When it comes time to play a football game, and yes, I do mean American football, most folks are going to pop in the latest entry in the Madden series. There’s a reason for that, and it has to do with exceptional quality. There’s no denying that Madden has cornered the video game market where football is concerned, but it’s not the only game in town. There are still many excellent football games that don’t bear the name “Madden,” and they’re definitely worth checking out if you want to try something different for a change. We found five excellent examples and listed them in no particular order.
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1) NFL 2K1
Taking a trip back in time for our first entry, we have 2000’s NFL 2K1. If you’re wondering why such an old game is included, it’s because it’s earned a place on this list. Metacritic currently lists NFL 2K1 as its highest-rated game on the “Best Football Sim Games” list, giving it a score of 97. It was notable upon release for the Sega Dreamcast because NFL 2K1 was the first football game on a console to feature online gameplay, which maximized its potential. Add to that some of the best controls and capabilities in any football game, before or since, and it’s no wonder people still play NFL 2K1 more than 25 years after its release.
2) Legend Bowl
Legend Bowl is a more recent game, released in 2021, but you might not know that just by looking at it. That’s because the game’s focus is an homage to the 8 and 16-bit eras. Despite its retro look and feel, it’s an amazing football sim with all the bells and whistles you’d expect from a modern take on the sport. It offers a hybrid experience, mixing classic arcade-style football games with modern football simulation mechanics, coalescing into a single experience that’s definitely worth any football fan’s time, as it’s entertaining and engrossing in all the right ways.
3) Axis Football 2023
EA Sports may hold the NFL license (through the 2030 season, as of writing), but that doesn’t mean that fans can’t enjoy a football video game with made-up team names and players. Case in point: Axis Football 2023 is an excellent simulation-style football game with a robust franchise mode, filled with customization options and realistic gameplay. The game is incredibly detailed, as it’s packed with features, and the devs at Axis Games continue to update and improve Axis Football 2023 long after its September 2022 release. Perhaps the best thing about it is its price, as you’ll only pay $15 bucks on Steam to get your hands on it.
4) Retro Bowl
Retro Bowl is another 8-bit style football game that was first released in 2020 for Android and iOS. It has since been released on the Nintendo Switch, where it has gained a fan following as more people have discovered it. Retro Bowl is similar to the Tecmo Bowl series from the 1980s, using relatively simple gameplay mechanics to make it easier for people to play. In this way, it’s far less complex than games in the Madden lineup or anything similar and is more of a casual game that all kinds of fans can enjoy.
5) ESPN NFL 2K5
Taking another step back in time for our last pick, we have ESPN NFL 2K5, released in 2004 for PlayStation 2 and Xbox. This was the final game to feature the NFL license before EA acquired the rights to continue the Madden series. It was met with universal critical acclaim upon release and won numerous awards. The game has long been considered among the greatest football video games ever made, and people continue to play it today, though largely through emulation, as it’s not available on any other hardware.
What’s your favorite non-Madden football game? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!
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