the game was mainly released on next-gen consoles, it had improved graphics, more realistic gameplay, and an impressive presentation.
It was the first time that a player could have a rating of 100 attributes. The game added a “Weapons” feature found in subsequent Madden games. This feature took advantage of a player’s best skills. For example, Vince Young had the “Speed QB” weapon, which got players excited because they could use Young like they used Michael Vick in previous Madden editions. This made the Tennessee Titans one of the best teams to play, just like they are in Madden 23.
PSP / PS2 / Xbox / Xbox 360
A deleted Reddit user shows off his win-loss record while playing NCAA Football 07. This is a testament to how much they loved the game. The gameplay and graphics were very similar to the Madden games of the same year.
However, it emphasized momentum, which worked just like in a real football game. The most loved feature was Campus Legend (the NCAA version of Superstar Mode) but unfortunately was not available on the Xbox 360 version. It gave players the full college experience, from choosing a school to keeping track of grades. It was also an incentive to own Madden 07 as players could transfer their player to the NFL after graduation.
5/10 Madden NFL 2005
Game Boy Advance / GameCube / PlayStation / PS2 / Xbox / Nintendo DS / Windows
In Madden 2005, Redditor gyman122 loved that players could create a playbook and bring it into franchise mode, the last Madden to do this. However, it contained things that can be found in later editions.
Fellow Redditor lightning87 is excited about the “best owner mode yet,” where a player can set prices, from tickets to concessions. The introduction of “The Tony Bruno Show” gave the game a grounded feel, as the radio show often referenced decisions players made in their franchise. With Ray Lewis on the cover, there was a new addition (this time for the defense). Players could now use the Hit Stick to make more fumbles.
4/10 Madden NFL 06
Game Boy Advance / GameCube / PS2 / Xbox / Xbox 360 / Nintendo DS / Windows
PoopMachin3 listed “the offense of the Colts, Vick, Pats, ridiculous running backs like LT and Bettis” as one of the things they liked in Madden 06. “I remember playing that game for days,” recalls iammas13.
Both Redditors mentioned new features of the game that really drew them in. First, the truck stick was introduced, allowing players to now use these “ridiculous running backs” to hit wannabe tacklers. It was also the beginning of the fan-favorite Superstar mode, in which a player could live the life of an NFL player. One of the more unique features was the Vision Cone, which allowed players to hit their receivers. The better the quarterback’s awareness, the wider the cone. Aside from Peyton Manning, Tom Brady was one of the best players in the game just as he is in Madden 23 – 17 seasons later.
PS3 / Xbox 360
BeYourHucklebbery11 suggests NCAA Football 14, but the only downside seems to be the exclusivity – because “you need a PS3 and Xbox 360.” The biggest draw of the game was its presentation.
While playing, gamers felt like they were watching a real college football game on ESPN, complete with score updates, commentary from the classic Kirk Herbstreit and Lee Corso, and a halftime show highlighted by Rece Davis and David Pollack. Recruitment was much more in-depth, complete with coaching contracts and new fight songs that gave the game a real college feel. Due to licensing issues, it is the last NCAA football game EA made, making it extremely valuable and expensive. However, a new college football game is on the way, per screen frenzy.
2/10 Madden NFL 2004
Game Boy Advance / GameCube / PlayStation / PS2 / Xbox / Windows
Madden 2004 belongs to the best Madden games. In fact, it even beat other games like Grand Theft Auto: Vice City and Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic for ‘Game of the Year’.
To call Madden 2004 to everyone and the first word they will say is “Vick”. Players, like ac91, like to play as the Atlanta Falcons quarterback. He was actually a cheat code by using his legs to make other players look silly. Because of its superiority, future Madden games had to keep features intact to level the playing field. In addition, the game added a training camp before the preseason, where gamers could let their players practice to increase their attributes and overall rating.
1/10 ESPN NFL 2K5
PS2 / Xbox
Many Redditors mentioned ESPN 2K5 as the greatest football game of all time. The only downside seemed to be the faces of the players. Both hawkissimo and ResidentJabroni agreed that there are plenty of aspects that make this not only a great game, but even better than the rival Madden series.
These aspects include the fluid gameplay and intelligent AI. While Madden commented on Al Michaels and John Madden’s iconic games, ESPN 2K5 could have set up a better presentation. The famed Chris Berman would appear for the players’ pregame and halftime shows in a Sportscenter-esque broadcast. The personal feeling players get from this is something Madden has yet to achieve.
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