Summary: <p>It’s a long and storied franchise and one that’s near and dear to our hearts. This week we took a look at where the greatest football simulation of all-time came from and what changes its seen over the years. </p> <p>In 1982 Electronic Arts was founded by Trip Hawkins, a young upstart in California that was a computer and strat-o-matic whizz. He was always searching for a way to make the perfect football simulation and in 1984, with developer Joe Ybarra had a meeting with John Madden to see if they could get him to put his name on a football video game.</p> <p>If you’re unaware, John Madden is not a big fan of technology. He would never fly with his team, opting for a train or bus to take him where he needed to be. The Internet was not something he believed in and really only saw computers as a coaching tool.</p> <p>The meeting on the train proved to be a tough task for Hawkins and Ybarra as Madden insisted on “11 players or it’s not real,” a phrase that would later be featured on the back of the box. Technical limitation in 1984 proved to make the game slow and overall pretty terrible, with 6 or 7 a side as the optimal number. Madden insisted on 11 per side and Ybarra and Hawkins got to work. Over the next three years the game was developed, a timespan that for most games would be a deathbell, but in 1988 the first version of Madden was released for the Apple II. Joe Ybarra, when looking back on the development process said “All my memories are of pain.”</p> <p>After the successful launch of Madden, the years and game progressed into eventually what we see today. New technology has allowed for better game mechanics, better graphics and overall a better game. If it weren’t for that meeting on the train and the determination of a football simulation enthusiast, we’d still be farting around with Joe Montana on our screens. </p> <h2>Other Football Video Game Franchises</h2> <p>Joe Montana Football was the only big name rival and Sega wanted to re-brand Madden with the Montana name since Madden was not available for Sega. EA said no in 1990, and Sega did its own thing with Montana and followed the game with 4 sequels. The franchise has been dead since 1995 but is getting a mobile reboot this year.</p> <ul> <li>NFL Street (2004-2006)</li> <li>NFL Blitz (1997-2005, 08, 12)</li> <li>Blitz: The League (05, 08 dabbled in “League”, unaffiliated with the NFL – had players like “Mike Mexico”)</li> <li>Mutant League Football 1993 – EA</li> <li>ESPN NFL 2k5 (triggered EA to buy exclusive rights)</li> <li>Backbreaker was supposed to be the golden boy in 2010</li> </ul> <p>With EA taking over football, there’s clearly a breakdown of sports video games and people in charge of those. For example, EA has corner of the market on football, futbol, golf, UFC and boxing. 2K Sports has taken over basketball and Sony has baseball on lock with MLB “The Show”.</p> <p>EA first got a license for Madden in 1995. All previous versions, 1988 and up had random player names. We live in a much better time. </p> <h2>Some Failed Madden Features</h2> <p>I’ll give EA credit, they definitely try out a lot of different concepts when coming out with a new version of Madden. Somehow they’ve managed to be less stale than Call of Duty and the yearly release. They don’t always get it right though. Here are a few features that we’re glad are gone. </p> <p><strong>The QB vision Cone (06)</strong> – The triangle of death that comes out of your QB helped make more accurate passes, but it just didn’t feel right.<br> <strong>Madden IQ Test (09)</strong> – Step right up and see how dumb you are. Don’t be shy, Madden will tell you instead of letting you just pick the level.<br> <strong>Rewinds</strong> – This was one of the cheapest systems ever added to Madden and probably the end of several friendships. Something bad happen in t</p>
