Best Madden Games Of All Time: A Top 10 List Including The Most Popular Picks

Since 1988, the Madden NFL franchise has been the gold standard for American football video games. From the pixelated titles in early years to the unmatched, realistic experiences in recent titles.

Over the years, it has shaped how gaming fans experience the NFL in its virtual world. Given the release of several editions, deciding which are the best Madden games is not easy for both newbies and long-term players. That is why in this post, we will take a look at the top 10 best Madden games of all time.

Top 10 Best Madden Games

Let us first take a look at which titles are the best Madden football game contenders.

Please note that the anniversary and reboot naming versions are included in our list of the best Madden games. Also, if you are looking for a more action-packed list, check out our coverage of the best Far Cry games.

10. Madden NFL 20

Released back in June 2019, Madden NFL 20 is one of the strongest contenders for the title of the best Madden game of all time. While the game received a mixed reaction from players, the QB1 career campaign was the biggest highlight.

9. Madden NFL 12

Released in August 2011, Madden NFL 12 is another big title of the franchise. Among all the interesting features, the auction-style bidding was famous in the community. That being said, the title failed to bring any new modes to the game. This is the sole reason Madden NFL 12 is 8th on our list of the best Madden games.

8. Madden NFL 19

Speaking of the contenders for the best Madden football game, Madden NFL 19 was especially known for the real player motions. This was one of the titles that gave fans an unmatched game feel. The mechanics were exceptional for their time, driven by real stats and performances of athletes.

7. Madden NFL 08

Since Xbox users experienced Madden NFL 08 at 60 FPS, the game made players believe they were witnessing the next steps of video game development. In this title, developers worked especially on player movement and responsive AI. Naturally, the game received a solid reaction from the community.

6. Madden 99

For the 6th spot in our best Madden games list, we take a trip back to memory lane. Madden 99 was the last title of the 20th century. The Franchise mode in the game enabled players to trade athletes and sign free agents. This feature allowed the players to take full control of the team for the first time.

5. Madden 10

One of the reasons why Madden 10 is in our list of best Madden games is that it was the first-ever title with two players on the cover. The Ultimate Team of the game was another big feature. It allowed the players to create their own team from collectable players.

4. Madden NFL 06

Madden NFL 06 rose in popularity on the PS2 due to the poor Xbox 360 version. The Superstar Mode of the game was especially popular among players, since it allowed them to play as a rookie and rise to stardom, much like the inspiring stories in the sport.

3. Madden NFL 23

Released in 2022, Madden NFL 23 is one of the recent titles in the franchise. Realistic player movements and deep player roster personalisation are some of the biggest reasons players liked the title. In our list of the best Madden games, Madden NFL 23 sits in 3rd spot.

2. Madden NFL 25

Released back in 2024-25, Madden NFL 25 is considered the best Anniversary Edition. EA Sports and Electronic Arts have done exceptional work with the game. The smooth animation and realistic gameplay experience were at their best in the title.

1. Madden NFL 24

Given the realistic experience Madden NFL 24 offers, it is understandable why it is the best Madden game of all time. Among all the features, the enhanced Franchise mode has been the biggest highlight of the game.

Ranking Factors

Our list of the best Madden games is completely unbiased. We have considered the following factors to curate the list of the top 10 best Madden games:

• Review/Ratings

Above all, we considered player ratings for each title on our list of the best Madden games.

• Graphics

A game's graphics make or break the title. Naturally, we have considered it to be one of the ranking factors for our list.

• Gameplay

Lastly, we have considered the gameplay of each title as a contributing factor to our list of the best Madden games.

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