Madden NFL 2003

"By far the best one yet!"

Well, after my team (the Patriots) won the Super Bowl last year, my interest in football was rekindled, and I rushed out to get Madden 2002. About a year later, I pondered for a while on whether I should rent or buy this. Eventually I decided to pick this up. It was a great deal.

Gameplay: 9/10
-This is really great. There are more modes than I can remember right now, including Exhibition, Franchise, Mini-Camp, and Create-a-Whatever-you-want. (Player, team, playbook...) If this doesn't keep you occupied for hours, nothing will. I'm serious. The Madden Cards are also a pretty good challenge for anyone who wants one. However, after you've unlocked everything and beaten everyone, it gets kinda boring.

Graphics: 10/10
-Even better than last year's! Not by a whole lot, but still better. The faces look like the person they represent, and the football's bumps are still countable. It looks almost exactly like a real game, except for the pause menu and the play-calling. Seriously. The players have also been upgraded, and I don't see any more thin-arm syndrome...

Sound: 9/10
-Again, better than last year's. Summerall is gone, and Al Michaels is in. He's not a better announcer, but he gets the job done. Madden is still pretty stupid, but he has many more lines than he did last year. The music is also pretty good, as there are tunes you might hear on the radio! The only problem is that it is played only on menus, and you can't choose what track to play. Oh well, the music is still all very good.

Controls: 9/10
-The only downgrade from last year. The LB and OL shifts are more confusing, and they switched a few buttons. I don't understand why, since there are just as many controls as last year...

Buy / Rent: BUY
-If you are a football fan, I don't need to tell you to buy it. Hell, you probably already have the game. If you don't like football, then stop reading this review. Stop. NOW. Anyway, get the game. Nike and You - Just Do It.

Overall: 9/10
-Once again, this is much better than last year. The reason it got the same score as last year is because my standards have improved since then, and now that game would only get about an 8. Now, there are a few flaws in them, but I have already mentioned those. Remember, you MUST get this game. Must.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 11/10/02, Updated 11/10/02