Madden NFL 98

"Very good port."

Madden '98 was the last EA game for Saturn, and atleast it was a very solid port. As with the rest of the EA line, this one is inferior to the PSX version, but not to the extent of the other crap EA released (NBA Live '98, NHL Hockey '97, dear god). I was never a big football fan, but this game was nice.

Graphics: 8

The PSX visuals were better as far as I remember, but Madden looked better than ever on Saturn. The framerate is fine, and there isn't any slowdown. Character models are ''fuzzy'', but they get the job done. Aside for Worldwide Soccer '98, I think this is the best looking sports game (featuring atleast 10 players on screen) for Saturn.

Sound: 6

The commentary is not bad, but it gets a bit repetitive. What I find odd, is the fact that even though the game is called ''Madden'' football, John Madden's color commentary is at the bare minimum. The sound effects are muffled and bad also. The groans sound like dog's barking, and the crowd sounds like radio interference.

<Control: 9

At first, I was used to the controls and gameplay in NFL Gameday... I personally prefered the more bouncy play and fast breaks. This game plays a bit more stiff, and I guess is a bit more realistic, but I prefer a more arcadish feel. In any case, once you get used to them (which doesn't take more than an hour of play, tops), the controls are fine.

Gameplay: 8

It's fun once you get used to the gameplay. I believe up to 8 players can go at it at a time... So with the cheapness of Saturn accessories these days, this actually makes a great party game. Otherwise... Playing the computer is fun, but after a while, the outdated rosters and crappy computer AI gets boring. You can create and trade important newer players to update the rosters somewhat... But overall, as I said, this is way more fun as a multi-player game. To be fair, the computer AI is pretty good, making the opposition tough to tackle (pun)!

Overall: 7

If you own any of the newer systems or a PSX, then I guess getting this game would be pointless since it's inferior to later football games. But, if you want a great party game, then I suggest you pick this game up at Funcoland or something for about $8-12, a multi-tap, and a few controllers... It's definitely the best football game on the Saturn. That said, I don't like football.

Reviewer's Score: 7/10, Originally Posted: 03/01/01, Updated 08/20/03