TheMaddenNFL video game franchise we love today finds its roots in the 1988John Madden Footballgame. New installments in the franchise are released each year, as they seek to update the roster and add new features that improve and enhance gameplay for the newest version.
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The formula forMaddengames remains much the same year after year, notevolving like theFIFAfranchise. Given that it is based on the actual National Football League, there is little room for variety on what the game is; however, a few times over the years, the franchise has seen its game modes restructured with new modes and significant revisions. Based on those factors, here are the best and worst of the franchise.
Updated on 6th April 2021 by Saim Cheeda:The Madden series has definitely seen better days as the franchise is experiencing a downturn in quality. Years of presenting around the same level of entertainment have led to franchise fatigue and fans have been vocal about their displeasure. That’s not to say all games have been this way, as the lack of quality titles has actually made fans appreciate the entries that are a cut above the rest. Since it might be a while until another really good title comes along, it’s worth checking out more of the well-received games in the series. You should also be up to speed on the titles that should be avoided, so this list has been updated with both good and bad entries.
15Best – Madden NFL 2003
At the time ofMadden NFL 2003’s release, it was considered one of the most realistic sports games to be made. Its most notable feature is the arcade-style gameplay that keeps things at a fast pace and never drags the action along.
This entry also has an improved tactical style of play that allows users to plan out their strategy as opposed to blindly running around. This creative streak was what truly propelled the series into a critically acclaimed one.
14Worst – Madden NFL 21
There are only so many times that audiences can let it slide how theMadden NFLseries brings little to no innovation these days. This entry has zero creativity behind it as it’s essentially the same game as the year before, albeit with a new title.
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The presence of many bugs and glitches means that completing a match is its own accomplishment if things don’t get messed up halfway through. More than anything, though, it’s the lack of originality that causes this entry to be so belittled.
13Best – Madden NFL 2002
This entry didn’t waste time in needless fluff and kept things simple. Featuring a traditional style of play, while there are no real surprises in store,Madden NFL 2002is also an enjoyable affair since the game remains straightforward and easy to use.
The game’s defensive strategies stand out the most as players can bank on their team to defend well and capitalize on this to score themselves. All in all, a good balance in team tactics allows this title to remain in memory.
12Worst – Madden NFL 06
By the point of this game’s release, consoles had progressed enough to allow for solid graphics. Unfortunately,Madden NFL 06features player appearances that seem like a bit of a joke, with character models stuck with silly expressions.
The game’s soundtrack is another yawner, feeling drab and boring as it’s unable to really set the mood for a big sport such as this. The lack of technical improvements ultimately undermines any of the fun factors this title might have.
11Best – Madden NFL 2005
While this entry is another one of the more-of-the-same variety, there’s no doubt it’s a fun title. On this occasion, the focus on the offensive side of things keeps the interest ticking. The game doesn’t take itself seriously either and that turns out to be a good thing.
Essentially,Madden NFL 2005retains the fun elements of previous games without making obvious attempts to hide its lack of originality. It may not be a revolutionary title, but the matches are certainly entertaining due to the hard-hitting nature of the gameplay.
10Best – John Madden Football
The best place for this list to start is where the franchise itself began in 1988.John Madden Footballhas not aged very well today, and it’s unlikely that anyone will be clamoring to play the original title. For its time, however, this game was amazing.
To start,John Madden Footballfeatured 11 on 11 football, which is the same size as an actual football team. While it didn’t necessarily look like a real football game, technology wasn’t what it is today, and there is a very good reason the original spawned a sequel.
9Worst – Madden NFL 18
Starting off the disappointments, we’ll first visitMadden 18. To be fair,Madden 18wasn’t bad. To start, this game introduced the Longshot story mode which many fans enjoyed. For the actual football portion, the gameplay was consistent with other entries and didn’t noticeably regress in any category.
Unfortunately, that’s all it did. Introduced a new game mode that had very little football gameplay and rehashed the same formula as the previous installment. Doing nothing to fix major issues and arguably presenting an updated version ofMadden 17landsMadden 18on the lower tier of titles for the franchise.
8Best – Madden NFL 07
Possibly one of the best overallMaddenexperiences,07packed tons into its case. For starters, this game had arguably one of the best franchise modes inMaddenhistory, as there were actual impacts on players having a strong or bad season, and they hit an automatic regression upon reaching certain age thresholds.
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What really setMadden 07apart though was the trucking ability. Allowing players to push through defenders as the ball carrier created one of the most impactful functions the franchise has seen to date, and players still scramble to get that last push off on defenders to fight for more yards.
7Worst – Madden NFL 25
The firstMaddengame released on the Xbox One and PS4 was a huge disappointment to many. While the game looked polished and brought gameplay speeds to a whole new level for the next generation of consoles,gameplay features should have been implemented differently.
Nobody expected this game to be perfect, but fans did expect a more robust showing as the franchise made its debut on the new generation of consoles. Instead,Madden 25mostly felt like a slightly polished rebranding ofMadden 13from the year prior. A sad transition indeed.
6Best – Madden NFL ‘99
No play option is more beloved throughout theMaddenfranchise than Franchise Mode, where players take over as the coach of an NFL franchise and play through multiple seasons, managing their team to victory.
The first appearance of Franchise Mode came inMadden NFL ’99. At that time, it wasn’t an option to play as an owner and many of the current features were missing. What wasn’t missing was the ability to take over a team, sign and trade players, and play through multiple seasons seeking victory.
