For 13 years running now, football fans worldwide have enjoyed the John Madden-football games, the year of 2002 is of course no exception. Madden NFL 2003 is the 13th game in the very successful series of football games. When I say football I mean the American kind. Who would want to play the European kind when you can go the American way?
John Madden is a known football commentator and former pro-player in the American pro league (NFL). He has since 1991 fronted a number of footballgames by the name Madden NFL. The games are looked upon as crème de la crème of football games, with good gameplay, nice graphics and smart comments from John Madden himself. Since this is a game of American football many Europeans automatically dodge this game. Why should they want to play a game based on sport that is chaotic and meaningless? That couldn`t be more wrong. If they had bothered trying to understand the game, they would know that this is one of the most strategic sports in the world. On the surface American football may look like a sport where the point is to hammer your opponents and cause havoc. The fact on the contrary is that American football is a game where raw muscle power and smart tactics walk hand in hand.
I can try to, very shortly, explain the game to you who don`t already know what it is all about, but I am no expert, so bear with me. In American football there is two teams opposing each other, like in most ball-sports. The point of the game is to get an oval ball into the scoring zone. To be able to do this you will need to break through the defense of the opposing squad. The actual playing, most of the time starts off with the ball being given to a quarterback, he is then supposed to throw the ball forward to one of the players that have gotten through the human wall of defense. The player receiving the ball is most often a halfback or a runninback. His purpose is to run with the ball, preferably into the scoring zone, as long as he can. When the player is tackled, the game is stopped and you start all over again from where he was tackled. The attacking team has 4 attempts or "downs" to try to bring the ball 10 yards forward. If they don`t, the defending team will take over posession of the ball, but if they manage they will get 4 new "downs". And so it goes on until the attackers score, or the defenders steal the ball. To be able to score or bring the ball 10 yards forward you will have to, in the best way possible, try to fool you opponent. To do this you can choose between numerous of different plays and tactics.
This game is definitely best on a console. It is suited for sitting comfortably in a couch in front of a TV. It`s even better with you and some friends playing together. It is pretty easy to learn how to play, but if it were to cause any trouble, you can just back into the practice mode and polish your game.
For those having played previous Madden-games, or other NFL-games it should be a piece of cake learning this game. The gameplay is still the same. You choose from different tactics depending on if you are attacking or defending. Then you make the snap and start playing, trying to follow the chosen tactis the best way possible. I you`re good and a bit lucky you get a touchdown (a goal), or at least gain a couple of yards. For those of you that haven`t played any NFL-games, then Madden NFL 2003 is a good choice. Because new of this year is a very nice practice mode, called Football 101. This is a very good feature, and it explains what the point of the game is, and how different tactics work. You not only learn how to play the game, but you learn something about American Football in general. Also new this year is a bunch of different gaming modes. In addition to playing a single game or going through a season, you can also being just a manager. This is very similar to the game Championship Manager. It has also been added several mini-games, which you can find under the "minicamp" option. In these games you can throw a ball through a spinning ring, kick the ball on a target, tackle as many opponents as possible within a time limit and more. By playing these games you can win "Madden Card", which you can use during the regular gameplay. The card, 232 in total, can do everything from pump up the audience to giving your players 25% better stats.
As I mentioned earlier there is a feature called football 101. Here you learn about the game and the different tactics you can use. First, John Madden explains, very carefully, what the purpose of the particular tactic is, then you get to see it, and then you have to do it yourself. By going through with the tactics in the best way possible you gain points, which you can later use to buy "Madden Cards". There is also some other gameplay possibilities, some better than others. You got among other, the situation-mode, where you can create a situation after your wishes. You can choose to start a game with 2 minutes left, trailing by 6 points (1 touchdown = 6 points). Or you can recreate actual situations from real games, and then reenact the in your own way. For Football fans this is probably a very fun mode. Not only because you can choose between most of the NFL teams from the 1950s up to today.
To play the game you have to use pretty much every inch of the gamepad. The a-button to start an attack and the a-button to throw with after you`ve started the game. The players are controlled with the left analog stick or the d-pad. The other buttons are used for sprinting, jumping or trying to fake out the opposing teams players. The triggers on the front of the controller is used for different fakeouts when you are attacking. It`s all a bit different when defending, then the buttons have changed for sprinting and so on. That makes this one of the games where you have to read through the manual before playing, if you don`t, you`re going to get hauled to the ground before you can scream "pain". Despite the controls being a bit difficult at first, you will soon realize that it`s the work of a genius. It will come to you, and when it does, it`s like dream to control the players.
One of the things developing the most on Madden from year to year is the graphics, and thank God for that. It would be a bit embarrassing if it still looked the way it did when I played it on my Amiga 500 in the early-mid-90s. It has progressed, and in a shocking tempo. The graphics is very good, and the difference between last years PC-version to this years Xbox-version is enormous. The graphics is sharp, very nicely detailed and at times incredibly virtual. The player model is very impressing as well as the field design, but probably the most impressing is the ball design. In no other sports game I`ve played the has been laid down so much work in making the ball look so real. The moment you play the game, and run a replay you will see what I mean. There has also been done a lot work in improving the replay segment. Obviously you can take a look at what you just did, but you can move the camera freely around the field, and look at what you find interesting. You can play it in slow-mo, frame by frame or fast forward. But the most impressing is the replays you get to see directly after a situation has occurred. Some of these left me sitting with my jaw on the floor. Not only is the details incredible, but all of the different ways they show a replay on, is stunning.
Madden NFL 2003 has pretty standard audio features. Players throwing cocky remarks, shout tactics to each other and so on. The music is fitting, the sound is sharp, and the tackles sounds a painful as they should. The comments is probably the best about the audio, and always fit perfectly to the situations at hand. It took many days to record all of the comments in the game, five days for every one of the three persons that is commenting the games. Cause it`s not only John Madden that comments the games, he`s also got a sidekick, as well as a reporter that continuously updates you on injuries, comments from physicians and coaches. It`s all done in a very professional matter, and very much looks like a TV broadcasted game.
Conclusion
So far I haven`t pointed out anything negative in the game, that`s because I haven`t found anything. The game is bound to better next year, I can only imagine what they`ll improve. This is game is one of the most complete sports games I`ve ever played, and I have tried a few during my lifetime. You have a bunch of different gameplay modes: you can play single games, an entire season, play as a manager, and you can have fun with collecting cards, or you can play minigames. The graphics are good, the sound is solid, and the game play is thought through and good. It`s a gotta-have-it game. Everyone that likes American football is obligated to buy this game, and everyone who likes sports games, you strongly consider buying it.
SquareTrade AP6.0 FREE USPS 1ST CLASS SHIPPING IN THE CONTINENTAL UNITED STATES! IMPORTANT: Please Read Carefully! Condition: BRAND NEW /STILL IN CELL...More at eBay
Epinions.com periodically updates pricing and product information from third-party sources, so some information may be slightly out-of-date. You should confirm all information before relying on it.
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.