Dads...You gotta check out Madden 2001!!

Author's Rating:

Pros: A sports game that is actually competitive vs. the computer.

Cons: Penalty settings are too sensitive.

The Bottom Line: 
Graphics, sound, and entertainment. EA sports brings the full realism of football right to your TV screen.

Author's Review
Being a father of two, I finally made the investment of a PS2. (Of course after multiple “Please daddy, we’ll do anything you want us to if you by this for us!” – Yeah, whatever. We started off with purchasing a few games (Madden NFL 20001 being one of them) and let my kids go to town. Once the neighborhood found out we had PS2…parents started giving their children to me. Something had to be done.
One night, when the wife was having her “me” time and the grandparents had the kiddies, I decided to flip my cap backwards, pop a pack of “Bubble Yum”, put on my high tops, and see what the hype was on this MADDEN NFL. C’mon I remember when Sega Genesis had all the Madden versions. It was awesome “check out the cool graphics”. Then after playing it for the 100th time and whipping the computer 115-10 in 5 minute quarters. “Running the Fly Pattern was a simple work of art.” (Yah, I know I’m good)
-Whoops, sorry about the flashback-
Ok getting down to the game. I “gently” placed the CD into the game system and started it up. (No more slamming a cartridge into a game slot)
“E-A Sports…. It’s in the game.” Uh-oh, momentary flashback again.

INTRO
The intro is great. Starts off with a rap (not sure who the artist is) and NFL football film replays. You can let the intro play for as long as you want or until you hit the “start” button. When first played, you get really pumped up. But now “boom” hit the “start” button right away.

SETTING UP THE GAME
The game play options are relatively the same – Exhibition, Quick-Play, Preseason, Season, (but wait, what’s this Franchise Play????) Yes, you can actually own a team!! Cool stuff.
I started with Quick-Play (good choice if you’re just learning)
Selected my team (the Chicago Bears, of coarse – I know, they’re the pits), selected vs. computer and was ready to play.

PLAYING THE GAME
The game starts off with James Brown in the FOX studio introducing the 2 teams who will be playing and give they’re strengths and weaknesses before handing it off to Pat Summeral and John Madden. (very cool the first time - now I just hit “enter” “enter” “enter”) Very Powerful I am!!

As in the earlier games you are given 2 playbooks (1-offense, 1-defense).

The Offense - When receiving the ball the first time, I started looking through the various formations. (Pro-Set, I Formation, Shotgun, Off Set I, Goal Line) Selected one, and then there are various routes each player makes. Let’s see this guy does an out pattern, the halfback goes out for a screen…. TWEEEEEET!!!!! Whistled for a delay of game!!
Yes there is a 40 second clock…but, hey that’s why I’m playing Quick-Play.
May I suggest something for beginners? They were so gracious to put an “ASK THE COACH” option…. use it!
When your playbook comes up, you select “ASK THE COACH” and it takes you right to the play you should be calling. Then of course the coach has a comment like “let’s run it down their throats!!”
Once you get a better feel for play calling, you won’t need to go to it very often. (You’ll start to realize, “Isn’t this a running situation Mr. Coach??!?!?”

The Defense – Not much to it. Just a playbook (4-3, 3-4, Nickel, Dime, Goal-Line). Selecting plays for defense is luck. On a play where I set up to stop the run, the computer ran for a 15-yard gain and a first down. The very next play, I had set up a nickel during and ended up tackling the HB for a 2-yard loss. Ho-HUM, who cares about the defense anyway.

THE CONTROLS
When running with the ball on offense, there are quite a few maneuvers you can perform running the ball. (Spin Move, Sprint, Dive, Jump/Hurdle) And when you have a brain lock and don’t know what to do, do what I do. Just slam on all four. (this then follows with a pinched nerve in your neck, when getting so excited.) Oh yah, there’s also Stiff-Arming and what I call a JUKE-MOVE…I rarely use.

When passing on offense…after hiking the ball, you can select the receiver you want to throw to while avoiding (sack sucking) pass rushers. Takes some time getting used to, but you’ll learn when you hold on to the button longer, you’ll throw a zinger. While when going for a bomb, just tapping the button will put much more air under it.
There’s also an option for pump faking – forget it. Works great when it works, but just not enough time when avoiding the D-Line.

On defense…. you can jump, dive, sprint, strip the ball, shift the D-Line left or right, call audibles, switch to the closest player to the ball. (Don’t ever be a Defensive Back or Safety…. you’ll get burned every time) One of the thing I keep doing is…I’ll set up as a lineman, rush the QB, realize I’m getting stuffed, and just as I go to switch to the closest lineman to the ball, the QB throws the ball. This means I’ve just switched to the DB covering the WR. I’ve got the control stick facing down thinking I’m rushing the passer, which in turn causes my DB to run the wrong frickin’ way, leaving the WR wide open. Touchdown for the other team. Drives me NUTS!!! (Don’t let this happen to you.)

Overall, a little difficult to get used to at first, but you’ll learn which control buttons are just not worth trying. Using “Sprint” and “Dive” is popular with me.

GAME OPTIONS
Okay Quick-Play. Good Bye. I’m ready to start a season. Selecting the Chicago Bears, I went 9-7 and made the play-offs (ooh-yay). I found that when setting up for the season: 7-minute quarters are perfect. Conventional 15 min. would stack up phenomenal yardage. Trust me, you are not going to play out the 40-second clock.
There’s also an option on setting the sensitivity for penalties. Don’t touch it!!!! I tried to bump it up a little because I felt that hardly any penalties were being called. (Maybe 3-4 a game) All of a sudden, my simple finish a game in 45 min. turned in to a whole afternoon. (Try 30 penalties a game) So take my advice and leave it alone.
When choosing level of competition, I selected [Pro]. Others are either too easy or way too impossible.
Franchise play is cool if you really have the time. When you season is over (get this) you attend a draft, re-sign or release players, sign free agents, or just wuss out and have the computer do it for you. That’s what I ended up doing, because the rest is just way-way too long of a process.

TWO-PLAYER GAME
Since my oldest daughter is not really into the whole football thing, I decided to flash my skills upon a real expert… my 13-year-old nephew. This kid is vicious when it comes to video games. You can play on the same team or head-to-head. I prefer head-to-head. The competition is great and now I don’t have to endure a 70-yard bomb anymore from the kid whenever he trails in the game. (EVERYTIME WHEN WE PLAYED SEGA, EVERYTIME!!) But like I said, if you just let the DB’s do there job, you’ll be all right.
Two players is a great deal of fun, but I still prefer single player (season-franchise) action.

ADDED FLUFF
1. Different weather conditions
2. Crowd Control
3. Stats for every major category
4. Pro Bowl
5. Computer controlled
6. Injuries
7. Trades
8. Create your own player
9. Playbook Design
10. My Favorite – Turn off commentary of Pat and John
11. All Madden Team is selected
12. Awards for best Defensive player and Offensive player for each week

OVERALL
If you’re a big football buff, like I am, then I would definitely recommend it. The graphics and sound are spectacular. The realism, has really won me over. So much that my daughter fights with me on whose turn it is to play and how her and her friends never get to play. Because of this, her friends began to rag on their parents and now I have made a move to give back what was once theirs. (THEIR CHILDREN)
I have been dubbed “Household Couch Potato”. And I have JOHN MADDEN NFL 2001 to thank for it.
It’s been about 2 months now and I still haven’t figured out how to totally destroy the teams I play. Which is good, because as soon as that starts happening the game will start to get boring. No boredom here, as I give this a 5 out of 5.

PRICE
You can find Madden NFL 2001 for about $50.00. Well worth it.