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John Madden has reached a point in his career where he is almost better known for licensing his surname to a successful series of video games than he is for announcing or coaching. And why shouldn't he be? The video games emblazoned with his name are quicker, more reliable and less annoying. The newest edition gives another reason why he should be proud to endorse such a product.\nOver the last 15 years, the Madden series has evolved from the primordial ooze of the 16-bit classic to the strategy-based version present today. Gone are the days when button-smashing would be all you need to dominate on the field. In the 2005 version, you can control almost every aspect of the game -- with defense being the biggest improvement. No longer is the pig-skin play one-sided in favor of offense. Placement of every defender is easily controllable.\nThe game-play and the basic modes aren't much different from the 2004 version. The biggest thing that serious Madden followers will care about is added details to the features in the game. Franchise mode allows players to make off-season trades, draft players, play a season and receive feedback. Tony Bruno hosts a weekly talk show in which he criticizes your decisions, and e-mails from players show how their morale can also be affected. Whiny players like Terrell Owens cause problems -- just like the real NFL soap opera! \nOther fun additions include classic squads from each team and training camp mode. Some of the features are pointless, such as the create-a-fan mode which allows players to design their own supporter to be shown at cut-away scenes between plays. If you really are into having a bizarre looking cheese-head with Legion of Doom shoulder pads at your game, then it's cool, but if I wanted electronic paper-dolls, I wouldn't buy a football game.\nIf you are a nostalgic gamer like me, I suggest you cough up the extra 5 bucks and spring for the Collector's Edition. This version features a 16-bit version and two 32-bit versions from different years of the systems' lifespan.\nOverall, Madden 2005 is exactly what consumers want in sports games nowadays -- complex game-play with tons of features.