Railroad Tycoon, train business simulation game created by American game designer Sid Meier and the electronic game manufacturer MicroProse Software. The title debuted in 1990 and helped launch the successful Tycoon line of games. The game was praised for its unique premise, which combined attributes of SimCity with a healthy love for all things locomotive.

In the original Railroad Tycoon, players were given the opportunity to run a virtual railroad, down to the smallest detail. Laying tracks, establishing stations, and rescheduling various shipments were just some of the tasks players undertook as they attempted to transform start-up money into a railroad empire. Tycoon differed from SimCity and some of the other games in the simulation genre in that there was a time limit and an element of competition. Opposing tycoons could try to put a player’s fledgling railroad out of business—for example, by making stock deals and adjusting fees in an attempt to thwart a player’s success—which added a realistic twist to the game.

Railroad Tycoon generated a series of spin-offs and sequels, including Railroad Tycoon Deluxe (1993), Railroad Tycoon II (1998), Railroad Tycoon 3 (2003), and Sid Meier’s Railroads! (2006). Although all the titles appealed to their niche, the series was plagued by software bugs and programming issues that detracted from the gaming experience. Railroads! was the first title since the original to have Meier as a producer, but it was criticized for lacking some of the economic features—e.g., issuing stocks and bonds, purchasing shares in other player’s railroads, investing in industry—that players had come to love in the previous releases.

This article was most recently revised and updated by William L. Hosch.

Madden NFL, video game sports-simulation series created by EA Sports, a division of the American company Electronic Arts, and based on the National Football League (NFL). Its name derives from John Madden, a famous football coach and television colour commentator. EA Sports has held exclusive licensing rights with the NFL since 2005, making Madden NFL the only American football video game available with all the NFL teams and their players.

(Read Walter Camp’s 1903 Britannica essay on inventing American football.)

Madden NFL originated in 1989 as John Madden Football, a computer software title for the Apple II. The franchise was popularized with a move to the Sega Genesis console in 1990 and the Super Nintendo Entertainment System in 1991. The name was changed to Madden NFL in 1993, when it gained full licensing and began releasing titles corresponding to each NFL season for multiple gaming consoles.

In the early 21st century, Madden NFL developed innovative game-play modes to heighten realism and expand on the NFL gaming experience. The ability to create and manage an NFL franchise, assemble a playbook, and design a stadium were well received. Also, advances in realistic player movement and mechanics enhanced the game’s appeal. However, as other video game software companies were legally forced to discontinue NFL titles, there was controversy over EA’s incentive to continue to improve upon the series in a market where it had no competitors. Despite these concerns, Madden NFL 2007 broke sales records after selling more than 3.9 million copies, further establishing the franchise’s dominance in NFL gaming.

This article was most recently revised and updated by William L. Hosch.