Showing posts with label John Madden Football for Super NES print ad (1992). Show all posts
Showing posts with label John Madden Football for Super NES print ad (1992). Show all posts

Tuesday, January 6, 2015

John Madden Football for Super NES (1992)

John Madden Football for Super NES advertisement
Ad published in the March 1992 edition of EGM (no. 32)

Historical Background


The early 90's system wars placed a complex dilema for any person interested in video games: if you could have just one console to play the best genre of video games, which one would it be? For sports games aficionados, the answer was clearly Sega's Genesis.

You had excellent racing games like Super Monaco GP and Road Rash, as well as now classic NHL and football titles like Madden 92. Soccer fans would rejoice a bit latter with FIFA 1993.  The very early 90's was an open battle for gamer's and their parent's cash. People tend to forget that even if Super NES conquered retail sales at the end, Sega Megadrive/Genesis shipped before Nintendo's machine and consequently had a larger share of the console market. RPG's and platforms where better suited for the SNES at this very early juncture. Shooters and sports games where Sega's domain.

The problem with John Madden Football (1992) for the SNES is that it was very slow. Plays developed in a choppy, staggering, unnatural, manner. The sound was horrific. Conversely, Madden 92 for the Genesis, released before the SNES game, was much quicker and fluid, specially during passing plays. It also had great gameplay. Your players always felt "grounded", not airy robots like on the SNES.

Velocity is probably the most important technical aspect when developing a tactical football game and Electronic Arts clearly missed the mark here (see Tecmo Super Bowl for the original NES, for example).  They preferred to underscore Nintendo's Mode 7 capabilities, which worked great in F-Zero and Pilot Wings, but where not very well suited for a football game that made gameplay unreliable. The future would reveal other plans for both consoles, but from 1992 to 1994, at least, Madden's offering for Genesis where the benchmark for sports games. The same gameplay model has remained practically intact to this day.

Graphical Analysis 


As for the ad itself, this is probably one of the most text-heavy pieces of marketing ever. Again, the copy makes extensive use of Nintendo's Mode 7 capabilities and how that particular feature would automatically make your Madden experience more enjoyable.

A friend of mine owned a copy of Madden for SNES and we had terrible fights when he invited me over to play. It was his house, so he had the right to do whatever the hell he pleased, but I always hated when he inserted Madden in his SNES. Why would I want to play a subpar rendition of football when I had Madden 92 at my house? (On a side note, Madden 92 is the only video game my father has ever beaten me on. I selected Washington and he chose New England, probably the most unbalanced match for the time. Still, he made a pick-six early in the game and promptly shut down my run-heavy offense. A good memory for family gatherings).    



Original Copy:
The Greatest Play in Football History. 
Get ready to tackle the ultimate Super NES challenge.  
John Madden Football. It doesn't get any tougher than this.  
Madden delivers the most guts ever in football. Twenty-eight pro teams plus an All-Madden squad. The latest plays, schemes, and formations, from deep flags to safety blitzes. 
And competition that's sure to be a smash. Because the guys on the other isde of the line adjust to your playcalling. Call a play once too often, and you'll get planted in the turf. Permanently. Giving the most intense football action you can get. 
So Madden is flat-out the most realistic game this side of Sunday afternoon. 
Each team roster is packed with 35 pros, each man rated on six different attributes. Some are more durable; others, better on grass; others, better in mud. Play to their strengths and you'll make it to the playoffs.  
Besides calling the shots, you have more moves than a cheerleader. Take your running back, for example. You control every spin, cut back, dive, you name it. Use the "oomph" button to steamroll for a first down. If you don't like what you see at the line of scrimmage, you can audible. You can even choose the weather. 
EASN, the premier interactive sports network, gives you better coverage than a nickel defense. The latest sack dance. Touchdown boogies. Injuries. Penalties. The gamesavers. The goats. 
EASN's close-ups zoom right in on critical first down measurements. Capturing every boo, cheer, or gasp from the crowd. All the details and grit of the sport itself. 
Any play can be instantly replayed, too. In slo-mo or frame by frame. EASN's mode 7 Roving Camera covers more ground than a blitzing linebacker, going anywhere on the field. So you can always see who made the play and who blew it. And our exclusive IsoVision camera spots the open receiver everytime. 
Get in the game. Visit your local EA dealer or orden by phone any time: (800) 245-4525. And make Madden your number one pick.
  • Talk about in your face. With its Mode 7 Roving Camera, EASN's instant replay pans anywhere on the field. 
  • Play on the only Super NES 3-D scrolling field, enabling you to read defenses like a book and spot holes quicker than a rabbit. 
  • No matter if it's man-to-man, bump-and-run, or zone coverage, EASN's IsoVision makes sure you don't pass up the open man.