My top 5 favorite Maddens:
#5:
My very first madden that I got with the genesis. Good times....
#4:
Two words: FRANCHISE MODE
#3:
The very first madden I got for the PS2. I was blown away by the graphics (though not as much when I played madden 2001 for the ps2 over my cousin's house for the very first time).
#2:
Madden 2004. This is when I REALLY stated to get into madden and become a big madden fan lol. This version did so much to improve on 2003. This was the first madden game that I played online (on dial-up too lol; and beleive it or not it wasn't that bad). Innovative features like playmaker made the game really feel as if you had full control of what was going on on the field. Owner's mode was cool too and made you feel as if you had control over what was going on off the field. Overall Madden 2004 could be summed up with one word: Control. Also, Madden 04 still has the best madden soundtrack to date IMO.
#1:
Man... what can I say about this. Whatever improvements madden 2004 made to offense, madden 2005 made to the defensive (while making improvements to the offensive things that were improvements with madden 2004). Franchise got a boost with storyline central, the player models got better, and the hit stick (even though very overpowering causing a fumble pratically 90% of the time it was used properly), all made the game just a blast to play. This was the best madden in terms of the overall package. Hopefully Madden 10 will beat it in terms of this (and it seems like it really will).