Father, son playing video games together
Father and son gaming (© Prostock-studio - stock.adobe.com)
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Best Madden Games Of All Time: Top 5 Titles Ever, According To Fans

September 6, 2023
by Matthew Sherdan

Playing video games has become as American as baseball and apple pie. For sports fans, one of the most popular video games is the yearly release of Madden NFL Football, otherwise known simply as Madden. The game is named after legendary football coach John Madden, and it is the quintessential football video game of our time. Madden is released right around the beginning of the NFL season. The game’s release helps mark our great country’s unofficial start of football season. Believe it or not, Madden has been released every year since the late ‘80s. Today, the game is more popular than ever as NFL teams even have Madden Ratings Adjusters assigned to observe the players and designate player ratings. So, what titles are considered the best Madden games of all time?  

Before we dive into the list of the best Madden games ever released, let’s take a moment to appreciate the benefits associated with playing video games. Of course, video games get a bad rap from time to time, but playing games can actually be good for you. According to a recent study, gamers are faster learners and have stronger brains than the average person. The latest research by neuropsychologists from Ruhr-Universitat in Bochum, Germany showed gamers outperformed non-gamers in a learning and memory task. They also found that individuals who regularly played video games also showed increased brain activity in areas associated with learning. 

If being smarter than the average non-gamer isn’t enough to sway your opinions of video games, then consider that a large portion of gamers believe they’re more successful in life and their careers thanks to gaming. A recent study polled 2,000 Americans about the biggest lessons they’ve learned from video games and discovered 47 percent say gaming prepared them for success. Another six in 10 believe they gained a keener creative eye or better problem-solving skills. Meanwhile, 59 percent added that video games improved their hand-eye coordination, while 50 percent of those polled say they’ve learned beneficial time management skills. So, the next time your child wants to stay inside and play video games, just remember that gaming has hidden benefits and the activity could lead them down the path to success quicker than you think. 

So, which Madden games are considered to be the ultimate titles in the franchise? StudyFinds did the research, consulting 10 gaming websites to compile a list of the consensus best Madden games of all time. Our list comprises the five most frequently listed Madden titles from across these sites. Think one of your favorites was left off the list? Feel free to share your thoughts with us in the comments section below! 

A Madden mobile game on a tablet
A Madden mobile game on a tablet (Photo by Konstantin Savusia on Shutterstock)

The List: Best Madden Games, According to Experts

1. Madden NFL 2004

Topping the list of the best Madden games is none other than Madden 2004, or Madden ’04. One of the most anticipated aspects of the latest Madden games is the cover athletes, and this edition of the game features perhaps the greatest Madden athlete ever – Michael Vick. 

“You might remember 2004 best because of how powerful Michael Vick was, but the introduction of Owner Mode here really took Franchise Mode to the next level. Adjust the price of your hot dogs, coach your staff, and take part in almost every facet of the day-to-day running of an NFL team and stadium. A new level of depth for Madden, and still the high water mark for the series,” explains Sports Illustrated. 

The introduction of Owner Mode took the football simulation experience to the next level. Players could run every aspect of their organization including, yes, setting the hot dog prices. This new game mode gave players more freedom than ever before, and it was the first time Madden players could actually move their team to a new city. Options for a new city included Mexico City and Los Angeles, which did not have an NFL franchise at that point in time. 

“Madden 2004 is arguably the best title in the franchise to date and comparable to the best in other gaming franchises. This installment brought to the table so many features that are still used or missed in current titles. To start, this was the title that added Playmaker Controls to the franchise. Ever been playing Madden and notice that you needed to shift your offensive line or adjust your play without changing it entirely? That came from this entry,” writes Game Rant. 

Playmaker controls transformed the on-field experience for Madden players for years to come. For the first time, players could implement a strategic offensive attack. Still, the game is perhaps best known for having one of the most iconic football video game characters of all time in Michael Vick. He was like a cheat code in Madden 2004 and he was nearly unstoppable.  

“Many remember Madden 2004 because of how overpowered Michael Vick was from out of the backfield. While that’s obviously something to mention, his otherworldly powers aren’t the only reason this game ranks so highly. 2004 was also the introduction of Owner Mode, which took Franchise Mode to a new level. You could now control everything from your coaching staff to how much your stadium charged for hot dogs,” furthers USA Today. 

2. Madden NFL 2005

Next up on the list of the best games in the franchise is Madden 2005. Madden ’05 took the previous year’s game to the next level and helped defensive-minded players level the playing field – no pun intended. 

Madden NFL 2005
Madden NFL 2005

“Take everything that was great about the previous year’s game, and add in new elements to take the franchise to the next level. That’s a formula for success for anyone in the game development scene, and it’s the exact approach that EA Sports opted for with Madden NFL 2005. The gameplay was perfect as usual, and even added in the notorious ‘Hit Stick’ to allow players to deliver bone-crunching hits with some of their favorite NFL stars. To celebrate that addition, Baltimore Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis earned cover honors,” writes SOT Sports. 

The cover of Madden 2005 featured one of the best linebackers in the history of the NFL – Ray Lewis. Of course, you can’t have Lewis on the cover and not offer a fun defensive gameplay experience. Naturally, Madden 2005 introduced the Hit Stick which allowed players to deliver the biggest hits the game had ever seen. The Hit Stick was such a beloved feature of the Madden game that it’s still implemented in gameplay to this day. 

“EA really proved why it deserved the exclusive license with the NFL with Madden NFL 2005. It pulled out many features, balanced the game better than ever before, and added the hit stick. After this game, EA would receive the exclusive license for the NFL,” explains Dot Esports. 

True, this game helped tip the scales in Electronic Arts (EA) favor as the company would receive exclusive rights to produce NFL games. From that point forward, EA’s Madden is the only NFL video game produced. It was also one of the last times that Madden would be available across myriad platforms. 

“It was released in 2004 for Windows, PS1/2, PSP, GCN, Xbox, Game Boy Advance, N-Gage, Nintendo DS, and Tapwave Zodiac, with Ray Lewis of the Baltimore Ravens as the cover athlete. It adopts groundbreaking graphics to capture the real stadium experience,” furthers Partition Wizard. 

3. Madden NFL 2003

The third spot on the list of the best Madden games belongs to Madden 2003. Clearly, the best Madden games were developed in the early 2000s, but a lot of that started with Madden ’03. 

“From the gameplay mechanics, to its integration with the real National Football League (NFL) game, and an array of player modes with immense potential for greatness, this edition is a worthwhile throwback to what was once exceptional in the franchise. It introduced a series of licensed soundtracks that kept its aesthetic alive. The game also marked the first ever online NFL game of all time, marking the introduction to an era of online communities and competitions with players worldwide. In more ways, this throwback game serves as a reminder to EA’s passion for quality NFL video games and is most notable for its robust gameplay mechanics of all time,” writes Gaming.net. 

The early 2000s were a great time for gamers and Madden 2003 played a big role in moving video games to the internet. However, featuring hit music on the soundtracks of sports video games wasn’t a thing until the Madden franchise made it a thing. All of these features and more help make Madden ’03 one of the best Madden games and one of the best video games in history.  

“The 2003 game is the 59th most regarded video game of all time. For the thousands upon thousands of video games ever released, that’s a huge deal. This was the very first time that an online multiplayer had been introduced into a sports game, and that alone changed how the sports game operated. It was a deep revelation. Authentic uniforms, halftime shows, and truly worked on commentary are the reasons why the 2003 version will go down as the most popular in the series and the most memorable,” furthers Sportskeeda. 

Madden ’03 featured Marshall Faulk of the then-St. Louis Rams on the cover. This was years before the team would move back to Los Angeles, and it represented a time when the Rams were known as the “Greatest Show on Turf.” Still, this edition of Madden NFL offered some of the best gameplay that Madden players had ever seen. It was one of the first Madden titles for the PlayStation 2 and it didn’t fail to impress. 

“[T]he 2003 version of Madden is the best ever. With Marshall Faulk as the player on the cover, this edition has received widespread praise and some reviews even gave it maximum points. With a fascinating range of game modes and some of the best sports gameplay ever seen, this is arguably one of the best sports games, as well as the greatest Madden edition,” adds Funky Kit. 

4. Madden NFL 2007

The fourth spot on the list of the best games of the Madden franchise belongs to Madden 2007. Madden ’07 expanded the powers of the thumb sticks and introduced Madden lovers to the Highlight stick – the game would never be the same. 

“[I]t was the GameCube and PS2 versions of this game that stood out. It took everything good about the previous entry and improved upon it, introducing new features like the Highlight Stick, which made agile players feel even more snappy and light on their feet,” explains Sports Illustrated. 

The Highlight Stick allowed players to string together multiple offensive moves in a fluid fashion. For example, players could string together multiple jukes or spins and work combinations of moves to shed defenders. The Highlight Stick did for Madden offenses what the Hit Stick did for Madden defenses and it helped open up the franchise as a game of skill. 

“Madden NFL really ended the PS2 era with a great game. As a complete package, Madden NFL 07 experimented, added many new features, and arguably deserves a remaster. Although the PS3 era would do more, Madden NFL 2007 did a great job for the series,” furthers Dot Esports. 

This game runs slightly behind the current year. For example, Madden ’07 was released in August 2006, so that at the end of the NFL season, the game would match the year. Gaming title years aside, Madden also became synonymous with player injuries. Most notably, Madden cover athletes. Cover athletes have a tendency to get hurt the following season after appearing on the cover of Madden. The phenomenon has become known as the “Madden Curse.” A lot of this started with Michael Vick breaking his leg and missing the entire NFL season after appearing on the cover of Madden 04. The curse developed a life of its own after that. 

“Take Shaun Alexander, who appeared on the cover of Madden NFL 07 and proceeded to systematically have a roller-coaster season that helped lead to the demise of his career: He broke his foot in Week 3 of the 2006 season, only to finish the season playing on said broken foot while breaking Barry Sanders’ record for most consecutive games with a 10-yard plus run… thing is the Madden Curse is like a 007 agent, or at least a TMZ blogger; it will not stop until your life is ruined. In 2007 Shaun Alexander fractured his wrist, lost his lead blocker, sprained his knee and ankle, and then was frozen in carbonite. Somewhere, John Madden cackled and gazed thirstily at some turducken,” jokes Complex. 

5. Madden NFL 2010

Rounding out the list of the best Madden games of all time is none other than Madden 2010, or Madden ’10. This was the first edition of the game to introduce Madden Ultimate Team (MUT), and again, the popular gaming franchise would never be the same. 

Madden NFL 2010
Madden NFL 2010

“Featuring Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald and Pittsburgh Steelers safety Troy Polamalu, each representing the two teams that played in Super Bowl XLIII earlier that year, Madden NFL 10 really nailed it… Plus, Madden NFL 10 represented the first year of EA Sports’ Ultimate Team mode, which has since become a fixture of games for the NFL, NHL, and FIFA. This release really came at a prime for the Madden NFL franchise, and is well-deserving of a spot in this list’s top four,” explains SOT Sports. 

EA doesn’t just produce Madden. The video game giant also produces games for the NHL and for FIFA (soccer), which is hands down the most popular sports video game in the world. However, EA cut its teeth in the sports gaming industry with Madden. Then, Madden Ultimate Team took the online football gaming experience to another level. Ultimate Team allows users to build a custom roster of legendary past and present NFL stars. Users collect an NFL player’s card to add them to their team. Cards are collected using coins or points or both. Coins are the virtual currency of Ultimate Team modes and are collected by playing small mini-games, known as challenges, and online competitions. Points are amassed by actually purchasing items in the PlayStation or Xbox stores with real money. The addition of this game mode revolutionized online sports video gaming.    

“A common theme on distinguishing the good from the bad on this list is to review the play modes available and see what the installment added or modified for the franchise. Madden 10 is no exception. What did this title add? Madden Ultimate Team. Ultimate Team is a divisive play mode, and it was far from perfect at inception. It’s no doubt a cash grab from EA, seeking to capitalize on microtransactions in a similar manner to many other video games currently on the market,” writes Game Rant. 

A microtransaction is the term used to buy the points using real money in Ultimate Team game modes. Now, users are not only purchasing the game itself but they’re purchasing points to help build their Ultimate Team. Of course, points are more valuable than coins in these Ultimate Team modes, and points are used to buy exclusive packs and other game-specific items. Since the advent of Ultimate Team in Madden ’10, the game mode has truly transformed into one of the most popular and addictive modes for Madden gamers. But, Ultimate Team isn’t the only aspect of the game that makes Madden ’10 so great. Several new rating categories, new animations, and the new game mode all combine to make Madden 10 one of the most revolutionary Madden games of all time.  

“This version adds several new features including the PRO-TAK animation technology, which allows up to nine-man gang tackles and fumble pile-ups to help players ‘fight for every yard’, in this year’s tagline. It also features a completely overhauled rating system for players, featuring new categories such as throw on the run and specific ratings for short, medium, and deep passes,” adds Partition Wizard. 

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