MADDEN 2005

by Electronic Arts

Product Features

• Change the momentum of a game with the new Hit Stick - use the right analog stick to make a huge hit & force a turnover
• Defensive Playmaker Control puts you in complete control of the defense - change pre-snap assignments, for any defensive player on the field
• Go deep inside the NFL with storylines based on the games you play - watch as players argue and fight, pick up scoops from radio & newspapers
• Enhanced Franchise Mode ranks players performance each season, trade away unhappy players, or appoint your MVP team captain
• Customize the look of your crowd with the new Create-A-Fan tool

Product Details

• Shipping Weight: 9 ounces
• ASIN: B0001Y8UK2
• Date first available at Amazon.com: March 25, 2004
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (31 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,502 in Software (See Top 100 in Software)
  • #44 in Software > Games > PC Games > Sports

Product Description

From the Manufacturer

Force the action on defense in Madden NFL 2005. New defensive tools allow you to make more plays and be in on all of the action. The all-new Hit Stick lets you lay the big hit to turn the momentum of the game in your favor. With the new Storyline Central, you get the inside scoop around the league from radio host Tony Bruno, along with local and national newspapers, to help you make critical franchise decisions. With groundbreaking graphics that capture the real stadium experience, Madden NFL 2005 continues its 15-year tradition of innovation in video game football.

Key Features:

• New Hit Stick--Change the momentum of a game by making a huge hit or force a turnover.
• New Defensive Playmaker Control--You are now in complete control on "D". Modify pre-snap assignments, including double teams and player-specific match ups, for any defensive player on the field.
• New Storyline Central--Now your games are impacted by the stories that surround your team.
• Enhanced Franchise Mode--Players now react to everything that happens in the franchise.
• New Fan Presentation--Your team's crowd is now customizable with new Create-a-Fan.
• New EA Sports Online--Take on the best Madden players online. Improved EA Sports Fair Play keeps the playing field level.

The Top 10 Reasons You Have To Have Madden NFL 2005

1. Be part of a dynasty -- the biggest dynasty in sports video game history. Now in its 15th year, Madden is the standard by which all other sports games are measured.
2. It's the players' choice -- NFL athletes fight for a spot in the Madden Bowl each year, and who knows authenticity better than the guys that actually play the sport?
3. Gear up for the Madden Challenge -- the only national tournament that gives you the chance to win $50,000 for playing a video game.
4. Show your fandom -- with new Create-a-Fan, you can put yourself in the stands to support your favorite team, or create other rabid crazies that will rock the home stadium.
5. Hone your skills -- in Training Camp mode, you can learn more about strategy and practice the plays and moves that will lead you to victory.
6. Live the Storyline -- added depth to Franchise Mode includes Tony Bruno on EA SPORTS radio, talking about your squad and taking calls from fans, NFL coaches and players to make you and your favorite team the center of attention.
7. It's a work of art -- all new player models, environments, sidelines, cut-scenes and momentous celebrations make this the best-looking Madden ever.
8. Go online and play -- What other football game can you play online 24/7 and never have trouble finding someone to play?
9. Play both sides of the ball -- new defensive features make defensive play an equal part of the game, and now you can make the big game-changing hit with the all-new Hit Stick.
10. Cover athlete Ray Lewis says you need to play Madden -- isn't that enough?

About Storyline Central
Storyline Central is the new addition to Franchise Mode that brings the top stories in the NFL right to you. Now, instead of searching for news about your players, all the stories surrounding your team are delivered to you in three different ways: the newspaper, EA Sports Radio, and email.

The newspapers in Storyline Central work just like the papers you read at home on Sunday morning. Every team in Franchise Mode has a newspaper from their local city that discusses only the stories that pertain to that team. In addition to the local papers there's USA Today, the national paper featuring the most important stories from across the entire NFL. Every week, you'll see articles about the game you just played, your upcoming game, injuries, playing times, your rankings on offense and defense, etc -- practically everything that happens in Franchise Mode can and will show up in the newspapers.

The second part of Storyline Central is the Tony Bruno Show on EA Sports Radio. Each week, host Tony Bruno breaks down the biggest stories in the NFL on talk radio. The show feels just like a real sports radio show, featuring callers, player and coach interviews, trivia questions, and the occasional rant from Tony himself. There are 15 NFL coaches and over 60 different fans that call in, and the show is driven by events in Franchise Mode, so every team is mentioned based on the magnitude of the events happening to them.

The third aspect is email. Each week, you'll receive emails about everything going on with your team -- email from players, coaches, general managers, the PR department, you name it. If a player is upset about his playing time, you're definitely going to hear about it. In addition to sending and receiving email, you can do a multitude of day-to-day tasks from the email screen. Depending on what's happening to your team at the time, you can use the email screen to check your gameplan, make changes in your depth chart, read last week's box score, or place an injured player on IR.

But along with all the good comes a little bad -- player personalities. In the past, owners could have two or three Pro Bowl caliber players at the same position and never use those players. So to make it even more realistic, the game is now set it up so that every player, relative to their talent and age, will expect a certain amount of playing time. If you have two amazing quarterbacks and one of them sits on the bench all year long, he'll start to get very angry, and you'll definitely hear about it. But just like in the NFL, winning cures everything. If you have a team full of angry players, make a Super Bowl run -- that should make the atmosphere in the locker room a little more positive.

And finally, there's the new trade/free agency system. Trades are more realistic than ever before because we've added trades during the draft in the off-season. As was evident in April's draft, the majority of NFL trades happen during the first few rounds of the draft every year. Additionally, our off-season free agency system has been completely re-worked this year to make more like the real NFL, where free agents choose where they want to play based on salary and a number of other different factors. You'll see older players sign with teams who have a shot to make it to the Super Bowl, and you'll see younger players lean toward playing in large markets for the marketing exposure. Prestige is also a big factor in every player's decision. Prestige is affected by how you run your organization and how you treat your players. If you are always cutting players or putting them on the trading block, the rest of the players around the league won't feel comfortable playing for you.

When it comes right down to it, Storyline Central is the most in-depth feature ever done in Madden NFL Football (or any other game for that matter) and represents the real NFL like never before.

Product Description

Madden NFL Football 2005 is the leader in championship-level football gaming. It has unprecedented, incredibly authentic football gaming with realism you have to see to believe. Go online and take on the best Madden players in quick tournaments, or compete in a mini-game of Rushing Attack

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A solid football game, November 13, 2004

By 

NurseJekyll (Idaho) - See all my reviews

= Fun:4.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: MADDEN 2005 (CD-ROM)

This is a solid football game... Don't get discouraged by the negative reviews.

Game play is enjoyable. My only other experience has been with MAdden 2003 and I find this one much easier to play (I can actually win a game or two). The running game is tough, but manageable. Passing plays are straight foward with quite a bit of variety.

The fancy control pad is not necessary. I almost bought a pad with the "hit stick", as I thought it was essential after reading the package and the information on amazon. My friend has the pad and finds it adds little. I am well into the franchise mode and haven't missed it yet..

Various game types... Multiplayer, franchise mode and select matchups... The multiplayer can be played directly over the internet or through the ea sports website. Franchise mode is very cool with the ability to draft players, manage to organization, control advertising, prices etc...

If you are interested in football and have enjoyed the previous madden games, give this a try...

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars When you think they can't outdo themselves, September 20, 2004

By 

Aaron Thomas Eggleston "Guitarist, Programmer... (Huntsville, AL USA) - See all my reviews

= Fun:5.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: MADDEN 2005 (CD-ROM)

EA does it again...great game!!! ok and uh one reviewer mentioned the "hit stick" Excuse you...but it does A LOT more than tackle. You can take individual players and set them to play zones, blitzes, or spy the QB. You can also take the complete secondary, linebackers, or d line to do the same things. i'm very pleased that defense is a lot more tougher on this game. It is very much like Madden 2004, but more realistic in the Franchise mode...now players have feelings depending on how they are played....or PAID lol. you have actual restricted and unrestricted free agents now...the draft is more refined. Doesn't it seem that rushing the ball is a lot easier now as well? Anyway this is a great game that MOST football gamers would love...take the time to look at the manual, i know you don't want to...but there's a lot you can do to make this game even more enjoyable. lata

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars A big dissapointment!, October 3, 2004

By 

SteveMor "stevemor909" (Cleveland, OH) - See all my reviews

= Fun:2.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: MADDEN 2005 (CD-ROM)

I was really dissapointed with Madden 2005. I am still playing the 2003 version which was one of the best. 2004 was good too, but it had major bugs which I wont get into here that made me stop playing it. Anyway 2005 has MANY issues, first off are the annoying radio station you are forced to here when you enter Francise mode. It's fine if you like it, but there is no off button. I am forced to hear it everytime weather I like it or not. #2 how tacky are the injuries still? Everytime a player is injured he gets up wither limping or holding his arm, etc. it doesnt matter how serious the injury is, in every case the guy gets up and walks off. What about realism? And these new fan created animations. How stupid looking are those? And again, it's fine if you like them but you are forced to see them everytime the home team scores or the opponent scores on the road. A row of 4 stupid looking fans, with the same shirts and props, and rediclous hats. It annoys me to death and you cant turn it off. Also when an apponent team scores a touchdown, the player falls straight back on his back (and this is repeated again and again). How unrealistic again, or he throws the ball down. There are limited realistic reactions when a player scores. These same two are repeated over and over. And when your quarterback scrambles in the rush, no longer can he scrable or run out of pressure. He is sacked everytime. Also Maddens commentaries in regard to turnovers, they say again and again when you commit a turnover what a bad way to start your game with a turnover, even if it's the 3rd or 4th quarter. And what the other reviewer said about maddens same generic comments, I go along with completley. If Madden isnt going to take the time to match his partner with fresh comments, why not just take ALL the madden comments from every Madden game and roll them all into one. Then you would have a much greater variety then saying the same ones over and over. i thought how embarrased would Madden feel if they ever played a joke on him and used his computer commentary in a real NFL game and fans heard the same comments again and again and again. That gives you the idea of how far off Madden is from realism. Not just mentioning the commentary this year, but all the other things put together. For the good points, the gameplay is still excellent. Wish i could play it without all the other bugs. The defensive play is awesome, with the bigger hits, etc. But they did a very poor job of putting together a whole Sim with true realism. When you play a game like this, your supposed to be able to use your imagination and get lost for a while (and seem like it's all the real thing). For me with 2005, thats impossible. Better luck next year?