Madden NFL 2003 Review

The development team at EA Sports has made a few changes and additions for this year's version of Madden. Most will probably notice that the momentum aspect of gameplay has been toned down, allowing you to perform sharper cuts up the field and generally have a little more control over the players on the field. But the changes to the gameplay are insignificant when compared with the sheer number and depth of the modes that Madden 2003 offers. There's a new minicamp mode that offers dozens of incredibly fun minigames, an in-depth franchise mode, numerous customizable features, and one of the most versatile play editors to date.

There's a new minicamp mode that offers dozens of incredibly fun minigames, an in-depth franchise mode...

If you're relatively knowledgeable about the sport of professional football, then you'll want to check out some of the customizable options, namely the playbook editor, before jumping into a game. Like with most other playbook editors, you can scour the various playbooks of coaches around the league and pick plays that you'd like to add to your own repertoire, but this option also gives you the ability to create your own unique formation and then create an entirely new play using that formation. Basically, you'll be presented with a grid and a series of circles representing the players on the field. You can move the receiver, tight end, and running back circles almost anywhere on the grid, which gives you the opportunity to create some really weird-looking formations, but you can only move the quarterback in a line perpendicular to the center. In addition, you still need to have the proper number of players at the line of scrimmage, so some limitations have been added to accommodate the rules. When you're done setting up the formation, you can go into the create-a-play option and decide whether it will be a running or a passing play. If it's a running play, then you can indicate which direction the running back has to go and indicate blocking assignments for offensive linemen and receivers. Conversely, if you're creating a passing play, you can either use one of the preset routes (such as a post, a streak, or a curl) or create your own route--needless to say, you can create some pretty crazy routes that will undoubtedly make things difficult for the computer- or human-controlled opponent playing zone coverage. Finally, you can test the play and make any final adjustments before integrating it into your playbook. The defensive play editor is almost identical--it lets you make your own formations and place defensive players just about anywhere on the grid. Other editing options include the ability to make your own team and players and adjust rosters before starting the game.

...numerous customizable features, and one of the most versatile play editors to date.

As with any football game, the heart of Madden NFL 2003 is its franchise mode, in which you can take a team through numerous NFL seasons while trying to get to the Super Bowl every year. After you select your team, you can go through the roster and switch players around or just look at some statistics to see who some of your better players are. You can also make changes to your coaching options by selecting a primary defense type, as well as your preference for offensive and defensive strategies. In addition, there's a league news section where you can find out about all the latest transactions or injuries that have occurred over the course of the season. Making trades, signing free agents, and other such front-office duties are a pretty straightforward affair--you can trade up to three players at once, offer contracts to free agents, release players, or re-sign players and extend their contracts. When you attempt to sign a free agent, you'll receive comments from that player's agent explaining what the player wants, whether it's a long-term contract or money. These agents are pretty staunch individuals, and they tend not to give in unless you meet a player's demands, but of course, you always need to keep the salary cap in mind when making trades or other transactions, otherwise you could end up hurting your franchise down the line.

Naturally, the franchise mode starts with the preseason, which is actually a valuable period in Madden NFL 2003 because it gives you a chance to develop some of your players' skills, particularly those of your rookies. At the end of the preseason, you'll have a chance to see if any of your players have developed and what areas they've developed in, such as speed and strength. You can then go through the full season and attempt to make your way to the Super Bowl.