The Madden Football series makes its debut on the Game Boy with Madden 95. Unlike most games in the series since 1993, this one does not include a NFL license, and thus features generic team names. The included teams, stats and schedules are however based on the 1994 NFL season.
Standard game modes include exhibition games, full seasons (including playoffs) and playoffs. Special modes include Championship playoffs – featuring 38 legendary champion teams, including Green Bay ’66, San Francisco ’89 and Pittsburgh ’78 – and Franchise playoffs – featuring 12 ‘all-time’ teams. Exhibition mode allows players to select from all regular, champion and franchise teams plus a regular Madden and an all-time Madden team. Game length can be set between 20, 40 and 60 minutes.
The game features a playbook of more than 80 offensive plays (including fake punts and field goals) and more than 60 defensive plays, all of which can be flipped. The game also features freely definable audibles, substitutions (quarterback and halfback only), timeouts, and game stats.
Gameplay during a game is seen from the top, with the field scrolling vertically. Players are moved via the D-pad and the Game Boy’s two buttons are used for throwing the ball left or right during passing play, spinning or diving during rushing play, selecting the defender closest to the ball or tackling during defensive play, and so on.
