| Madden NFL | |
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The current Madden NFL logo.
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| Developer(s) | Electronic Arts Tiburon |
| Publisher(s) | EA Sports |
| Released | First released in 1989 |
| Genre | Football Simulation |
| Mode(s) | Single player, Multiplayer |
| Platform(s) | Apple II, Macintosh, SNES, Sega Genesis, Nintendo DS, Nintendo Gamecube, Nintendo 64, Windows PC, DOS, PlayStation, Xbox, PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Sega Saturn, Wii, Xbox 360, Playstation Portable |
Madden NFL is an American football video game series developed by Electronic Arts Tiburon for EA Sports. The game is named after Pro Football Hall of Famer John Madden, a well-known color commentator for NBC Sports and formerly a successful Super Bowl-winning coach during the 1970s with the Oakland Raiders. The PlayStation 2 version of Madden NFL 07 is the best-selling video game in the United States for 2006, selling 2.8 million copies.[1] As of September 25 2007, Madden NFL 07 has sold 7.4 million copies, making it the second best-selling video game in the US.[2]
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Evolution
The game has greatly grown over the years, adding many new features. Among these is voice commentary, allowing players or watchers to hear the game being called as if it were a real game on TV. The commentary is by John Madden teamed with his regular broadcast partner, which meant Pat Summerall (Madden's partner during his days at CBS and FOX during the early 1980s on through the early 2000s) until he retired; the role is now filled by Al Michaels, John's current broadcast partner on NBC Sunday Night Football (and former partner from 2002 through 2005 on ABC Monday Night Football).
1990s
In the early 1990s, EA producer Richard Hilleman brought in veteran sports game designer Scott Orr, who had founded the mid-1980s Commodore 64 game publisher GameStar, and had led the design of their best-selling sports games. The team of Orr and Hilleman designed and led the development of what is today still recognizable as the modern Madden Football, the highest revenue-generating video game series in North American video gaming history. Early versions of Madden were created by external development studios (including Park Place Productions and Stormfront Studios) but by the late 1990s development was brought in-house and centralized at EA Tiburon in Orlando, Florida.
2000s
There are multiple modes of game play, from a quick head-to-head game to running a team for a whole season or even multiple seasons. Online play, which was a new feature for Madden NFL 2003 (in this versions there are also mini-camp challenges) was only available for users of the PlayStation 2 console or a Microsoft Windows PC until early 2004. At E3 2004, Microsoft and EA Sports released a press statement announcing that games made from July 2004 on would now be Xbox Live-enabled. In August of 2004, EA Sports released Madden NFL 2005 and this game and all future versions of Madden became very popular games on Xbox Live. Also, starting with Madden NFL 2004, EA Sports created the new Playmaker tool, using the right analog joystick found on many controllers. This allows the players to make pre-snap route adjustments, as well as defensive alignment adjustments, thus adding more realism to the game. In Madden NFL 2005, EA Sports further utilized the right analog joystick on defense by creating the "Hit Stick", an option on defense that allows the controlled player to make big hits that can cause fumbles. When running the ball on offense, the runner can control the direction in which the blocker is going. When the quarterback has the ball the joystick can be used to make receivers alter their routes mid-play. 2005 also added "EA Sports Radio", a fictional show that plays during the menu screen of Franchise mode to provide a greater sense of a storyline during gameplay. It features Tony Bruno as the host, who often interviews players and coaches about how the season is going and also has quiz questions in which fake listeners call in to make attempts at answering football-related questions. It has recently included fake interviews of famous NFL players and coaches. Some fans have criticized EA Sports for not including new features to the 'programming', but the feature drew acclaim for adding content to the normally bland Franchise menu.[attribution needed] In Madden NFL 06, the "Truck Stick" was introduced. This feature allows the offensive player to lower his shoulder and break a tackle, or back juke to avoid one. Another new feature is the 'Superstar Mode', which allows the player to take control of a Rookie, and progress through his career. This includes an IQ test, interviews, workouts, the NFL Draft, hiring an agent, and other aspects of a superstar's life. EA also introduced the QB Vision feature in the 2006 instalment. With this feature, a cone of spotlight emits from the quarterback during passing plays, simulating his field of vision. To make an accurate pass, the quarterback must have his intended receiver in his field of vision. Passing to a receiver not in the cone reduces pass accuracy significantly. The size of the quarterback's vision cone is directly correlated to his Awareness and Passer Accuracy rating; Peyton Manning and Brett Favre see nearly the entire field at once, whereas an inexperienced quarterback such as J.P. Losman or Kyle Boller will see only a sliver of the field. This feature also allows for "Precision Passing". With Precision Passing, users can pinpoint where the ball should go. It can be thrown high, low, left, right, etc. In Madden NFL 2007, EA introduced Lead Blocker Controls which allow users to control blockers during running plays. In addition, EA redefined the Truck Stick into the Highlight Stick. With the Highlight Stick, users can have their running backs perform different running moves and combos, instead of just bowling over defenders. Truck Stick features still exist for bigger backs, but not for smaller backs who would never realistically use them anyway. Instead, more agile backs perform acrobatic ducks and dodges to avoid tackles. In Madden NFL 08, the Weapons feature was added, allowing super star players to be noticed. Randy Moss, for example, is a Spectacular Catch receiver, allowing him to make amazing one-handed grabs. Peyton Manning is a Smart QB, letting him read the defense's play after they repeat the same play. Reggie Bush is an Elusive back, making him more agile than most players. Devin Hester has Speed, making him faster than others, complementing the fact that he has 100 speed; the first to have a 100 rating.
Licensing
The NFL Coaches Association sells the rights to have NFL coaches' names appear in the "Madden NFL" games. New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick does not appear in the game, as did Bill Parcells, because he is not a member of the NFL Coaches Association. On December 13, 2004, EA Sports announced it had secured exclusive rights to the NFL and its players' union for the subsequent five years, precluding any other third party from selling a football game using NFL players, teams, stadiums or other licenses.
Criticism
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The neutrality of this section is disputed. Please see the discussion on the . This section has been tagged since December 2007. |
Annual updates and prices
The Madden NFL series each year is given annual updates, as well as graphical updates. For example, Madden 2004 introduced a new feature, Build-A-Stadium, and the 2006 version was the first in the series with QB Vision. The game sells well each year, possibly because of player movement in the NFL (which has caused the series' detractors to refer to each game as simply a roster update, such as Roster Update 2007), as well as being the only video game officially licensed by the NFL.[3] Updated rosters are only available via EA online, and only for the season the game covers. For example, Madden 08 will offer periodic updates for download during the actual 2007 NFL season, but only for that season.
Exclusivity
In 2005, the producers of the Madden games, EA Sports, signed an exclusive licensing deal through 2009 with the NFL and the NFLPA to give them the exclusive right to use the NFL's teams, stadiums and players in a video game, something which has been widely criticized. This exclusive license has put an end to competition in NFL video games and, some have suggested, this gives EA less incentive to maintain quality and a greater opportunity to increase prices. In this climate, some football games, such as the ultra-violent Blitz: The League, have elected to continue, seeking to distinguish themselves through innovative gameplay, while others such as the well-reviewed ESPN NFL 2K series have been forced to cease production. However, it should be noted that EA's exclusive licensing deal is not unique. The NFL has similar exclusivity deals concerning virtually all of its licensing (DirecTV, Reebok, CBS, FOX, etc.). Ever since 2006, the Madden series for the next-gen consoles have not used John Madden or Al Michaels as the commentators of the game. Instead, there is an unknown play-by-play commentator in their place. Madden and Al can still be heard in the PS2, Xbox, mobile phone, PC and Gamecube versions.
QB Vision control
The Vision Control feature continues to be controversial amongst certain Madden NFL fans. Some players think that the option makes the game more realistic, as real quarterbacks cannot look at one receiver while throwing a perfect pass to another. However, detractors of the feature argue that it is unrealistic to have to look with one's eyes for an open receiver, and then move the quarterback's vision to where one's eyes are. The lag in between spotting a receiver and moving the vision to a receiver can be all the difference in a complete pass and a sack. QB Vision Control was optional in Madden 2007 (except for in the All-Madden difficulty level).
Historical teams
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This article or section may contain original research or unverified claims. Please improve the article by adding references. See the for details. (September 2007) |
Starting with the very early versions of Madden Football, gamers were allowed to play against each other using historic teams of the past along with the current teams provided in the year of the game. One popular version was a "gold" edition of John Madden Football '93 for the Sega Genesis. This version consisted only of Super Bowl teams, and was exclusive to Blockbuster Video for the first several months of release. While the players assigned to each position performed close to their historic mirrors, their information was either not provided or incorrect, mostly due to licensing issues. Many versions of Madden would have, for example, Joe Montana of the 1989 San Francisco 49ers listed as "QB #16". At the time, Joe Montana had his own Sega Genesis game, Joe Montana Football, and was not included in the general NFL Player's Association agreement, so his name could not be used by Electronic Arts. Eventually, Madden gamers were allowed to edit the rosters of these historic teams, giving them a chance to have historically accurate teams.
The Madden Challenge
The Madden Challenge is a tournament to decide who is the best Madden player in the world. It started with qualifying tournaments in only a few cities, but then was expanded to every NFL city and recently was removed from a few cities and added international cities and an online tournament. Winners from each round go on to play in the finals in New York City (Times Square) and receive US$100,000.
Madden Curse
The Madden Curse is a supposed jinx. Many players who have appeared on the cover of Madden games have sustained serious injury or not met expectations the following season. Some of the players affected by the curse are Daunte Culpepper, Michael Vick, Marshall Faulk, Shaun Alexander, Ray Lewis, and Donovan McNabb. The only exception so far for the Madden Curse was the first cover athlete, Eddie George of the Tennessee Titans who covered the game a year after his team lost in the Super Bowl. During the 2000 Season (Madden NFL 2001 game) George posted a career year with 1,509 yards rushing, 50 receptions for 453 yards and 16 total touchdowns. However, many say the Curse still got to George, as he bobbled a pass in a playoff game against the Baltimore Ravens which was intercepted by Ray Lewis and returned for a touchdown. The Ravens would win the game and go on to win the Super Bowl as well.
The Madden Bowl
The Madden Bowl is a single elimination tournament held on the most current edition of Madden NFL. It has been held since 1995 during Super Bowl weekend in the host city and, in the past, participation included NFL players and celebrities. The Madden Bowl's participation has changed over the years from being an event held with athletes, musicians, and celebrities, to become an event where only NFL players invited to participate get a chance to play. Participants in the Madden Bowl are free to choose which team they will play as - the player does not necessarily have to play as the team that he plays for in real life. Winners receive a Madden Bowl trophy and recognition in the upcoming Madden video game. The 2006 Madden Bowl, held during the weekend of Super Bowl XL in Detroit, Michigan, was televised on ESPN and premiered in April 2006. It is not to be confused with Madden Nation, which was a reality television show that chronicled a cross-country trip to crown the best Madden player in America, which also aired on ESPN.
Madden Bowl winners
- 1995 - Steve Smith
- 1996 - Reggie Brooks
- 1997 - Jimmy Spencer
- 1998 - Morris Chestnut
- 1999 - Ray Mickens
- 2000 - Terry Jackson
- 2001 - Jacquez Green
- 2002 - Jacquez Green
- 2003 - Dwight Freeney
- 2004 - Dwight Freeney
- 2005 - Michael Lewis
- 2006 - Alex Smith
- 2007 - Alex Smith
Annual EA Super Bowl simulation
Every year since 2004, shortly before the actual Super Bowl, EA Games has run a simulation of the Super Bowl using the latest game in the Madden NFL series and announced the result. EA also releases a computer-generated description of the simulated game as if it were a summary of the real Super Bowl. To date, the simulation has accurately predicted the winner each year. The results of the simulated Super Bowl games are listed below.
- 2004 - Patriots 23, Panthers 20[1] (Actual Score: Patriots 32, Panthers 29)
- 2005 - Patriots 47 - Eagles 31 [2] (Actual score: Patriots 24, Eagles 21)
- 2006 - Steelers 24, Seahawks 19 [3] (Actual score: Steelers 21, Seahawks 10)
- 2007 - Colts 38, Bears 27 [4] (Actual score: Colts 29, Bears 17)
Voice cast
- Note: Dates indicate the version number, not the calendar year when it was actually released.
- Color commentator:
John Madden(1996-2005)
UnNamed Local Radio Announcer (2006-2008)
- Play-by-play: Pat Summerall (1996 - 2002) UnNamed Local Radio Announcer (2006-2008)
- Play-by-play: Al Michaels (2003 - 2005)UnNamed Local Radio Announcer (2006-2008)
- Sideline reporter: Lesley Visser (1996 - 2002)
- Sideline reporter: Melissa Stark (2003 - 2004)
- Sideline reporter: Jill Arrington (2005)
- Studio host: James Brown (1997 - 2002)
- Sports radio host: Tony Bruno (2005 - 2007)
- Referee: Red Cashion (1998 - 2002)
- Referee: (Xbox, PlayStation 2, etc.) Mike Carey (2003-Present)
- Referee: (Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3) Ed Hochuli (2006 - present)
See also
References
- ^ Kris Graft (2007-01-11). NPD: 2006 Record Year—$12.5B. Next-Gen.biz. Retrieved on 2007-11-01.
- ^ Jonathan Sidener (2007-09-25). Microsoft pins Xbox 360 hopes on 'Halo 3' sales. Signonsandiego.com. Retrieved on 2007-10-29.
- ^ EA and NFL ink exclusive licensing agreement. Retrieved on 2007-06-14.
External links
- Official Madden NFL 2007 website
- Official EA Sports website
- Official EA Tiburon website
- Madden NFL series at MobyGames
- Joe Montana Football at GameSpot. Major competitor to John Madden Football on the Sega Genesis
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| '99: Garrison Hearst • '00: Barry Sanders/Dorsey Levens • '01: Eddie George • '02: Daunte Culpepper • '03: Marshall Faulk '04: Michael Vick • '05: Ray Lewis • '06: Donovan McNabb • '07: Shaun Alexander • '08: Vince Young/Luis Castillo (Spanish version) |
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| John Madden Football (1985) · John Madden Football (1988) · John Madden Football (1990) · '92 · II · '93 · Madden NFL '94 · '95 · '96 · 97 · 64 · 98 · 99 · 2000 · 2001 · 2002 · 2003 · 2004 · 2005 · 06 · 07 · 08 |
