Madden NFL '96

Last updated
Madden NFL '96
Madden NFL '96 Coverart.png
Developer(s) Tiburon Entertainment
High Score Productions
Publisher(s) EA Sports
Composer(s) Tommy Tallarico
Series Madden NFL
Platform(s) Genesis, Super NES, Game Boy, Game Gear, DOS
Release
  • NA: November 10, 1995
  • EU: November 30, 1995 [1]
1996 (Game Gear, DOS)
Genre(s) Sports
Mode(s) Single player, multiplayer

Madden NFL '96 is a football video game designed for the 1995 NFL season, licensed by the NFL. Publisher Electronic Arts intended for it to be the first licensed NFL game for the PlayStation, but the PlayStation version was delayed and ultimately cancelled, with the game being published only for previous-generation consoles, PCs, and handhelds. Compared to previous Madden NFL games, the AI has been boosted and can now hurry in two-minute drill situations, spike the ball, and cover the receivers with better efficiency. In addition to the 16-bit console and portable versions, a DOS version was also released under the title of Madden NFL Football: Limited Edition in 1996. [2]

Contents

The game was well received by critics, with the improved A.I. garnering the most praise. It was the last to explicitly be endorsed by the NFL on Fox , although a knock-off/rendition of the NFL on Fox theme would continue to be used in Madden for several years afterward.

Gameplay

The Create a Player feature is added, which includes position-specific mini-games that determine the ability of the player.

The game is the first in the Madden series to include secret "classic" teams. Each time a player wins Super Bowl XXX, the victory screen reveals a code for the winning team, such as BYBYLA for the recently relocated Oakland Raiders. Having both debuted in 1995, the Jacksonville Jaguars unlock an All-Madden super squad, and the Carolina Panthers unlock a playable NFLPA team made up of free agents and user created players. Each of the established 28 teams unlock the lineup from their historical best season, ranging from the 1960 Philadelphia Eagles to the 1986 New York Giants. The classic teams have golden logos, historical stadiums, but the rosters consist of jersey numbers only, no names.

PlayStation version

Madden '96, developed by Visual Concepts, was originally planned to be the first NFL game on the PlayStation shortly after the console's launch in 1995. [3] The programmers based the code on the 3DO game John Madden Football , rather than the Genesis Madden NFL games, because John Madden Football was written in C, the default programming language of the PlayStation. [4] Features were to include customizable playbooks, penalties, weather conditions, and playing surfaces, and commentary from John Madden, Pat Summerall, James Brown, and Lesley Visser. [5] But after several delays, the game was canceled because it did not meet EA's quality assurance standards. [6] [7] [8]

Though EA announced a delay from the fourth quarter of 1995 to the third quarter of 1996 for the game's release, [9] executive producer Scott Orr says he made the final decision to cancel the PlayStation version because it had become clear that it would not be ready in time for the 1995 Christmas shopping season. He judged that Christmas was crucial enough to football video games that Madden NFL '96 would have no chance in the market if it missed the season. [10] Reasons the development team were not able to make the original deadline included a lack of familiarity with the PlayStation hardware, initially mediocre technical support from Sony, and the short time frame allowed for development (8-9 months). [4] [10] A member of the PlayStation version's development team, speaking under condition of anonymity, commented, "Part of the problem was that we were trying to do too many new things for the first time. We'd never done a 3D game before. We'd just purchased our first copy of Alias. We'd never done a CD product before. We'd never programmed in C before." [4]

The cancellation of the PlayStation version was seen as a major blow to the Madden NFL series right as it was being confronted by the first serious challenger to its dominance in years, the NFL GameDay series. Nonetheless Bing Gordon, executive vice president of marketing for Electronic Arts, said cancelling the game rather than shipping a product EA could not be proud of was the right decision, and argued that decision was vindicated by the massive success of Madden NFL 97 . [4]

The video sequences starring Madden and Summerall were repurposed for Madden NFL 97. [10] Visual Concepts would go on to make the NFL 2K series of games.

Years after the PlayStation version's cancellation, a playable early development build of the game leaked onto the internet. [10]

Reception

The two sports reviewers of Electronic Gaming Monthly gave the Genesis version scores of 9.5 and 9.0 out of 10, stating that "EA listened to players and has come up with the best 16-bit football game ever made." They praised the "hard as hell" AI and the addition of speed bursts. [11] A reviewer for Next Generation deemed it "a definite improvement from last year's poor effort", citing the more solid player graphics, faster play, and tougher AI. He further remarked that while Sega's Prime Time NFL was still the best football video game in single player, Madden NFL '96 was the best two-player experience. He gave it four out of five stars. [12] GamePro found the AI a somewhat mixed blessing, remarking that "The mean and nasty A.I. will answer the prayers of hardcore Madden players, but it will surely frustrate rookies and bandwagon fans." They also deemed the new Scouting Combine feature "an excellent idea that could nonetheless use some tinkering." However, they praised the rendered character sprites, the widened camera views, and the new moves, and gave the game a recommendation. [13] They judged the SNES version to be superior to the Genesis version due to its faster animation and inclusion of drills specific to each position, and called it "the top-ranked SNES football cart". [14]

GamePro panned the Game Boy version in a brief review, stating, "This Madden features no NFL license, old lineups, and none of the improvements made to the '96 SNES version. The small sprites will cause eye strain, player control is difficult, and passes sound like bombs falling from the sky." They made many of the same criticisms of the Game Gear version, which they noted had better control but was still "a below-average attempt to bring football into the handheld arena." [15]

Related Research Articles

<i>NBA Jam</i> (1993 video game) 1993 video game

NBA Jam is a basketball video game developed and published by Midway for arcades in 1993. It is the first entry in the NBA Jam series. The project leader for this game was Mark Turmell.

<i>Madden NFL 98</i> 1997 American football video game

Madden NFL 98 is a 1997 football video game. It was the last edition of the Madden series to be released for the Super NES, Genesis and Sega Saturn platforms, as well as the last Madden game to utilize 2D sprites for the players and referee, on 3D playing fields.

<i>Madden NFL 95</i> 1995 American football video game

Madden NFL 95 is a football video game released by Electronic Arts in 1994. In addition to the usual home console versions that were released on the Sega Genesis and Super NES, this edition was also released for the portable Game Gear and Game Boy systems. It was the first version of the game that portrayed black NFL players as black, rather than all white as in previous versions, and the first in the Madden series to portray black athletes on the cover. It was also the first game in the series to have the official NFLPA license.

<i>John Madden Football 93</i> 1992 American football video game

John Madden Football '93 is a 1992 sports video game developed by Blue Sky Productions and Electronic Arts and published by EA Sports. Based on the sport of American football, the player controls a football team in modes such as tournament play and sudden death. Officially endorsed by John Madden, it was the third Madden game for home consoles and the first one that saw a simultaneous release on both, the Sega Genesis and Super NES.

XBAND was one of the first competitive online console gaming networks and was available for the Genesis and Super NES. It was produced by Catapult Entertainment in Cupertino, California. It is the only modem released in America to have been officially licensed by Nintendo. It debuted in various areas of the United States between November 1994 and June 1995 and was later released nationwide between October 2 and 8, 1995.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">EA Orlando</span> Video game development studio by EA

EA Orlando is an American video game developer located in Orlando, Florida, founded in 1994. It was formerly known as Tiburon Entertainment, which was acquired by Electronic Arts in 1998. After the acquisition, the studio was renamed EA Tiburon. EA had already purchased a minority equity interest in Tiburon in May 1996, the terms of which included that Tiburon would develop games exclusively for EA.

<i>Troy Aikman NFL Football</i> 1994 video game

Troy Aikman NFL Football is an american football video game originally developed by Leland Interactive Media and published by Tradewest for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System first in North America on August 1994. Officially licensed from the National Football League, it prominently features former NFL player Troy Aikman, who became the first member of the 1993 Dallas Cowboys to have his namesake in a game, followed by his teammate Emmitt Smith in Emmitt Smith Football.

<i>ESPN Sunday Night NFL</i> 1994 video game

ESPN Sunday Night NFL is a sports video game that was released for the Super NES, Sega CD, and Sega Genesis in 1994.

<i>NHL 96</i> 1995 ice hockey video game

NHL 96 is a 1995 sports video game developed by EA Tiburon for the SNES, High Score Productions for the Sega Genesis, EA Canada for DOS, and Probe Entertainment for the Game Boy. EA Sports published all versions of the game except the Game Boy version, which was published by THQ. The game is based on the sport of ice hockey and puts the player in control of a hockey team in modes of play such as exhibitions, seasons and playoffs. It is the fifth installment in the NHL game series.

<i>NHL 97</i> 1996 video game

NHL 97 is an ice hockey video game by EA Sports. It was released in 1996 and was the successor to NHL 96. It is the sixth installment of the NHL series and the first to be released on both PlayStation and Saturn. A Panasonic M2 version was in development and slated to be one of the launch titles for it, but never happened due to the cancellation of the system.

<i>Madden Football 64</i> 1997 video game

Madden Football 64 is a football video game. It was the first game of the Madden NFL series to be released for the Nintendo 64, as well as the first Madden game to be fully in 3D. Essentially an upgrade of Madden NFL 98 designed around the particular capabilities of the Nintendo 64, it replaced the 2D players with 3D models but lacked the full NFL licensing which was customary for the Madden series. While this lack of licensing significantly hurt critical response to the game, reviews were mostly positive, with elements such as the detailed player models and realistic gameplay garnering praise. The game has commentary by Pat Summerall and John Madden.

<i>Madden NFL 97</i> 1996 American football video game

Madden NFL 97 is a football video game released in 1996. It was the first Madden game released for the PlayStation and Sega Saturn. 16-bit versions were also made for the established Super NES and Genesis platforms, as well as a portable version for the Game Boy.

<i>PGA Tour 96</i> 1995 video game

PGA Tour 96 is a sports video game developed by Hitmen Productions for the PlayStation, MS-DOS, and Windows versions, Unexpected Development for the Game Boy version, NuFX for the Sega Genesis and 3DO versions, Ceris Software for the Game Gear version, and Polygames for the SNES version and published by EA Sports for PlayStation, MS-DOS, Windows, Game Boy, Sega Genesis, 3DO, Game Gear and SNES.

<i>NFL Quarterback Club</i> (video game) 1993 video game

NFL Quarterback Club is an American football video game for multiple platforms that features quarterbacks from the NFL. It is the first game in Acclaim Entertainment's NFL Quarterback Club series.

<i>Tecmo Super Bowl III: Final Edition</i> 1995 video game

Tecmo Super Bowl III: Final Edition is a football video game released on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System and the Sega Genesis. According to a spokesperson for the game's developer/publisher, Tecmo, the subtitle "Final Edition" refers to it being the last football game Tecmo would make for 16-bit systems.

<i>NBA Live 95</i> 1994 basketball video game

NBA Live 95 is the follow-up to NBA Showdown and the first NBA Live title in the NBA Live video games series from EA Sports. It was published by EA Sports and released in October 1994. The cover features an action shot from the 1994 NBA Finals.

<i>NBA Live 96</i> 1995 basketball video game

NBA Live 96 is the second installment of the NBA Live video game series published by EA Sports and released on November 30, 1995. The PC and PlayStation covers feature Shaquille O'Neal of the Orlando Magic, while the Super Nintendo Entertainment System, Sega Genesis and European PlayStation box covers feature a photo of the tip-off to Game 1 of the 1995 NBA Finals. PlayStation and PC versions are the first games in the series to feature 3D-rendered courts, allowing for multiple camera angles using EA's "Virtual Stadium" technology, which is also used for FIFA Soccer 96. On-court player graphics remain 2D sprites. It is also the first NBA Live game released for the PlayStation and the only game for the Game Boy. NBA Live 96 is followed by NBA Live 97.

NFL GameDay is a series of American football video games for the PlayStation and PlayStation 2 video game consoles. NFL GameDay directly competed with EA Sports' Madden NFL Football and Sega's NFL 2K franchises. The NFL GameDay series began with NFL GameDay released for the 1995–96 NFL season and ended with NFL GameDay 2005 following EA's acquisition of exclusive NFL licensing. The games were designed by 989 Sports throughout their ten-year duration.

<i>FIFA Soccer 96</i> 1995 video game

FIFA Soccer 96 is a football simulation video game developed by Extended Play Productions and released by Electronic Arts in 1995. It was released for the Mega Drive/Genesis, Sega Saturn, Sega 32X, Game Gear, PlayStation, Super Nintendo Entertainment System, and MS-DOS compatible operating systems.

<i>NFL Quarterback Club 96</i> 1995 video game

NFL Quarterback Club 96 is an American football video game released in December 1995. The game was released on the Sega Saturn, Sega Genesis, Game Boy, Sega Game Gear, DOS, and Super Nintendo Entertainment System. The game's cover features San Francisco 49ers quarterback Steve Young passing while being tackled by Chicago Bears defensive linemen Chris Zorich and Albert Fontenot. The Saturn, Genesis, SNES and DOS versions were developed by Iguana Entertainment, while the Game Boy and Game Gear edition was developed by Condor Inc.

References

  1. "Madden NFL 96 Release Information for Genesis - GameFAQs". www.gamefaqs.com.
  2. "Madden NFL Football: Limited Edition for DOS (1996)". MobyGames . Blue Flame Labs. Retrieved 5 November 2021.
  3. "Electronic Arts to ship six PlayStation titles in first 60 days; nine new titles to launch before Christmas". Business Wire . September 6, 1995. Retrieved 2011-05-17.
  4. 1 2 3 4 "What the Hell Happened?". Next Generation . No. 40. Imagine Media. April 1998. p. 42.
  5. Air Hendrix (January 1996). "Madden Takes the Field on the PlayStation". GamePro . No. 88. IDG. p. 128.
  6. "IGN Presents the History of Madden". IGN . August 8, 2008. Retrieved 2011-05-17.
  7. "PlayStationMuseum.com - Madden 96". PlayStation Museum. Archived from the original on 2011-07-22. Retrieved 2011-05-17.
  8. David Short (March 1996). "Madden '96 in '97?". Electronic Gaming Monthly . No. 80. Ziff Davis. p. 121.
  9. Dan Elektro (May 1998). "Vapor Trails". GamePro . No. 116. IDG. p. 42.
  10. 1 2 3 4 Paprocki, Matt (2017-08-22). "The asterisk on Madden's annual release legacy". Polygon. Retrieved 2023-03-08.
  11. "Box Score: Madden NFL '96". Electronic Gaming Monthly . No. 76. Sendai Publishing. November 1995. p. 248.
  12. "Madden '96". Next Generation . No. 12. Imagine Media. December 1995. p. 195.
  13. Slo Mo (December 1995). "Madden Genesis Gets Tough for '96". GamePro . No. 87. IDG. p. 115.
  14. Slo Mo (December 1995). "Madden SNES: Another Championship Season". GamePro . No. 87. IDG. p. 114.
  15. "ProReview: Madden '96". GamePro . No. 91. IDG. April 1996. p. 86.