Regardless of what players think about the various pigskin simulators, everyone who has touched a controller has heard of EA Sports’ perennial powerhouse Madden NFL. They’ve heard of it because every year, right before football season, fans everywhere are treated to a slightly updated re-packaging of last year’s same game. At least, that’s what some of them feel like.
But then again, such is the nature of sporting games. Plus, some Madden titles actually took impressive steps forward and improved what was possible in video game football. So let’s look back at the past decade of games, and rank which titles of the 2010’s were touchdowns, and which ones fell incomplete.
10 Madden ’13
Madden NFL 13 comes in as worst on the list mainly because it is the tile responsible for ruining Superstar Mode, one of the most beloved features in the franchise. It combined the Superstar and Franchise Modes into a single “Connected Carrer,” which removed the drafting, progression, and retirement experience one gets when following a single player through the league.
The game did introduce a new physics engine that was quite dynamic, but it was a glitchy debut that often produced surreal (and ridiculous) physical outcomes. The new introduction of XP points and leveling was not widely loved, and as usual the in-game commentary was limited and stale. Overall 2013 was a 2-14 season for Madden.
9 Madden 25
EA took what would have been Madden 14 and turned it into a nostalgia fest called Madden NFL 25, which was coincidentally another lesser entry in the Sunday football saga. Coming at the end of a console generation and offering next to no substantive change to gameplay, many players sat this one out and saved their cash for what promised to be a definitive new Madden on the upcoming PS4 and Xbox One.
Menus were streamlined, QB’s were more encouraged to run, and there was a shiny NFL Broadcast aesthetic, but most of the modes, online options, and gameplay went completely untouched. And of course, like most entries, the commentary was limited, stale, and pretty lame.
8 Madden ’12
The big thing with Madden NFL 12 was the introduction of player traits, which allowed for better players to be more effective than others when being controlled by the AI. There were also upgrades to momentum mechanics that improved the running game, player animations took a big leap, and super fans were excited to explore the most modes in a Madden game up until that point. So that was cool.
But compared to the title that came before it, 12 also suffered from lack of distinction. There were improvements, sure, and several elements of gameplay had clearly progressed. But the changes in the game didn’t feel very significant, and it was hard to justify another purchase for what felt like a similar game. Also, as with seemingly every Madden title, the commentary was severely undercooked.
7 Madden ’18
Madden NFL 18 did admittedly have a few cool new additions. A collaboration of video-game writers led to Longshot Mode, a 5-hour scripted story-mode that followed the life and career of quarterback extraordinaire Devin Wade. The implementation of the new frostbite engine also represented the biggest leap in graphics the franchise has seen to date. So it sounded like there was a lot of new stuff to see in this release.
But in actuality, there wasn’t. Most gameplay mechanics went untouched, most modes looked exactly like their previous counterparts, and the overall impression was that most of the game was just a retouched version of Madden 17. Which is by no means a bad thing. But it’s also not, like, a great thing. Plus, the commentary was lame.
6 Madden ’11
It may be hard to remember this far back, but Madden NFL 11 was a pretty great entry at the time. It introduced better player animations and celebrations, gave fans an online team play mode, and it had cooler replays than any previous game. It definitely got quite a lot right.
But it didn’t get anything more right than the Gameflow play calling feature, which greatly streamlined deciding which formations and plays to use in each specific situation. Gameflow was in fact such a solid addition, that it has appeared (in some version or another) in each subsequent game. Sure, it had some snags in 11, but that’s far enough in the past for us to forgive and forget. Except for the commentary. We still have not forgiven the commentary.
5 Madden ’19
Madden NFL 19 is exactly at the middle of the pack of this decade’s titles for a reason: it’s a completely middle of the pack game. At least in terms of what it improved. Yes, the game greatly upgraded the run game and tackles with more realistic player motion, and online Ultimate Team options were greatly improved. Plus, it still looked great (thanks to the previous year’s frostbite engine).
There was also another fully scripted Longshot mode, which continued the story of Devin Wade as he progressed into his career. And while everybody loves a sequel, the second act in the story of Devin Wade was decidedly less cool than the first. It was a little cliché, and didn’t have the same punch as the first. Oh, and yes, the commentary was still subpar in this game too.
4 Madden ’15
The hands down best thing about Madden NFL 15 is that it correctly predicted both the score and outcome of Super Bowl XLIX. Yes, that is correct: 15’s simulation predicted the Super Bowl’s outcome perfectly. Which is awesome. There shouldn’t even be any other relevant points, right? What else is there even left to say.
Quite a lot, as it turns out. 15 revamped the approach to defending, offering a new defensive camera which gave players a much more strategic view on defense, gave players more precise controls when tackling, and helped suggest plays to call based on the context players were facing. It was a game full of awesome improvements, and most everybody enjoyed it. Or at least, they enjoyed it as long as they turned off the commentary and played with crowd noise.
3 Madden ’17
So apparently Madden NFL 17 wasn’t exactly sure where the sun goes. But that’s okay. Who really does know where the sun goes? Oh right. Everybody. But you know what else everybody knows? That 17 represented the biggest single improvement in the run game that a Madden title has ever made.
With new, almost quicktime event-esque button cues to mash while players ran the pigskin, the run game instantly felt like a whole new world. A team’s offense suddenly felt a lot more balanced (and similar to their real-life counterparts), players had more control over their defense than ever, and there were even several cool new modes to try out. Sure, the commentary still left everything to be desired, but the rest of the game was pretty on point.
2 Madden ’10
It’s hard to judge a game this old with a truly critical eye. After all, it was a hybrid release on the PS2 & PS3! But if anyone can remember this far back, they will remember a game that everybody enjoyed. Sure, the graphics aren’t much these days, but this was considered a good-looking and realistic presentation upon release. It even had some cool NFL Network presentation elements!
The AI was admittedly terrible (at times), but where 10 really differentiated itself was in the features it introduced. It birthed a brand new tackling system, it introduced the first online franchise mode, and it had a fun and wacky online co-op feature that was both fun and infuriating. So while this title may not hold up as well in hindsight, it is by far one of the best Maddens relative to its time. Except for the commentary. The commentary wasn’t good even in 2010.
1 Madden ’16
And here it is: the best Madden of the 2010’s. 16 wins the bowl because it brought the most well-rounded developments compared to any other single game. Wide receivers could now be commanded to choose different ways to catch the football. Quarter backs could throw different kinds of passes to beat a wider variety of coverages. “Draft Champions” mode combined fantasy football and Ultimate team into an awesome, easily consumable experience, and the defense followed 15’s lead in further expanding agency on defense.
But…despite the fact that Madden NFL 16 was a well crafted football simulator, a fun game, and the best step taken by the franchise in a decade…it still did nothing to address the aggravatingly uninteresting in-game commentary. So did it really win?
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