Game console football games

[trotsky]

Anyone have any strong preferences?

I have a PS2. Someone here on DU tipped me off to ESPN's NFL 2K5 and I loved it. Best console version of football ever. But then EA Sports went and negotiated exclusive branding rights with the NFL and now nobody else can make a game with real NFL teams or players until 2008 or 2009 - assuming EA Sports doesn't renegotiate and just kill competition forever.

I didn't want to out of protest, but a couple of months ago I went to GameStop and picked up a used copy of Madden 06 so I could try it out, and now I'm on my 3rd season. The gameplay is definitely not as good as ESPN, but I do like the more detailed offseason as well as more advanced drafting and player development.

What have you played?

[realisticphish]

1. I've played

Madden '04, '05, and '06, as well as NCAA '05 and '06. I've always been happy with them, but I've never played the ESPN games, either.

[BulletproofLandshark]

2. I've played every year of Madden since it began

back in '90. I started playing Sega's 2K series (owned 2K & 2K1 on Dreamcast and 2K5 on XBox) and liked the gameplay much better. I LOVED the gameplay in the 2K series and it's a shame that EA bought themselves a monopoly on NFL games. Adding a couple of new features doesn't justify buying Madden every year IMO. Now NCAA Football, on the other hand. For me that's the best football game around anymore.

[mduffy31]

3. NCAA '06

Is the best football game I have ever played bar none.

[NJ Democrats]

4. Madden

2001 and 2004 for PC, 2004, 05, 06 for PS2 and 07 for PSP, also NCAA Football 05 for PS2 and 07 for PSP. Never played Sega/ESPN. I'm dissapointed that there is no Superstar or owner mode in Madden 07 for PSP so I might get the PS2 verson as well