Madden NFL 2003

"Greatest thing to hit mankind since Chef Boyardee!"

Madden is always my top game to buy and for a reason. Madden NFL 2003 is a great game, with awesome graphics and phenomenal gameplay.

Graphics: 10/10

Here is where the Madden Trademark came to be. In the early days of Madden, it was pretty ugly. Sloppy characters on the SNES, and then on the N64, horrible renderings and models. This all changed when I rented Madden NFL 2003. The players are completely detailed, and has graphics that compare to Metroid Prime. Madden has always stressed graphics, and now with a more powerful console, Madden pushes the limits of the GameCube. On more than one occasion, my mom came downstairs and thought we were watching real football. This game has pics of all the players except for some rookies, and for you control freaks out there, you can even choose how your head coach looks like.

Gameplay and Controls: 10/10

This is where the GameCube beats out the other consoles. With the best fitting controller of all 3 systems, it is so much easier to control your Quarterback. You can focus on staying in the pocket, or scrambling, because your hand fits right in, and does not have to move position to press a different button. Being a runningback has never been more fluid, and covering receivers better is also positive aspects of the superior gameplay. Menu options are simple, and is a free flowing system.

Music: 8/10

Music has not always been big with the Madden series, but it has it's fair share of songs from Good Charlotte, Bon Jovi, and POD. There is more Madden Quotes than ever, but there is still the classic ones. Unfortunately, John parted ways with my personal favorite: ''You used to put stick-em on your hands to catch those balls. Now they got those gloves.''

Replay Value: 10/10

If it could go higher than 10, I'd choose it. Whether your friends are over, or you are just bored, there is a conglomerate of options to choose. You can play franchise mode, create your own playbook, or just play a game. Fantasy draft gives you a wide range of options of teams to create.
Learning Curve: 9/10
The game is balanced, and the learning curve short. It takes minutes to learn, but Months to master.

Rent or Buy: Buy if you want to play for a while, but rent only if you will play when friends come over.

Graphics 30%
Sound 15%
Gameplay and Controls 25%
Replay Value 20%
Learning Curve 10%

Overall 96% or 10.

Reviewer's Score: 10/10, Originally Posted: 03/01/03, Updated 03/01/03