Madden NFL 2003 - PlayStation 2

If you haven't played any previous versions of the game, learning the controls can be a daunting task, since you can control everything from calling audibles to throwing a touch or bullet pass--all while the play clock is running. But half the fun of this game is in the level of detail you can control, including off-season drafts and free agent signings, game-time weather and sensitivity to penalties.

Madden NFL 2003 takes sports gameplay beyond the action on the field, creating a world where you are equally the owner, general manager, coach and player. The time and attention you must dedicate to creating your team, along with the superbly realistic play and sports-casting of the game, thoroughly involve you in the fate of your team, making the action all the more immersive and compelling. --Sung Nicholas Kim