An outstanding football game with tons of gameplay modes to keep you coming back for more.
There were a ton of modes available to play. I'll start with Franchise Mode. This mode was extremely deep and full of little details that made Madden the best game on the market. You are able to control everything from your starting lineups, jersey colors, city played in, coach, edit players stats at the end of a season, sign free agents, etc. When you start Franchise Mode you can play with a current team or build your own team through a Fantasy Drat. By participating in the Fantasy Draft you can built the team you want with your favorite players. The best part of Madden '03 may be the Draft. You have to choose certain players that you want to scout, and as a result you will get their combine/workout results.
The other playmodes included are Exhibition, MiniCamp, Practice, and Two-Minute Drill. Exhibition is the same as any other game however you can play with classic teams and made up teams that you have earned from buying Madden Cards. Madden Cards are earned from accomplishing certain goals and tasks while playing Franchise Mode. MiniCamp allows you to participate in drills such as Pocket-Presence, Linebacker Chase and Tackle, and Trench-Battle. The Two-Minute Drill challenges you to score as many touchdowns as you can in two minutes against an A.I. opponent. Your scores are saved so you can challenge your friends to beat your high scores.
One of the best features of Madden '03 is the ability to create your own Custom PlayBook. This feature was the reason I kept playing Madden '03 after '04 was released. The thrill of using your own custom plays and adding new plays is a great feature that allows you to really be the head coach and call plays that you have drawn up.
The graphics were solid and animations were very smooth but a few more tackle and catch animations would have been a nice added touch. Sound gets a 6/10 because John Madden often says "it's fourth and two and they're going to punt" when it is actually first down. The commentary is actually comical at points when Madden keeps saying comments that are irrelevant to the action happening on the field.
Overall this game is a 9.2/10. Tons of gameplay modes will keep a serious football game player interested for months. Madden '03 gets my vote for 'Best in Series'.