Madden...Madden, a name known to all gamers on all systems. Madden, for years, has been THE football game for gamers everywhere, and this year Madden doesn't disappoint.

Madden 2003 is thought by many to be the same as 2002, of course all of these people obviously haven't played 2003. With faster gameplay, updated rosters, all new mini-camp mode, and a all new online mode, Madden 2003 has improved so much upon the 2002 version it is scary.

The gameplay is as it has always been except it is now faster. For those of you who are new to the game/genre though, the game is played on offense by controlling the ball carrier and trying to gain yardage. On defense you can control anyone you like and this year's version allows for more precise control. An example of that would be the fact that if you play as a lineman you can push, rip, or spin to try to get off the guy and get to the QB. Another example would be if you're a DB you can intercept the ball by pressing a button if you are lined up to it, or if you aren't you can just bat it down with another button.

The online gameplay is equally great. You go head to head up against a person who challenges you or that you challenge. All the same controls apply. The Madden 2003 servers are very reliable and have not crashed as long as I have been on. The only problem I have with Madden Online is its player limitations. Only 2 players can play at a time as opposed to NFL 2K3 and NFL Gameday 2003 which support 8-16.

The graphics for Madden are nothing short of amazing, they always have been and always will be. In this editors opinion, overall, the graphics are better than its competition. If you watch it from the TV cam, or watch a demo, the only thing that makes it not look exactly like real life is the facial features. As far as I can tell from replays, each player only has 2 facial animations.

Overall, Madden 2003 has made enough improvements over last years version to warrant a purchase for sure. However, if you are looking for a game to play online only, Madden might not be the way to go, as it only allows 2 players. The only other game I can recommend would be NFL 2K3. I do NOT recommend Gameday 2003 since I have played it and it is nothing compared to its opposition. Maybe next year though.