25 Days of Madden: Cowboys vs. Chiefs

[RaychelSnr]

Editors Note: Over the next 25 days, we will be sharing personal stories from staff writers, readers, and more about their favorite moments of playing Madden over the last 25 years. Also, we will be sharing other content such as best-of lists as well. If you'd like to add your own anecdotes feel free to blog about them on your arena page. We'll be sticking many to the frontpage.

The Cowboys, those Dallas Cowboys, were unstoppable.

As a Chiefs fan growing up in Cowboys country, I was used to Kansas City vs. Dallas games on my Genesis and Super Nintendos growing up and with Madden NFL 95, that one series from EA Sports finally grew up and got itself an NFLPA license.

Also added in Madden NFL 95 was realistic weather conditions, upgraded animations, new and realistic injuries, in-game stats all tied to a TV-style presentation.

In a sense you could say Madden NFL 95 was when the series went from that one football series from EA Sports to the series which began to define football gaming and to some extent sports gaming as a whole.

For me though, it was all about beating Troy Aikman, Emmitt Smith, and Michael Irving (that's my purposeful disrespectful misspelling to irritate my Cowboy friends).

My friends the silver and blue, me the red and white. There were plenty of colossal battles, with my defense anchored by the late Derrick Thomas at linebacker and Neil Smith at defensive end. It was in those days, as Madden came to age, that I truly began to fall in love with football video games.

Madden NFL 95 is perhaps the game which catapulted the series into the limelight like never before -- but it was beating the seemingly unstoppable Dallas Cowboys which kept me coming back for more. I can still remember long evenings practicing against the computer, trying to find something, anything to unleash on that Cowboys defense.

Glory days indeed.

Did you play Madden NFL 95 or have any similar memories of childhood (or younger you) rivalries in Madden?

[scottyo60]

This was the game that got me into sports games. Every Saturday morning I'd play my dad and get smashed. Me the niners him the chiefs. I remember in those days the game freezing and being incredibly sad at losing everything. The joys of being 6-7

[trey2k198003]

I loved that game me and my borther played cowboys vs bronocos back then and of course cowboys niners looking how far the game has come it make me sad when i hear all the belly aching this game gets! long as i have my broncos can make transactions and run tackle and catch in the game im happy cantt wait till august 24th!!!!!! season ticket son!

[KANE699]

Michael Irving is just a spit in the face, the man is in the hall of fame and people still say Irving.



Relevant story, as a Cowboys fan growing up in Chiefs country this was the exact same thing for me, except when beating on the Chiefs it was always no name players.

[jnb5001]

Loved it! Warren Moon to Carter and Reed all day with the Vikings!

[nuke_21]

Got Madden '95 for xmas in 94 (i was 15) remember playing as my then favorite chargers and natrone means. ahhh, the memories...i had a lot of fun with madden '94 as well. i had some epic games against my older brother. he would always be cowboys. i remember letting him win so i could avoid any possible tirade...lol

[charter04]

I played this one for sure. I was already in high school so it wasn't that popular to be the guy on the football and basketball team that still played video games. I didn't admit to very many people just how much gaming I was doing. LOL I used the Cowboys most of the time. They were and are my team. I loved that my favorite team was also the best. Great memories.

[Jet Sufferer]

I played every Madden from the first one on the Genesis, always with my trusty Sega arcade stick, never on a pad. No man alive has logged more hours on Madden Genesis football. Forget what I paid for Madden Championship Edition from Blockbuster. When I found out that they weren't for sale I told them I lost it. They might have charged my 69 or 79 for that game, I don't remember it was a long time ago. Also logged stupid hours with NHL 94 Sega CD, EA, why hath thou forsaken me, lol.

Are they going to include a Genesis version since this is an Anniversary edition, I know it hasn't aged well for many, but once you get back in a zen groove with the Genesis version it can be great fun.