The Top 15 Football Video Games of All Time

By Jacob Kornhauser

Top 15 Football Video Games of All Time

NFL Class of 2014 Enshrinement Ceremony — Most football fans also like playing football video games. Over the years, these games have evolved, but some of the classics remain as some of the best. Here's a look at the best 15 football video games ever created.

15. Madden 2009

Madden 2009

15. Madden 2009

Madden 2009 — Madden 2009 might be the best somewhat recent video game from the franchise. It had plenty of new features and potentially the best My Player mode in the franchise's history.

14. NFL Blitz

NFL Blitz

14. NFL Blitz

NFL Blitz — NFL Blitz is a total classic. It was originally on the Nintendo 64 and was more crazy than the Madden games before it. The fun of it was that it was played as more of an arcade style game.

13. Madden 2001

Madden 2001

13. Madden 2001

Madden 2001 — Madden 2001 ushered in a new era in football gaming. The graphics were much improved and the gameplay involved expanded playbooks.

12. NCAA Football 2006

NCAA Football 2006

12. NCAA Football 2006

NCAA Football 2006 — Featuring former Heisman winner Desmond Howard on the cover, NCAA Football 2006 was great. It was all about the Heisman race in this game and people loved it.

11. Madden 1997

Madden 1997

11. Madden 1997

Madden 1997 — Madden 97 was one of the best early games in the franchise's history. Even though the graphics were still relatively ancient, the gameplay really developed this season.

10. NCAA Football 2012

NCAA Football 2012

10. NCAA Football 2012

NCAA Football 2012 — NCAA Football has continually improved over the years while Madden has remained relatively similar. With the ability to recruit on an expanded platform, the 2012 version of the game really helped the game take off.

9. Madden 1999

Madden 1999

9. Madden 1999

Madden 1999 — Another great late 1990s version of the game, Madden 1999 helped launch the game into what it is today. Even though it didn't have many of the features of modern games, the bigger playbooks made the game way more fun.

8. NCAA Football 2013

NCAA Football 2013

8. NCAA Football 2013

NCAA Football 2013 — First of all, the cover athletes of Robert Griffin III and Barry Sanders for this game are awesome. Secondly, the game added some great expanded recruiting tools that make the game one of the best ever.

7. Madden 2003

Madden 2003

7. Madden 2003

Madden 2003 — Madden moved into the modern era with the release of their 2003 game. A brand new concept of My Player was first conceptualized and that set the tone for one of the most beloved game modes for many gamers.

6. 1988 John Madden Football

1988 John Madden Football

6. 1988 John Madden Football

1988 John Madden Football — As the first football video game ever created, 1988 John Madden Football is a classic. Obviously without this game, modern football gaming wouldn't be anywhere near where it is today.

5. Madden 2006

Madden 2006

5. Madden 2006

Madden 2006 — The mid-2000s were a great time for football video gaming. In Madden 2006, some aspects like the draft combine were introduced, which helped players further enjoy features like My Player.

4. NCAA Football 2004

NCAA Football 2004

4. NCAA Football 2004

NCAA Football 2004 — One of the first NCAA Football games, this one set the tone for the rest to follow. It's come a long way, but the first versions of the game were extremely exciting.

3. Madden 1995

Madden 1995

3. Madden 1995

Madden 1995 — Madden 1995 was really the first game that everyone wanted to have. For whatever reason, its popularity took off this year and the rest, as they say, is history.

2. Madden 2005

Madden 2005

2. Madden 2005

Madden 2005 — 2005 was by far the best year for football video games ever. There were two great titles on the market and they were the best two in the history of each franchise's history. Madden 2005 featured the best franchise mode as well as others.

1. NFL 2K5

NFL 2K5

1. NFL 2K5

NFL 2K5 — That's right: the best football video game ever wasn't a Madden title. NFL 2K5 had it all. You could play virtual celebrities in games and build ultimate teams with your favorite players. It's a shame that 2K couldn't continue making NFL video games.

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