Chicago Gamer 006

In the spirit of the Super Bowl and the mighty Bears losing it, I decided to talk about football and the games that continue to sell. For some reason people either view sports games as either blasts of fun or trivial trite that should never be spoken in the same breath as say a Resident Evil.

I can see both point of views. What you cannot argue is how fun football games are. Most sport games just do not translate well to the controller. But ever since Tecmo Bowl for the NES, football and videogames go together like salsa and chips.

Over the generation cycles one game franchise has reigned supreme, the almighty destroyer of sales charts Madden. Madden like it or loathe it, is a well designed game. Action is fast and sublime. Mastering the playbooks takes practise, but never is it insurmotable. Sim modes are deep and boasts some of the best multiplayer in gaming right now.

So why do so many people just not like it. Well I credit this to three factors. First people see it as a casual game that is not in the same league as hardcore games. This point of view is completely false. The game takes great skill to be good at and is just as in depth as any game in their respective genres. Casual/hardcore is a oldie term that needs to go away.

Two the game comes out every year. I hate annual sequels. I feel the rolling of the eyes that gamers have when EA releases the next version. This handicaps the game the new feel to make it exciting. Word of advice. Buy a Madden game every three years. By that time enough new features and touches will make the game feel better.

And the last point is that the game symbolizes the hatred many people have for conserative EA. EA wants money. Just like every other company. Madden bleeds Benjamins. Get over it.

For the record while Madden is a good product, the lack of competition has lowered its usual quality. Madden was at its best battling the NFL 2K series. Come to think of it NFL 2K1 is the best damn football game ever.