20 Years Of Madden Covers

[PhilipSaar]

20 Years Of Madden Covers

As you probably know, the newest installment of the Madden video game series comes out next week. And since it’s been around for 20 years, here’s all 20 of the covers, starting when that handsome devil himself was the one who graced the front of our favorite video game ever.

JOHN MADDEN FOOTBALL - 1990

This was also the cover for “John Madden’s Kool-Aid Man Impersonation” video game (which wasn’t nearly as popular.)

JOHN MADDEN FOOTBALL - 1991

As you can see from this cover photo, John Madden really likes football.

JOHN MADDEN FOOTBALL ‘92

The third installment of Madden is also the first to incorporate the soon-to-be-iconic date into the title. Oddly, it was Friday The 13th Part III where Jason got his iconic hockey mask. Coincedence?


JOHN MADDEN FOOTBALL ‘93

‘93 was the first to use the “no huddle offense” and “player taunting.” Which meant every 15-year-old who played this spent more time getting in the face of his opponent than figuring out how to complete a skinny post.

MADDEN ‘94

When 1994 rolled around Madden dropped the John and got a new sleeker look. If only his body could’ve done the same.

MADDEN 95

In a controversial move, EA drops the apostrophe before the year. Leaving everyone to wonder, “Is this Madden 1895?”

MADDEN 96

The first year for the “Create A Player” feature, which saw NFL Teams sign many new players with such colorful last names as “Ass,” “Champ” and “Ass Champ.”

MADDEN 97

John isn’t pointing at you on this cover. He’s pointing at the turducken behind you.

MADDEN 98

On this cover, Madden is clearly saying “What can I say? I just love Turducken.”

MADDEN 99

Awesome glitch: Anytime Terry Glenn makes a catch or a play, John Madden will refer to him winning the Fred Biletnikoff Award.

MADDEN 2000

Madden football entered the new millenium by releasing a version of the game for both Mac and PC computers, causing a new generation of nerds to say, “Mac is better.”

MADDEN 2001

This was the year that Madden trained really hard in the offseason and re-entered the league under the name “Eddie George.” Or…this was the year they stopped putting John on the cover and started using players.

MADDEN 2002

This was the last Madden to be released on N64. A moment of silence, please.

MADDEN 2003

Using Madden Cards, Andrew WK and the guys in Good Charlotte can become players you can sign. I assume that even in pixelated form, Andrew WK’s player still really enjoys partying.

MADDEN 2004

Some guy named Michael Vick was on this cover. Apparently he used to be a football player.

MADDEN 2005

Fun fact: Ray Lewis is the first and only defensive player to ever appear on the cover of Madden.
Funner fact: Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger is listed as “Ben Roethlisbergr” because of the letter limit.

MADDEN 06

This year featured the QB Vision Control, which meant you had to have your receiver in your field of vision to make an accurate pass. Which also meant I never threw an accurate pass.

MADDEN 07

Because this is an E rated game, the beer concessions were replaced with coffee in this edition. Which may explain why there were 99% less pukings and 100% more excited, chatty ramblings in the stands that year (I made that stat up.)

MADDEN 08

This is the last version to ever be released on the Gamecube. A moment of silence, please.

MADDEN 09

Some up and coming young gunslinger named Brett Favre is on the newest cover. He’s bound to lead the Packers…or Buccaneers or Vikings or Bears or Packers to a great season this year.

[barnabas11]

Good times, good times. One heck of a game.

[bluestone]

Madden 97 was probably my favorite of them all.