Man, John Madden Football on SNES takes me back. That chunky pixel art, the way the players move like little tanks—it’s got that classic 90s football vibe down cold. First thing you notice? The playbook’s actually pretty deep for a 16-bit game. I remember fumbling through audibles at first, but once you get the hang of it, calling a perfect HB sweep feels so good.

The hits are satisfyingly crunchy, and there’s something weirdly charming about how the receivers do these stiff little jumps for catches. Don’t expect modern Madden realism—this is all about arcade-style fun with just enough strategy to keep you from just spamming long passes every down (though, let’s be honest, I still try).

If you’ve got a buddy around, the two-player mode turns into pure chaos. Nothing like watching your friend’s face when you sack their QB for the third time in a row. It’s rough around the edges now, but that’s part of the nostalgia. This was the start of something big for football games.