One of the most popular games of our time is about to come out with a new addition of its series in a matter of days...this series is know as MADDEN!! Madden debuted, if I remember correctly around 1985. [Ed. note: It debuted as John Madden Football, and did not feature licensed teams]. In fact licensed teams were not included until Madden NFL '94. As time progressed and so did technology, Madden evovled from it's 8 bit debut to 3-dimensions with the release of Madden 64. Throughout this time new modes were added such as quick play, season, exhibition, and mini games and an online mode were people could test their skills with players over the world. In my opinion, this may very well be were the Madden craze hit its peak. After awhile fans became bored with the routine of call play, tackle, repeat, and hardcore football fans were tired of the lack of depth in the "playcalling". In response, EA decided to put a little thing called "playmaker" control for the 04 iteration of the series. This added far more realism to the game by adding pre-snap adjustments with both offense and defense. EA wouldn't stop here though. They forever changed history with the ever famous phrase "hit stick" I don't know about you but you can't play a game of football, basketball, golf, or tennis without saying HIT STICK once or twice. This allows users to make a crushing hit on defense in an attempt to break loose the ball from weak running backs, full backs, QBs, WRs, the works. Hey but why give the defense all the fun the very next year another history changing term was invented "truck stick". This let anyone with the ball put the pain on a weak defensive player by putting their shoulder down and bringing THE PAIN!! They also created Superstar mode which gave many people the chance to be a football player in the NFL and work their way up the legend ladder and not have to worry about any lawsuits such as dog fighting, drug bust, or stabbing, its all clean. There was also the QB vision which in my opinion is great but since people don't like having to do what exactly the QB does and LOOK at the receiver BEFORE he throws it they decided to get rid of it.... pansies. With the 07 installment of the game they added Hit Stick 2.0, errr i mean Highlight Stick. The difference is that instead of Randy Moss trucking Ray Lewis now he dodges him in some agile animation. Lead block control was added too basically take control of a lineman cut block everyone you see, pancaking is overrated. Now with the 08 version, there's the smart passer which can read the defense after they ran the pay four time; the Bullet passer self explanatory, The accurate passer, the the power back, speed back, elusive back, run blocker, pass blocker, possession receiver, and hands receiver, and i believe distance and accuracy kicker( i could be wrong). ON defense you got yourself the hit crusher, the run stopper, pass stoper, umm pass jammer, smart line backer same as smart QB can read the defense after play has been run four times, and others i can't seem to remember. So theres a little info on this game that has become a cultural phemonem know as the Madden game series.