What It Is:

You have the options of choosing any NFL team and playing any other team in either pre-season or regular season. If your team keeps winning, you could go all the way. You call the plays and control the football when you are on the offensive side of the ball. When you are defense, you choose your team’s coverage strategy and go for the football. Keep in mind, however, you must pay attention to the game clock; there is a limited amount of time to choose your plays and strategy. If just playing isn’t enough to fulfill your grandiose dreams of the gridiron, you may start your own franchise, choose a coach, draft players and build a dynasty.

Why It’s Fun:

This is a challenging game. If you want to win, you’ll need to practice. The graphics and sound are impressive and fun, the playing fields and stadiums mimic their real-life counterparts and the players’ names and numbers won’t go unrecognized by even the fair-weather fan. Don’t forget the added realism of the game commentary by both Pat Summerall and, of course, John Madden.

Who’s Going to Love It:

If you’re a football fan going through withdrawal in the post-season, or you just can’t get enough of the game on any given Sunday during the regular season, than EA Sports’, "Madden 2000" should be on your shopping list. This game is a die-hard football fan’s dream.

What to Be Aware Of:

There is almost every aspect of the real football game included in "Madden 2000" and that is what makes it a very challenging game; probably not the easiest-to-master for young children. And like the real-life game, the images and sounds of bodies being tackled (often by more than one football player) are ever-present in "Madden."