Madden NFL 95

Start by choosing your game mode from the main menu - Exhibition, Season, or Playoffs. Pick a team, then select your opponent. The game will then take you to the kickoff screen. On offense, you call a play from the playbook using the D-Pad to scroll and the A button to confirm. Once the play is set, press the button to hike the ball. Use the D-Pad to move your quarterback or running back, and pass by pressing the button corresponding to the intended receiver (icons show which button throws to which pass route).

On defense, you select a play to counter the offense. After the snap, you control one player at a time. Switch between defenders by pressing the appropriate button (usually the A button) to chase the ball carrier. The game uses a standard American football rule set: four downs to advance ten yards, first downs, touchdowns, field goals, and extra points. The computer manages substitutions and timeouts automatically unless you intervene.

New players should start with Exhibition mode to get comfortable with the controls. Pay attention to the play clock - you have a limited time to snap the ball. The game does not have a save feature for season progress; you will need to play through a season in one sitting or use a password system if available. The Madden series on Genesis is known for its realistic (for the time) playbooks and physics, so expect a simulation feel rather than an arcade one.