Many people are fans of Madden, the professional football player experience, and NCAA, the collegiate football experience. These two franchises have dominated football on a smaller scale. In recent years, Madden and NCAA have stormed the gaming industry like no other. They are both extraordinary in the ways that they present their games. Since both franchises are produced by EA Sports, it makes sense that there would be many similarities. There are, however, many differences that make each game unique in its own way. For instance, Madden gives people the ability to be their favorite teams and add players to different rosters for more exciting gameplay. In addition, Madden allows people to play the games as their favorite players, unlike NCAA, which does not include players’ names. On one hand, the players can personalize their teams and feel like they are on the teams. On the other hand, some argue that the games are less interesting in the absence of specific players’ names. Listening to the same voice and statements for hours in NCAA can grow boring, but in Madden people can be the players and experience their points of view.
Madden games have been around for over twenty-six years, with another new game coming out this fall. Nick Sotiropoulos ‘18 said, “I like football and I don’t like basketball but also don’t like the feel of college so madden is pretty good for me.” During its first few years the game experienced great success; no similar games existed before to this one. This game was based on the legendary John Madden due to his success with the Raiders during his time as a Raiders’ Head Coach. During his time coaching, he has acquired a record of one hundred twelve wins, thirty-two losses, and seven ties. He has won 75.9% of his games, making him one of the winningest coaches of all time. Making his expertise and coaching style impeccable and perfect for the game’s title.
NCAA has been around for twenty-three years. It has offered a unique experience for fans all across America, now allowing the players to play as their favorite football players. With some of the classic game modes being “Mascot Mashup” and “Legacy,” fans of the game just could not put the controller down. Matt Denney ‘17, a supporter of “Mascot Mashup,” shared, “ncaa was better because of Mascot Mashup, it really pushed the franchise ahead.” Another supporter of NCAA, Jack Coons ‘18, said, “I think that NCAA was a better franchise, since it had more teams, better modes, and I’m a bigger college football fan than NFL.” Unfortunately, the NCAA franchise has stopped producing games due to controversies surrounding players and EA Sports. NCAA ‘14 was, however, the best-selling game in its franchise. With its acclaim and popularity, it would not be surprising to see another great NCAA title appear in the near future.
With many supporters on both sides, it may be hard for anyone to pick which game is superior. Both franchises have exciting and new innovations for the gaming world especially in the sports genre. Many gamers have included these two franchises among the top for sports. Madden has been ranked as the best sports genre video game franchise of all time. Some students at Wilmington Friends School, however, seem to enjoy NCAA more: “Personally, I don’t play many sports games. Yet, in the classic comparison between professional sports, I would always have to prefer college. Without money as motivation, college players find alternative inspirations to fuel their play. The amount of effort fueled by these motivations allows the players to produce a much more interesting and active game,” shared Logan O’Brien ‘15. So among the critics, they prefer the Madden franchise, while the students they seem to prefer the NCAA franchise but to be a gamer one must try both games and then form their opinions. In closing both titles are amazing and push the boundaries of the 21st century so just remember them when looking for a nice and affordable gift.