"If only the GBA Maddens were this nostalgic"

Oddly enough, my very first football game was not on the Sega Genesis or NES, as was the case of most of my generation. And no, it was not on the Game Boy (most sports games on the old Game Boy back then were the same as playing on an Atari 2600). No, my first football game was on the Sega Game Gear. And quickly I learned that portable football games were nothing special. Basic, simplistic, no frills, and horrid music.

Later, I would sample other football games (from the still-fun Sega Genesis Madden games to ESPN NFL 2K5), yet never did I find a single portable football game that was decent. Madden 06 PSP had wierd load times, and don't get me started on the DS versions (too much focus on the second screen instead of the game, for one).

So when I was shopping on my off hours, I noticed that my Game Stop had a copy of Madden NFL 2002 on the Game Boy Color... for all of a dollar. That's right, $0.99 for a cart. Normally, I would ignore any Game Boy game priced below US$3.99 (Tony Hawk GBC is a prime reason), but given the price, I had the spare change.

I was floored at just how good the game is. It's very basic compared to the post-PSX games, yet has a wierd nostalgic feel to me. I'm a big 2D fan (I support the DS, after all ^_^), and found the top-down 2D football found in this cart to be quite nice to look at. Better yet, despite the lack of animations on most of the sprites, the controls were very tight and responsive, the music did not play during the game, and there was even a full season mode.

By all rights, this should have been one of the best games I've ever played that was related to football. Yet, like most Game Boy Color titles, it's not without a few sacrifices for the better parts:

For one, only old school gamers will find this enjoyable, with kids preferring to go with their big brother's Xbox Madden or even a PSX version. Deep strategy is non-existant, and there is no franchise mode (for those unaware, a SEASON mode is where you take your team against the league to play for a chance to go to the Super Bowl, whereas a FRANCHISE mode is where you do the same, but with the added features allowing you to manage your players, set salleries, and other micromanaging).

For another, the AI has moments where it is quite dumb, yet quite smart. One game, the AI managed to run back a TD (Touch Down) before I could do anything, whereas when they went for the field goal, I was able to run my defender right through their blockers, tackling the kicker, and having the entire play called "blocked field goal." Granted, the AI is balanced more often than not, but this was enough to warrant an open mind...

All told, a very basic, old school game, but far ahead of simmilar fare on portables (don't get me going on the 2002 and 2003 GBA versions). If you find this for the same price I did (US$0.99), and if you are an old school gamer who doesn't mind a quick game, this is for you.

Score: 7 of 10

+ Best Features:
+Graphics
+Controls
+Easy to pick up
+Season mode
+Old School

- Worst Features
-Music at menus
-Old School
-AI has wierd moments
-Multiplayer requires two systems and two games, not easily done these days

* If You Liked:
ESPN NFL 2K5 (Xbox/PS2)
John Madden Football (Genesis)
Madden NFL 200X (PS1, PS2, PS3, Xbox, XB360, GC, Wii)

* Guilty Pleasure:
The fact that a dollar game was actually fun. And a good football game. And a GBC football game. AND the shock of your co-workers faces when you tell them.

Reviewer's Score: 7/10, Originally Posted: 07/10/06