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Sports Games of the Decade: Football Game of the Decade

01:26 PM - December 3, 2010 by RaychelSnr

Gold: ESPN NFL 2K5

Releasing at only $20, ESPN NFL 2K5 will likely go down as the greatest sports gaming bargain of all time. Online players rejoiced over 32-team leagues -- complete with trades, injuries and free agency -- that hit both the PS2 and Xbox. Week-by-week player development and coach-specific team tendencies highlighted a deep offline Franchise mode. Chris Berman's halftime highlights and weekly wrap-up shows added the feel of a real-life Primetime telecast to the game as well. Like the NES classic Tecmo Super Bowl, ESPN NFL 2K5's fans still edit yearly roster updates, keeping the game relevant. Time passes on, but ESPN NFL 2K5 does not.

Silver: NCAA Football 2004

For its time, NCAA Football 2004 was a feature-packed game. 36 I-AA teams (still missing from today's NCAA games) complemented the 100-plus division I-A programs. Fans of Division II and Division III teams could build those schools with the create-a-school feature and use them in Dynasty mode. Sports Illustrated magazine covers and new pregame introductions added to the game's pageantry. But if there is one thing for which NCAA 2004 is remembered, it's the debut of online play for the Playstation 2. EA's shinier, PS3 football games -- arguably -- still cannot match the fun factor of the legendary 2004 edition.

Readers Choice: NFL 2K5

Because really? Who expected anything else? Not only did NFL 2K get nearly 90% of the votes, it do so while laughing at every other football game offering the past decade. This was the most one sided category for either the staff or the readers, so anyone thinking NFL 2K5's star might fade with time has been greatly mistaken.

Game: ESPN NFL 2K5Reader Score: 9.5/10 - Vote Now
Platform: PS2 / XboxVotes for game: 84 - View All

Member Comments

# 21 tabulaRasa @ 12/05/10 05:38 PM

To me nfl2k5 is the nfl game WHO really captured the excitement of � nfl big game broadcast and feel. Nfl was stupid to exclude 2k from the deal . To me this Exclusive deal is the perfect example how bad it is for fans of nfl and how crap it is for development of the digital representation of the sport. Madden is so stale and boring. And in essence hinders the excitement for th real games on tv here in europe. Shame on you nfl.

# 22 tabulaRasa @ 12/05/10 05:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by daflyboys


	But my mom gave 2K5 a 9.6. I guess this gives and indication of what people think of game review sites. Here's a hint: they think they blow.

Here is Another hint from someone WHO works in the industry: reviews are heavily affected by vip treatment "previews", pr merchandise gifts, promise of more exclusives if they are favorable etc. Bigger publishers especially. And Giving � bad review can give u � bad standing with the publisher. Its not openly spoken about, but Its what everyone knows . Madden is eas flagship, so guess what. Nfl2k5 was the best game that year, and counting the price, hands f-ing down best .

# 23 charter04 @ 12/06/10 12:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tabulaRasa


	Here is Another hint from someone WHO works in the industry: reviews are heavily affected by vip treatment "previews", pr merchandise gifts, promise of more exclusives if they are favorable etc. Bigger publishers especially. And Giving � bad review can give u � bad standing with the publisher. Its not openly spoken about, but Its what everyone knows . Madden is eas flagship, so guess what. Nfl2k5 was the best game that year, and counting the price, hands f-ing down best .

Maybe, but how does that explain the low reviews Madden has had since the jump to next gen. It's not like Madden got 10's and 2k5 got a 7. They are both very good game. I have both. I really enjoyed Madden 03 to 06. At that time Madden was an elite game. People forget that because of how terrible they have been lately. I accually prefer Madden 04 to 06's franchise mode over 2K5's. Game play is a toss up. Presentation goes to 2k5. The season stat's for 2k5 is terrible unless you change the sim quarter length to 5 or 6 min quarters. Love the owner mode on Madden 05 and 06. Prices for seats ext. The NCAA Football 03 to 06 are right up their too. Also NCAA 2011.

# 24 tabulaRasa @ 12/06/10 05:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by charter04


	Maybe, but how does that explain the low reviews Madden has had since the jump to next gen. It's not like Madden got 10's and 2k5 got a 7. They are both very good game. I have both. I really enjoyed Madden 03 to 06. At that time Madden was an elite game. People forget that because of how terrible they have been lately. I accually prefer Madden 04 to 06's franchise mode over 2K5's. Game play is a toss up. Presentation goes to 2k5. The season stat's for 2k5 is terrible unless you change the sim quarter length to 5 or 6 min quarters. Love the owner mode on Madden 05 and 06. Prices for seats ext. The NCAA Football 03 to 06 are right up their too. Also NCAA 2011.

Since there is no comp. any longer it doens�t matter if Madden scores goes down. But if 2K was around EA would be furious. Also bad reviews now a pretty much a silent moan about the lack of progress in the Madden franschise.
Look at Madden 10 , awful running animations, bad presentation compared to 2k5 , STILL...
NFL are fools if the go exclusive again with EA. But maybe quick profits are more important than giving the fans a true chance to experience feeling of actually playing real NFL games.

Madden is stale. And that�s what exclusives give the consumers. NBA understand that, and that�s why NBA2k11 is the awesome game it is. Progress thru competetion.

# 25 Armor and Sword @ 12/06/10 11:01 AM

I played the hell out of NCAA 2011 this weekend....I am now convinced this is my favorite football game of all time. With the right slider set on All-American this game is money in the bank. The dynasty mode is fantastic. Presentation solid. Game play outstanding.

My all time ranks (top 5)

1) NCAA 2011
2) NFL 2K5
3) Madden 2005/2007
4) Tecmo Super Bowl (NES)
5) Madden 2011

# 26 rudeworld @ 12/06/10 11:23 AM

consider that this game..... was a $60 game at $20... with very little flaws... added cribs, ESPN personalities, game play was top notch... I use to play all 3 footballers but stopped when I realized how fantastic a game could actually be.... and what the other 2 was missing, it wasn't until this year that actually caved in an purchased NCAA 2011, but that even with it's nice presentation visuals doesn't compare to the level of presentation that was put into NFL 2K5..... My favorite times in NFL 2k5 are not even on the field (even though it is fun) it's actually when Mel Kipper starts talking about the draft class or Trey Wingo talks about what he talks about.... and the announcing team still has not been touched a football game... I guess you really cant teach that

# 27 ngreatshark @ 12/06/10 12:19 PM

My first venture with NFL2k5 was like when Neo stepped outside of the Matrix for the first time, It's like I finally saw what my footbal video game world for what it really was. I remember talking to friends about this NfL2k5 game that was about to be released, asking if it is possible that anybody could make a football game that could rival or even top Madden, and the conversation fell on deaf ears. I'm glad I decided to take a chance on it, and I still tell people it's the best $20 I've ever spent because even till this day 6 1/2 years later I still play this game.

I've tried to go back to Madden NFL on numerous occasions, but I can't because I just can't make excuses for Madden's gameplay elements and the lack of real improvement in pushing the series forward. 2K5 was packed to the gills with so much content, and had so much promise that hadn't been fulfilled ( the Online leagues were awesome, each with their own real time functioning website, so your basically had it's own espnnfl.com, but alot of leagues would never make it past the first season withouth folding) that even after all this time playing I still feel like I haven't gotten everything out of his game that it has to offer. I guess indirectly because of the exclusive licesnse killing the series, it also did one thing for me that I wish other games would do, and that is allow me to take my career statistcs with me in each new incarnation. Because i"m still playing the same game, but downloading new rosters every year, my stats don't go anywhere, and I get to stay current.

I sure hope they open the doors for another football game by visual concepts/ 2k sports.

# 28 biggiejerseys @ 12/06/10 05:32 PM

I hate how current gen NCAA games don't have FCS teams.

# 29 dickey1331 @ 12/06/10 11:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rudeworld


	consider that this game..... was a $60 game at $20... with very little flaws... added cribs, ESPN personalities, game play was top notch... I use to play all 3 footballers but stopped when I realized how fantastic a game could actually be.... and what the other 2 was missing, it wasn't until this year that actually caved in an purchased NCAA 2011, but that even with it's nice presentation visuals doesn't compare to the level of presentation that was put into NFL 2K5..... My favorite times in NFL 2k5 are not even on the field (even though it is fun) it's actually when Mel Kipper starts talking about the draft class or Trey Wingo talks about what he talks about.... and the announcing team still has not been touched a football game... I guess you really cant teach that

I don't think ps2 and xbox games cost $60 back then.

Sent from space using Tapatalk

# 30 Tone022 @ 12/07/10 03:10 AM

Hell Yeah. NCAA 2004 is the best college football game. Still play it. I have trouble getting my players from I AA schools to get drafted into Madden.

# 31 stlstudios189 @ 12/09/10 12:36 PM

when 2k5 came out I tried it for $20 and hated it. traded it back in for Madden played the crap out of that and came back to 2k5 last year. wow I was stupid. I must not have been ready back then.

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