Sound:  
The sound in Madden 2002, while not perfect, is still very good. Crunches, grunts, whistles, etc. all come in at the right time and sound just fine. Pat Summerall and John Madden commentate throughout the game, and offer insight on what plays to use. Both sound perfect, and use a variety of phrases so there isn’t much repetition. The commentary problem I noticed had to do with the team names. For example, when Summerall says “the score is Chicago 52, Green Bay 3” (editor’s note: Go Bears!), you can hear slight jumps before the game of the team is announced, due to loading. Again, not much of a problem, but not completely perfect.

Gameplay:  
This is football, folks. Throw the ball to the receiver and get points. But boy, is it fun. And Madden 2002 offers a plethora of extra gameplay options to make it even more interesting. First, there’s Exhibition. This is just a regular game of football between your team and another. Second, there’s Season/Franchise mode. This takes a team you select throughout an entire football season. If you select franchise, then your team continues on to the next season. Players can get injured and can be benched for the season, while others can be traded. Think of it as a real-life football season. Next, there’s Tournament. You and/or a friend can compete in a single or double elimination tournament, and try to beat every team. Practice mode gives you the opportunity to try out each play, to see which works best. Situation mode gives you different, well, situations that you need to accomplish (e.g.- score 4 touchdowns in the last two minutes of the game). In Two-Minute Drill (my favorite mode), you try to score as many points and tokens as possible by scoring touchdowns and getting first downs. Finally, in Training mode, John Madden coaches you through each play, so you can become the best.

By far, the most innovative aspect in Madden 2002 is Madden Cards. When you earn tokens in Two-Minute Drill, among other modes, you can buy packs of football cards. Each pack costs 100 tokens, and has fifteen cards. Each card has a different player on it, and can be used throughout the game to boost your stats. In addition to the usual stat-raising cards, there are secret players, teams, stadiums, and cheats that can all be unlocked. You can also sell and trade cards to acquire new ones. This is an excellent idea, and makes for a fun way to earn cheats and whatnot.

Control:
Control is dead-on in Madden 2002. Move the analog stick a little bit, and a player will slowly move, push it all the way, and he’ll run. Even in instant replay, the shoulder buttons can change the speed of slow motion. Passing is easy to do, as is catching. Let us not remember the requirement of pressing a button in order to catch the ball in QB Club 2000 for the N64. But the Madden 2002 control is absolutely perfect.

Multiplayer:
In addition to playing against the computer, you can also go one-on-one (or two-on-one or four-on-one for that matter) against a friend, who, if you are not careful, may become your enemy by the time the first half is over. There isn’t all that much innovation in the multiplayer department, but what is available is just fine with me. Regardless, throwing around the ol’ virtual pigskin with a friend is still a good time.

OVERALL:
It has been 11 years since the first Madden game was released. Since then, each new version has, in some way, one-upped its predecessor. And Madden 2002 is certainly no exception. I highly recommend paying the $65.00 it costs for this game. Yes, you heard me right. Unfortunately, all 59 blocks of a memory card is needed to save your game in Season/Franchise mode. But the extra 15 bucks is definitely worth it. With faster gameplay, an intense multiplayer mode, new modes of play, and Widescreen TV support, Madden 2002 truly is #1 for a reason.

 

The Lowdown on  Madden 2002 Aesthetics: Awesome Control: Awesome Gameplay: Very Good Multiplayer: Very Good Sound: Awesome Innovation: 5/6 Lasting Appeal: 6/6 Overall: Awesome! "Top of the Genre"