Madden NFL '95


Madden NFL '95 is a football video game. It features John Madden on the cover. It was released as Madden '95 on the Game Boy.

Features

The Genesis version of Madden NFL '95 was the first Madden game to have both the NFL team logo and NFLPA licenses, thus allowing players to be identified by their names in addition to their squad numbers for the first time. The game reflects all NFL rosters and attributes for the 1994 season. This version of Madden NFL was also the first Madden to showcase no passing windows, though passing windows can be retained using the options menu. Previously included "Past Championship Teams" and "All-Franchise" teams are not included. Player stats are tracked individually both in-game, and throughout a season. The cover has John Madden on it, but it also features two actual NFL players, Dallas Cowboys left tackle Erik Williams and San Francisco 49ers defensive lineman Karl Wilson who has his number edited to show the fictional number 70 which was not worn by anyone on the 49ers roster in the 1994 season.
It was released on the Game Boy, Game Gear, Genesis and Super NES.
The game features the theme song from the NFL on Fox, which John Madden joined on shortly before the game's release.

Reception

The two sports reviewers of Electronic Gaming Monthly gave the Super NES version scores of 85% and 90%, citing the improved animations and sounds from previous Madden games and the new rules and plays. GamePros Weekend Warrior gave the Super NES version a positive review, expressing approval for both the game's many new features and the retention of the same user-friendly mechanics as previous Madden games. Reviewing the Genesis version in GamePro, Athletic Supporter noted that "unlike its SNES counterpart, Madden '95 on the Genesis doesn't always generate high-scoring games." Ben D. Rules, also of GamePro, commented that the Game Boy version, while having unavoidable portable limitations such as tiny, unrecognizable sprites and mediocre sound effects, has a surprisingly strong selection of teams and stats and well-designed gameplay. He concluded "While football on handhelds will probably never take off, this one's still a worthy effort." Fellow GamePro reviewer Tommy Glide similarly praised the Game Gear version as a worthy handheld effort which retains most of the options, teams, and plays of the home versions. However, he concluded that despite being "the best football game available for the Game Gear", it is not a worthwhile purchase due to the tiny, squint-inducing graphics and lack of multiplayer. In 2012, Madden NFL '95 was listed on Time's All-TIME 100 greatest video games list.