Another year, another NFL season is upon us. By that, it means another installment of the great Madden franchise. While there is no doubt that the series has experienced a bit of a downturn over the past decade, the franchise still generates hype with every single annual release.
This year, there’s even more excitement with the promise that it will be a special edition, with legend John Madden himself gracing the cover. Ahead of Madden 23’s release next month, let’s take a look at the franchise. Specifically, let’s take a look at which games Metacritic considers the best.
10 Madden NFL 07 (84)
The 2007 edition of Madden wasn’t as well received as its predecessors, but it still earned a solid 84/100 on Metacritic, and the PS2 port did it anyway. The game, which featured running back Shaun Alexander, was the first to be released on Wii and PS3.
The port was first praised for its unique motion controls. Read also : USA vs Haiti – Football Game Report – July 4, 2022. While it might not be the best port released for next-gen consoles, it still marked an important game for the franchise.
9 Madden NFL 10 (85)
Madden 10 is the newest edition of the franchise to appear on this list. In a rare move, the game’s cover featured two players, Larry Fitzgerald and Troy Polamalu. On the same subject : The 20 Best Video Game Endings of All Time. The two had previously represented the Arizona Cardinals and the Pittsburgh Steelers in the previous Super Bowl.
The game’s PS3 and Xbox 360 ports scored 85 on Metacritic. The 2010 edition of Madden is best known for having the beloved Ultimate Team mode for the first time. While it wasn’t released with too much fanfare in 2010, it is one of the most played modes today.
8 Madden NFL 09 (85)
Madden 09 was a solid game that did well to build on the foundation that had been established the previous year. On the same subject : Video games with the worst user scores on Metacritic. The PS3 edition of the game scored an 85 out of 100 and the Xbox 360 port followed quickly.
The game wasn’t anything too spectacular, but it did well in improving the standard gameplay and franchise mode. However, the game is mostly remembered today due to Brett Favre’s appearance on the game’s cover, despite being a member of the New York Jets.
7 Madden NFL 08 (85)
The Xbox 360 edition of Madden 08 scored 85 on Metacritic, followed by the other edition on the PS3. The game didn’t do anything groundbreaking, but there was still a lot of fun in the game. Especially in the fantasy football style ‘Fantasy Challenge’ mode.
The cover was graced by then Pro Bowl quarterback Vince Young, which was an interesting choice. Madden 08 was a historic edition, as it was the last game to be released for Gamecube in North America. It was also the last entry to be released for PC until Madden 19.
6 Madden NFL 06 (88)
Madden 06 was the first game to be released for the next-gen Xbox 360, but that edition was certainly a bit rushed. However, previous generation editions, such as the PS2 installment, were rated very well, earning an 88 on Metacritic.
The main special feature of the game was the Superstar mode, which was great. A fun fact about this title is that it is the only one to feature WWE star Brock Lesnar, as he had signed with the Minnesota Vikings at the time of release.
5 Madden NFL 05 (91)
Madden’s sixteenth episode was very well received. With Baltimore Ravens star Ray Lewis on the cover, it was the last edition to be released on the Playstation and the first to be released for the Nintendo DS.
The edition did not release any new modes, but it greatly optimized the gameplay. The game’s PS2 and Xbox ports scored the highest, as they scored 91 on Metacritic.
4 Madden NFL 2001 (91)
The 2001 edition of Madden featured the Tennessee Titans running after Eddie George on the cover. The running back appearing on the cover was historic, as it was the first time in the franchise’s history that it didn’t feature John Madden featured on the cover.
It was one of the most customizable games to date, as fans were able to create plays, create players, and have custom rules for their individual games. For example, if a player wanted to, he could give himself five downs and his CPU three. Personalization was one of the best parts of Madden 01.
3 Madden NFL 2004 (94)
Madden 04 is not only one of the best games in the series, it is one of the best sports games ever. Gracing the cover was quarterback Michael Vick, who is vying as one of the most overwhelmed players ever in the game itself.
The PS2 edition of the game received a 94 on Metacritic, with other ports right behind. Additionally, Madden NFL 2004 was named Game of the Year at the 2003 Video Game Awards.
2 Madden NFL 2002 (94)
The 2002 edition of Madden was the first to be on Xbox and also featured Vikings quarterback Daunte Culpepper on the cover. However, the highest critical score went to the PS2 port, with a 94 out of 100.
Sure, the other doors followed right behind him. A fun curiosity about this game is that due to licensing issues, Tom Brady was not available when the game was first released. However, it was in later editions.
1 Madden NFL 2003 (95)
Madden 2003 is the highest-rated game in the franchise on Metacritic. The PS2 edition of the game scored an insane 95 out of 100, with other game ports on the Xbox and Gamecube right behind them.
Hall of Faul running back Marshall Faulk graced the game cover. The 2003 edition had many firsts, as for the first time it had a special soundtrack with licensed music. It also featured Al Michaels as a first time commentator and mini-pitch mode.
