Like Madden 20, you can freely switch these next two around, and we wouldn’t blame you. True, it’s since been surpassed by deeper, better-looking games, but it’s impossible to imagine Madden’s greatest moments without Madden 99.
However, we see this as the genesis of everything that made Madden great because it was the first year the series added Franchise Mode.
Some might be surprised to see this game rank this highly on the list, especially when compared to games like Madden 06 and Madden 2002/2003. Of course, we can’t rank it too high because the controversial QB Vision Cone was a real damper on gameplay for many. Even at the time, the mode was astoundingly more in-depth than its modern-day counterparts, like QB1 and Face of the Franchise. That said, Madden 06 gave birth to Superstar mode, which let players guide an NFL rookie all the way to the Hall of Fame.
The Xbox 360 version cut several of the best features as the developer had to learn how to harness the new technology. To be clear, we’re only talking about the GameCube, PS2, and Xbox versions of this game. Madden Cards stuck around for a few years before being phased out for good, which is a shame. Essentially, these let you turn on different cheats in-game or unlock historic players in your Franchise save. That said, 2002 really embraced the fun of the series with Madden Cards. In fact, you could easily switch the order, and we wouldn’t be too upset. The developer also layered in quality gameplay and in-depth options across the various modes, providing a foundation that EA rode for the next few years to great success. This milestone is a major one for the future of the franchise and helped lead to some of the series best years. On top of that, Madden 10 offered several new gameplay tweaks, particularly the rating adjustment, that helped make the game feel more realistic.įor the first time, Madden went online with Madden 2003. Back in Madden 10, the game mode wasn’t as insidious as it is today.
However, it can’t be denied that the quasi-gambling simulator is incredibly popular with its current community. To some, MUT has killed what made the old Madden games great. This year’s Madden will forever be remembered for the start of Madden Ultimate Team. From the ability to create a team from scratch to the free-agent bidding war, this was the last time most players were happy with Franchise Mode.
Unlike recent games, Franchise Mode was incredibly deep, giving players the ability to do all kinds of things that are impossible in modern Madden. More modern Madden games have certainly played better than Madden 12, but the sheer breadth of content gives it the last spot in this list. This is the most recently accomplished Madden game from top to bottom. With that in mind, here are the 10 best Madden NFL video games of all time. That said, there have been years where the games were truly great examples of what good, simulation-style football should be. Most recently, the series has been on a bit of a downswing in terms of quality. Some of the games have scored a touchdown, while some have pelted the ball into the stands. As football is America’s most-watched sport, the series always tops the charts as the best-selling sports video game. The Madden series has been around for more than 30 years now and has pumped out 32 titles across several generations of consoles.