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Date: 1994 System: Genesis, SNES, 3DO (plus one offspring) The Basics Madden 95 is the perfect example of the two-steps-forward-and-one-step-back approach that seems to be prevalent throughout the life of the series. The overall difference between the Genesis and SNES versions was emphasized by the NFLPA players license that was present on the Genesis but not on the SNES. The game also moved, however briefly, to the new 3DO platform. The Details John Madden's move from CBS to Fox was reflected in the use of Fox Football's opening music as the main theme for Madden '95. And it sounded good, too. The players license allowed much more detailed prematch scouting and the use of player names rather effectively. However, the entire cool all-time team and franchise teams disappeared, which was a great loss.
On the defensive side, the game also improved, with new plays within the standard formations, and the team and position statistics continued to define the category. More importantly, the opposing team now used realistic playbooks when playing against you. The last major new feature was the ability it gave you to set up predetermined substitutions for your players. Therefore, if you thought your backup TE would run a pass play better than your starter in the I Formation, you could set that up prior to the start of the game. One sports-industry insider who made the series what it is today was Mary Snow,] the sideline reporter who gave the injury-report updates. One of the unsung heroes of EA's success, Snow was the primary public-relations contact for EA Sports for many years. While Scott Orr and crew are rightly given credit for the brilliance of the series, EA Sports as an industry icon owes no small measure to the access Mary Snow provided to all writers from the beginning and the positive publicity she helped create. Madden's move to Fox was also represented in the SNES version. The changes that had appeared on the Genesis also found their way to the SNES. After years of Genesis and SNES products, the 3DO version was a graphic revelation with very detailed animated sprites. The first elements of the presentation style that would appear in later CD-based platforms appeared in this version. For the first time, you could view the action from a perspective closer to the players, and this changed the entire feel of the series. Gameplay was very enjoyable, especially in two-player mode. If you'd made the mistake of buying a 3DO, you could at least feel good about buying this game.
The Verdict Technically, you could argue that Madden 95 on the Genesis was a better game than 94, but it wasn't a better gameplay experience. Removing the franchise and all-time teams was a mistake, and the SNES version continued to be a clone of the Genesis version. However, Bill Walsh College Football 95 was quite an excellent adaptation, combining the best of Madden with the tradition of college ball. The 3DO version gave us a glimpse of the future that would be realized two years later.
Now show me John Madden Football 96
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