Madden 2003 (EA SPorts, PC G)

By PETER ELEY

(Herald rating: * * * * )

Just as Jonah Lomu's Rugby won't sell too many copies in the States, Madden 2003 won't break any sales records in this country simply because gridiron isn't our game.

But if you enjoy top-notch sports games, give it a go, for Madden 2003 is one of the best around.

The graphics are unbelievable, the sound is brilliant and the gameplay almost flawless. It's not much different from watching the game on TV.

Of course, there are still the nuts and bolts of this seemingly unfathomable game to get to grips with.

To an outsider, it all seems a blur. Someone shouts out a code, enormous, padded bodies crash into each other until suddenly a player breaks down the field, catches the ball and sets the crowd on fire.

Madden 2003 helps you to understand what is going on, and unlocks the mysteries of the game. Other reviewers have praised the game for its realism, and the consensus is that it is a remarkably authentic recreation of gridiron. I've never played it and haven't watched it much either, so I'm not qualified to comment.

But the game's quality shines through and there's an easy setting for novices which cuts out much of the complex stuff that non-aficionados such as me might find frustrating.

And real fans will love it. It has 30 years of career statistics, a draft pool with tips on who to look out for from scouts, and the full roster of NFL teams from last season.

Madden 2003 is more than an incremental upgrade from last year's game and boasts the graphics engine used in the console versions of the game.

The music is new, too, and features Andrew W. K., Nappy Roots, Quarashi, Good Charlotte and Bon Jovi.

* peter_eley@nzherald.co.nz