Madden NFL 2003

History is destined to repeat itself. It's a cliche, but it's true and applicable here. Madden, when pushed by the excellence and innovation of other football titles, responds with its best effort. It happened in the early PlayStation days (vs. GameDay) and it's happened again, no doubt in response to NFL 2K3 and, to a lesser extent, NFL Fever. Madden 2003 is signifigantly improved over last year's game, most notably in the features list. The new online mode is a blast, letting you go at it with fellow gridiron geeks via broadband or dial-up. User records and other important stats (run/pass ratio, points for, etc.) are tracked and offer a nice profile of potential opponents. It also records the number of times somebody disconnects (read: quits), so you can avoid the of the world. When you're not online taking out 2ColD and his friends, you can enjoy the feature-rich goodness of Madden offline. Madden's gameplay amazes, but it's EA's delivery that throws the knockout punch. Whether you're trying to make a trade, view stats, create-a-formation or perform any intricate task, the screens and menus are so elegantly designed that it's never a chore. Less time spent finding the info you need means more time spent enjoying the game, and isn't that really what it's all about? Believe me, Madden is about as good as it gets. Look for me online and we'll knock heads (screen name Hoss).

Madden debuts on a new system, then each subsequent year's new game adds a few minor tweaks to its rock-solid foundation. Barring the major coup of Internet play, that's the story of 2003. For our online test we played using dial-up while our opponent had a broadband connection. I'm happy to report it performed like a champ, showing little lag or other wanky traits--and I predict Marfrfen-by-wire will reach huge proportions. Fun extras include a skill-sharpening mini-camp mode and Football 101, a tutorial that shows you the proper way to execute a play, then forces you to practice it until it's pure money. Yesiree, Madden still rules the roost.

It's hard to think about football when the Cubbies are mid-season, but between Madden and NCAA 2003 this month, I've had to adapt. Madden is certainly more forgiving than its college-themed twin when it comes to team balance and passing. Maybe it's just the nature of college vs. pro ball, but I could actually hold my own going against the best of the pros with the scrappiest teams. I also didn't get screwed nearly as often by a scrambling opponent QB with fast feet as I did in NCAA, and even squads with a weaker passing game connected more often on the deep routes. NCAA is a more intense, exciting game, but Madden's the solid, consistent one.