Which Madden NFL is the best?
05/07/09 8:06 AM
The Best of Madden
In light of sports commentator John Madden's retirement from the booth, coupled with the summer release of Madden NFL 10, a sudden overwhelming feeling made me stop and think: Which Madden rules over the rest?
The question is subjective in nature. There is no empiric evidence that points to a clear winner during the last 21 years of EA's Madden series. The question itself might even be considered questionable -Does there have to be a best Madden? And, who cares?
Sports fans do. They rank and compare the numbers on everything. Given the series' immense history, EA's annual output of a new Madden, and the series' evolution from 1989 to the upcoming Madden NFL 10-an evolution that itself is an insight into the video game industry-delving into the series makes a lot of sense.
But if there isn't a single "best" Madden, which ones stand out from the pack? There are Madden games that have risen above the rest in each era, from the 16-bit Genesis games to the knockout 2000 PS2 launch title. Which ones stood out graphically? (What about them virtual polygons?) Which made the biggest tech leaps? Which ones failed?
