Madden NFL 2000 Windows, Mac, N64 game

Tracing the evolution of console football can take you on a nostalgic trip back to games like Tecmo Bowl and Walter Payton Football, but the genre reached the mainstream with the release of the first Madden Football title in the early '90s. Since then, Madden has become the pro football simulation game to beat.

One key to the series' longevity is that it has never deviated from the original formula of perfectly balancing entertaining gameplay with realistic feel. So naturally, Madden NFL 2000 brings that same addictive feel, while being spruced up with tons of peripheral options. The most noticeable changes from last year's version are the faster gameplay and smoother frame rates.

Madden NFL 2000 features all 31 NFL teams, all-time Super Bowl teams, the Madden Millennium team, and 200 more that can be "unlocked." The game uses the patented TV-style presentation with play-by-play commentary by John Madden and Pat Summerall. Improved player and play editors, comprehensive player movement, trading for draft picks, and the awesome franchise mode, all combined in one package, produce a title that is unparalleled in console gaming. It's time to tackle Madden NFL 2000 and make it one to own. --Sajed Ahmed