Hands down, NFL2K5 was the best football game ever created. When Madden bought out the rights to NFL games, they really did us a dis-service.

2k5's undoubtedly the gold standard for an NFL sim video game.

2K5 HAD this rare organic momentum, like your feeling your way thru tackles on offense and actually digging in the turf with your cleats and wrap tackling. Madden run game they all have this weird run up right robot style..and awkward tackles. Gotta get an emulator of 2k5

THIS and NFL head Coach, best two football sims ever

I wish they would remaster this game. I don't care about playing with the old rosters from the 2004 2005 NFL season. All they need to do is upgrade the graphics and leave everything else the same. Well maybe tweak the animations a little but I bet if they were to every remaster it, it would kill Madden in the sales department. All I can do is hope

Seeing some of those names from that time makes me chuckle. Snoop Minnis, Otis "My Man" Smith, Tony Banks, Kordell, Chris Chandler, Jeremiah Trotter, Mo Lewis, etc

They actually had highlights from other teams. Something Madden NEVER had

2K5 was the best hands down! I loved The Crib aspect!

its pathetic that madden hasn't passed 2k5 yet

This game was the gold standard for football games and for only $20 NEW when it came out! EA knew they just ended up in a serious dog fight and like cowards, went out and bought out the competition, which to this day sickens me. I long for the days when every fall, we would have NFL 2K series, NFL Gameday and Madden ALL coming out with the new season's football brands. Now it is sad and pathetic that as consumers we are stuck with no options other than Madden. Sorry, but I am done buying Madden. Same old crap every year, just wrapped in a new package. I just bought me 2k5 for a buck since I found out that I could down load current rosters. Don't need any other football game now until EA pulls their heads out of their un-creative asses and come up with something that looks and plays like they worked their butts off to make OR the NFL doesn't renew exclusivity rights with EA and opens the door for other markets to join and compete in.

I have a backwards compatible PS3 and a PS4 hooked up to a big screen LG 4k tv. 2k5 is the only football game I have been playing for the past 5 years. I have never bought a Madden game for my PS4 and I don't plan on doing it ever to be honest because of 2K5. 2K5 is the real deal and it cannot be touched by anything Madden has to offer each year. I played to 2 player game with my brother yesterday and won by a field goal on the last possession. The franchise is what I really care about and the reason why I will never turn my back on the game. I used to be a big Madden fan back in the days buying each release on day one. I wish they would remaster it and put it into the PSN store so many others can enjoy this amazing game and stop buying Madden each year like me.

I've been on NFL 2K since 2K2. Became a huge fan in 2K4. Cemented lifelong fan when 2K5 dropped. I remember when I discussed EA buying the NFL license in 2004 with my friend. We were walking back home from some event and I was like "I'm really concerned that 2K won't be able to get back in the NFL game." Skip forward over 15 years later and... not much has changed sadly :(

This stuff right here is the reason I haven't bought Madden in 5 years (and counting). EA fails at capturing that immersive broadcast quality commentary, camera angles, cuts, edits and editorial ESPN halftime/postgame/weekly recap SportsCenter shows.

NFL 2k17 Would probably have been so sick

You are 100% spot on. What pisses me off about Madden 2018... you look at all the categories that you can "view" in Franchise owner mode like; marketing, media, player happiness... why do they not open these categories up and let us select marketing campaigns and players to promote, let us hold press conferences, let us choose commercials for the season... It just pisses me off. We keep seeing the same damn game over and over and over again.

It's really sad what madden has become even the 06-07 maddens were better than what they are today

2022 and this game is still the bar. It's a shame your Madden optimism never came to fruition. This game has really aged so well. Now that football season is over, I hooked up my ps2 to play 2k5 and it's still as phenomenal as ever.

Still holds up in 2018.

NFL Head Coach 09 is the best franchise experience since this game. Madden has the blueprint right there in their own company.

It's an epic game !! We got madden17 and yet is not even close to nfl2k5 ! Just graphics got better but that's not a surprise but nfl2k5 is goat of football games so far! Lord let us see new version someday soon...

Madden '04 & Madden '05 right along with ESPN 2K5 I played sooo much with my buds. I have accepted the slug like development from Madden over the years since the previous/next gen (Madden '06/EA NFL Exclusive License agreement) era began. But I still want choice, I like choice, many choices. From restaurants, bars, films, television programs...and I really miss "choice options" for my video game football hobby/entertainment.

I have been playing ESPN 2K5 since 2004. I have, that I've saved, about 3400 games played, and almost 1,400,000 total yards. Luv luv this game and all it's little glitches.

mad respect bro you like pullin the words from my mind

4 years later...EA Sports/Madden is not putting much effort

Love the video bro. Said everything that I've been tellin people for years

Why cant they give the non online players what the want out of a football game ?

Madden will NEVER overtake NFL 2K5. Madden does a good job of trying to create an authentic football experience but they don't really teach you the vocabulary of the game, I learned most of my football knowledge from this game. The reason I know football is because of 2K5. Madden will never touch them.

Great video. Made me want to play that game. Might have to play some tomorrow. :) it also makes me frustrated that Madden doesn't have so many things that game or madden 05 had. Keep up the good work

It's bananas how it's taken them soooo long to put training camp back into the game and still are missing so much to immerse us into Franchise that doesn't make it feel like it's 17 play now games with a draft & free agency

It also had the best player development. There were busts and gems in the draft. Madden eventually did the same thing, but then they threw it away with the stupid XP system

Great vid sim!! Maddens direction is changing be cause of people like you like I said in one of your older videos! PS Can you mention to the devs about the lack of practice uniforms with all the practice drills being added this year... It kinda hurts the immersion!!! Keep pushing bro!!!!

Best football hands down

I agree 100 especially on Xbox where they show in game highlights at halftime the ps3 version use to show snap pics, Chris Berman sound like he was like e with his halftime show

Great video bro I respect this vid I apologize for some of the things I might have said about you some things you prob can't remember but this is the realist commentary by you discussing your thoughts on madden and I respect that I guess the community does not look at it how you do including myself it's like there's a grudge against madden more so than us not liking the game not saying it's good I just think frustration influence a lot of people comments and actions including myself

Great video again critic. 2K5 is the king of presentation, franchise, gameplay and just video game football period. I appreciate your commitment in trying to help Madden get to where it should be. I just don't think they understand football let alone video game football. They have ESPN under there belt, The contract to make the NFL game. The players association. Simply put they have all the resources and things needed to put 2K5 to sleep but they just do not get it. I am happy with what i'm seeing in M15 but the game should be FAR ahead of where it is now. As many have said before. The game looks decent so yes i'm getting. Just putting my thoughts on this topic out there.

Remember when getting prepped for the week and you could send the receivers to ballet class to aid in agility.

what about getting a score ticker on the bottom of the screen when in a cfm game like ncaa football had ,if they still have the rights or whatever it was for that.

Good video. I wish madden did have that sportscenter weekly wrap up like 2k had.

miss highlights from around the league, it wouldn't be hard to have a few cut scene type highlights in madden, they just lazy.

I agree completely with your assessment of what keeps people talking about a 13-year old game. The presentation on 2K5 was light years ahead of what Madden has offered during the past few years. Every year, we're promised by the fine folks at EA that we'll be getting major additions to all aspects of that edition of Madden. And every year, we end up getting a roster update and a few things here and there, but not the complete overhaul many of us are looking for. It seems that Visual Concepts and 2K Sports are heading in the right direction with their NBA titles, and Madden would do well to take more than a few pages from the 2K playbook when crafting Franchise Mode for the current generation systems. With the hardware that's available to them, they could have incredible features available for those that buy the games to simulate running their favorite teams for multiple seasons rather than those that are solely buying it for online play. I know that EA's greed knows no bounds, and that they focus so much on MUT because they can get people to spend even more money than they paid for the game itself (2K is not absolved in this with their ridiculous micro-transactions in NBA 2K18), but if they could give us Franchise fans a little more attention, it would be greatly appreciated.

Liked your vid before I even watched.

can you make a video on how player equalizer works an how to do weekly preparation is done with out dropping player overall

And yes maddens cfm needs to be a little closer to 2k5... It appears it is coming but we have to wait a little longer... The dev over cfm said the other day in the video on OS that his goal is to get cfm like head coach 09!!! Yall just keep pushing and I believe it will get there!

Nfl 2k 5 is the gold standard for presentation and franchise. But it was advanced for its time

I loved this game, i had different franchises with different teams and i actually played multiple years because it was actually fun.. bro if this had the graphics of todays madden it would be crazy

I miss the training camp mini games from the OG Xbox Madden franchise modes where you can build up your players ratings. I wish they had that in these new ones.

Good video.

Immersion

best thing was maximum passing you really felt like you knew where to place the ball. Being able to put just the right amount of touch on the ball. To put the ball over the head of the db, but able to get it to the wr without going in the back of the endzone in the 5 yard area. it was great

weekly wrapup...best feature ever! Imagine if someone would do it today...amazing. The one flaw is the scores go through way to fast!

this is so crazy i want this back

3:03 i get you man i got my og Xbox set up next to my new tv just so I can play this game lol

Madden 05 franchise was (in my opinion) the best I've seen. I was very disappointed in Madden 06's franchise mode, it wasn't as good as 05's. Tony Bruno radio show was ahead of its time. Also, the features that were available as far as player development are just now being put back into this years game. Every year I'd play Madden's franchise mode and I'd check to see if they brought those aspects back and I'd be disappointed every year. I felt 2K5's visual presentation (in franchise mode) was better, but as far as depth in the mode, I felt Madden 05 was in its own class. I remember being in year 20, just as interested as year 1, and I didn't sim games.

This is beautiful.

"I'm not going to be pulling out old consoles just to play this game" I bought a PS2 just so I could play this game and Madden 05-07.

please bring 2k back to us football fans we need it in our life's !!!!

I couldn’t see virtual footballs video of franchise mode. Can you send me a link?

I preferred Madden 05 to 2k5 but 2k5 was still great and better than any of the Maddens today. It seems like sports games in general (minus a few exceptions) were just better back in the mid-2000s. The graphics are better now, but the gameplay and game modes were better 10-12 years ago imo. I still to this have to go to my PS2 for a good franchise mode.

how do i get this to work on my xbox 360??

Simfball you should have been made a vid like this man we just wanted a understanding from which you were looking and what you feel being that you have more access to what we don't

SBC, question? I have this game for PS2 and I wanted to update my rosters but I cant find a Max Drive anywhere to help me make the current changes. I want players that have dreadlocks to have them and I want to finish editing players names. Could you help me or know someone that could?

Look how fast and fluid the menus are. I can't stand the lag and loading on the menus in Madden. They've been slow and tedious since 2001. I'd like to see EA scrap madden and start over with new coders. They just keep smashing new stuff into a broken engine. Now all they care about is milking people on ultimate team. I can put a copy of madden 07 and 17 side by side and most kids wouldn't notice until the roster names appeared.

Amen!

Madden on PC is important for two reasons ~1~You can use yo console controller & big screen TV. ~1~ & most importantly~ THE MODS! Hard working modders make rosters from previous seasons.. I think it was 2002 With Mike Vick,,,Marvin Harrison,,Lawyer Milloy, etc... **Playing old school rostyers with current hardware is having cake & eating it too... **time for consoles to allow editing of files..

Just watched this video and it took me a while to figure out its 4 years old

I use to play nfl 2k all the time on my sega Dreamcast. All time great game

Amazing game

this the only way i wouldn't skip half time or a weekly recap show . sim is fantasy draft in M15 ?

best football game ever

YO Sim,haven't talked to you in a while man,but I really think Madden can be saved if the laziness and complacency subsides.I promise I'd single-handily change CCM to the point you'd become obsessed.

What network would they bring on to let the immersion because I do not think that ESPN and ABC will be the main broadcasters 2k has more of a relationship with Warner Media?

I don't care about the nfl license, just wish 2k made another football game with franchise mode. We'll do the rest. Just give us the ability.

I hear madden is finally going to improve franchise mode but really will it be better then 2K5 doubt it

Best nfl game ever made.

Funny to watch this video years later and see how things have changed. 2k still renovating their franchise mode in their NBA games, but focusing mostly on micro-transactions. Video talks about positive changes in the works for the Madden Franchise, but CFM hasn't changed at all since this video came out--if anything, it's gotten more simplistic.

Too me it's all about the in-game season presentation. Will CFM finally have continuity each season?, will the commentary change and keep up with your career?, what about the playoffs hype of each team or rivalries created during your season of play. I can already see that the Twitter feeds are scripted. If my team wins the superbowl, how is that high lighted in year 2? Just saying. Anyways nice video and once again I will hold off on Madden and see how the reviews are.

Yeah this franchise mode was good but it was highly glitchy after one season.

The best football game I ever played hands down

i wish I could play this, I have the game but lack the original xbox console to play it...also still have MVP baseball 2005

,2k NFL was ahead of there time. Madden is trying to catch up.but I agree with you Madden needs a story lines each week in there franchise mode.

i was looking through my old games cant believe i dont have nfl 2k5 anymore...oldest game i got is nba2k8

I'm here in March 2021.

What these video games need to do NFL games and NHL games is (and Madden had this) sign a damn contract with the alumni of these leagues to have classic teams. I am a lifer Cowboys fan and I have created the teams of the past, I have even taken say the 1981 Cowboys team and created an 83 team, with 85 Cowboys I created an 1988 team. I have created about 35 other NFL classic teams, edit them to the exactof what they wore...example Charlie Waters or Roger Staubach, their helmets have the 70's two bar, Thiesmann for the Skins has a one bar...I spent HOURS of months doing these and they are better to play with then the current teams. That is what I need, classic teams...NHL on any format has never had classic teams. I just bought NFL 2k5 because they have the 1960-63 Cowboys uniform...so for me my two things that I need are: Classic teams and TRUE throwback uniforms and edit player equipment. Looking at this 2K5..I see many flaws in Cowboys player equipment..Dat Nyguen for certain pads and wrist bands...I can do that for the most part on Madden. I mostly play with Madden 2005 because I created the teams for that game...when it comes to uniforms, they did a GREAT job with the Cowboys blue uniforms from 1981-1994 but OMG they did such a horrible job with Cowboys uniforms from the 60's and royal blue 70's...OMG they gave them white pants instead of silver...that is a serious mistake. Also they made uniform mistakes for Redskins, 60's Eagles...I hope that changes. However I am shocked at the game play from a game in 2005 to 2017...WOW...makes Madden look lazy. I look forward to getting 2k5, I played it one time over a friends house. Go Cowboys, America's Team!!!

I miss playing this game 😭

Damn near 6 years later and still the king of franchise... so sad

We just gonna act like this game wasn't just good, but it was the G.O.A.T.

I enjoy you talking about football games anything okay

I haven't played in years. Before I go out and buy a PS2 (already have the game), I have two questions: 1. Does it have create-a-play? 2. If not, are there read option plays, or plays like mesh, snag/spot, levels, etc.? Basically football concepts.

I really liked 2k5, first played it cheap on ps2 many years ago, then found out about being able to do new updated rosters by using the original xbox action replay, at the time years ago they claimed the new updated rosters wouldn't work for ps2 but I guess somebody finally cracked it from operationsports since I can find ps2 emulator vids on youtube with new rosters lol. Might look into it myself, I know the xbox had more features since I didn't have the ps2 hdd but maybe on emulator they'll be equal, I wonder if the xbox version would have better graphics o_O

i still play it.

Quick simulations weekly updated shows draft coverage customizable draft classes highlights galore excellent camera angles etc

It's sad to say but the industry is driven by cash. They're doing what's bringing in more dough than quality they bring to the game. We fall for the amazing commercials and pre gameplay and that's how we fall into the trap of buying the games they put out now

It really is

Why not have a nfl game day final show in madden?

You still cant allow the computer to completely choose your team during the draft in franchise mode

2k5+Rams will never be topped

I’m definitely gonna keep playing this. It’s realistic.

If the main reason you dont go back and play it is because of the graphics try pcsx2 if you have a powerful enough pc you can play it in 1080p with 16x aa can compare to some newer games of course the graphics arent as good but it is still good

The one thing that really broke the immersion for me in this whole franchise simulation was, I kid you not, I saw back-to-back replays in the match recaps. Of course, the teams all had different uniforms, but it was the exact same play from the exact same angle with the exact same commentary. To me, Football (err, Soccer) Manager 2015 does it best. They have highlights from other games, and as far as I can tell, they're procedurally generated. There is no announcer, but it took me a while to realize, you don't really NEED an announcer. Hell, you don't need any voices whatsoever if the simulation is good.

man i simply hate the fact that you/we/sim community still feel the urge to even make a video like this in the first place!! that alone speak volumes about madden!! if the situation was vice versa, I GUARANTEE we wouldnt be talking about madden and how good it was ten years ago compared to 2ks football!!! nobody gonna compare 2k14 to live 14 anywhere in the future unless just to show how shitty live 14 was but its obvious that 2k vision for attempting to create a true sim-like video game is clearly different!!! great video my brotha!!