Madden NFL continues to set the standard for video games

Digital football fans circle one date on their calendars each and every year: the release of EA Sports' Madden NFL. The standard bearer for sports video games has become an industry juggernaut, consistently ranking near the top of the sales charts and raking in millions of dollars each year. As gamers gather across the country to celebrate the release of Madden NFL 11 on August 11, let's take a look at how the series got to where it is today.

Many football games were released in the early to mid 1980's for the Nintendo Entertainment System, Atari's consoles, and even the Commodore 64. However, these games were limited by the technology of the day. Early attempts at football gaming featured teams of just six or seven players on each side, dismal graphics, and clunky controls. A crew from Electronic Arts (EA) met up with Madden as he traveled by train to his next broadcasting assignment in 1986 and laid down the plan for a game series that would eventually reshape the gaming landscape as we know it.

After hammering out the details and getting invaluable input from Madden himself, EA released their first John Madden Football for Apple II computers in 1988. The formula still wasn't perfect, as the game featured just two teams and no actual NFL players - but it was a start. The Madden series fended off newcomers and copycats for the next few years as developers began to realize that America's fastest growing sport was selling big-time on video game systems.

In the mid 1990's, Madden had a battle on its hands with SEGA's Joe Montana Football, which had introduced snippets of commentary and flashy instant replays. By 1995, both franchises had secured the official NFL license and the Players Association license, which finally allowed developers to use authentic logos, uniforms, and player names. Previously, players were either randomly named or given such creative titles as "San Francisco Wide Receiver #80."

EA rebuilt their series from the ground up for their first release on the new Sony Playstation, and Madden '97 wowed gamers with 3D players, 3D stadiums, and amazing motion capture animations, which were still new at the time. As EA battled Sony's NFL Gameday near the turn of the century, one feature helped Madden take back the top spot: Franchise Mode. Players were able to take the reins of their favorite team and play out fifteen years of schedules, winning Super Bowl after Super Bowl. This lead would be short-lived, however, when SEGA released their own football title, NFL 2K, developed by veterans of the Madden series that had jumped ship.

Unfortunately for SEGA, the 2K series was sold only on the Dreamcast, and when that console was being lapped in the sales race by Sony's new Playstation 2, EA took control again. Madden 2001 shipped with better graphics than NFL 2K1, and had the ability to significantly tweak your computer opponent's skills. This allowed for a game that could challenge veterans while still welcoming newcomers. As the Dreamcast eventually fizzled from memory, Madden kept winning. The people behind 2K moved their games to Microsoft's Xbox and the Playstation 2, and continued to innovate, but it was too late. By the fall of 2004, the NFL had granted an exclusive license to EA. This meant that the only place to see NFL logos, uniforms, and players was in a Madden game. NFL 2K was done.

A history of the Madden football series would be incomplete without mentioning the dreaded cover curse. While many connected with the game downplay such a thing, quite a few players have had a turn of bad luck after appearing on the cover of the video game box. For instance, the first player to appear on the cover was Barry Sanders, who abruptly retired from the NFL before the season started.

But that doesn't stop NFL players - or anyone - from actually playing the game. Madden has reached such a remarkable status that actual NFL players devote their own free time - often spending dozens of hours each year - to see who can be the best. EA hosts the Madden Bowl each year during Super Bowl week, where top players are invited to take part in a tournament to see who really is champ. ESPN also aired a reality series called Madden Nation where gamers themselves took part in their own cross-country tournament.

Madden is the undisputed king of sports gaming in America. A Mount Rushmore of video games would be incomplete without the Hall of Fame coach's big grin. As years go by, more and more fans will forget about Madden the coach, or Madden the announcer, and remember him simply as Madden the video game.

What started as a train ride in the 1980's has ended up captivating the eyes of millions of football fans, and will likely continue to do so for decades to come.