Madden NFL 24

Madden NFL 24 is the current annual entry in the long-running American football simulation from EA Tiburon studio, which holds the official license for the NFL and its teams, players, and stadiums. The game continues the tradition of the Franchise career mode, in which the player runs a team over multiple seasons including the draft, trades, and budget, and Superstar mode, focused on an individual player's career from college through the professional league and possibly stardom on the team, where the player gradually builds their reputation and abilities based on how they play. Also included is the online Ultimate Team mode with collectible player cards and a regularly updated slate of challenges throughout the season.

The main new feature is the FieldSENSE system, which aims to more faithfully capture one-on-one battles between offensive and defensive players as well as physical struggles for the ball after it lands, replacing the older, less detailed player-contact model from previous entries in the series. On Xbox Series X and S the extra power shows in smoother player animations, faster loading between quarters, and more detailed rendering of the stadium and crowd. The commentator and authentic presentation, with graphics resembling NFL broadcasts, round out the feel of a real Sunday game, including halftime recaps, statistics, and individual player graphics.

Critical reception praised the improved physics of ball duels and enhanced artificial intelligence, though there were also frequent remarks that the yearly update brings more gradual improvements than a fundamental transformation of the series. Even so, Madden remains the only officially licensed American football game on current consoles, and thanks to that it holds a significant position among sports simulations for NFL fans around the world and beyond North America, where the sport's popularity is traditionally highest and where the game also serves as a gateway to understanding its rules.

Why play it: For NFL fans around the world, it's the only officially licensed American football game on current consoles, and it also serves as a gateway to understanding the sport's rules.