Jake Plummer drops back on a short-and-goal situation, then pulls the trigger. His receiver, Ed McCaffrey, has yet to turn, but when he does, the pigskin is right there.

The result is only a four-yard gain, but it is six points.

Madden NFL 2004, from EA Sports for the GameCube, proves how easy it can be to put the ball on the money, not only in the red zone, but in the genre of football titles. There is a reason that this is the game that every other publisher looks to overtake - it is superb in virtually every facet of the game.

In it’s 14^th season, perennially a champ, it would be easy for some games to rest on their laurels, and to not continually push the franchise forward - to stick with the winning formula, as it were. Not Madden 2004. This game sports a host of new features, including the franchise mode which can allow players to take on the role of a team owner. You think Al Davis or Jerry Jones has it easy? Try balancing the team salary cap with ticket prices, as well as the price of concessions, merchandise, parking and advertising. Don’t forget that in addition to drafting players to keep the team going forward, you have to keep an eye on that coaching staff.

The team is a reflection of the coaches on the field, and if your offensive coordinator has a staid game plan, you may be in big trouble.

And what about that stadium? Is it in need of renovation? Maybe you want to relocate?

By the time you deal with all this, it is almost a relief when the opening kickoff is airborne. And when that toe does meet the football after the coin toss, the game just keeps getting better and better.

Other new features for the 2004 season include an integrated play-calling system that will allow you to call plays while highlights are running so you can relive the sweet moments with an eye to the next play.

A little swing pass to the sidelines nets big yards and it is first and goal from the 4. John Madden points out what made the play work, what alignment the defense was in, and why the play netted the big gain. All the while, in the background, the coach has called the next play and when the highlights fade, the offense is ready to roll.

The game also features a new playmaker control which allows gamers to take control of players away from the ball, alter routes, or change the play after the snap. This is the kind of scrambling innovation that makes the NFL great. Great players reacting to unpredictable circumstances and using the gifts they have to change the game. It is this kind of playing situation that allows players like Atlanta’s Michael Vick to really shine.

The control elements are rather simple to use, and nicely configured for the GameCube controller. Juke moves, stiff arms, sprints are quick keys and the transition from one to another is excellent. However, one little drawback can be trying to combo the moves. You cannot sprint and stiff arm at the same time. The result is not a halfback pushing off a defender in full stride, it is a timeout called.

The game also has a great tutorial for football novices, aptly named Football 101, in which John Madden not only diagrams the plays, but allows players to practice them. Formations are explained, and what the play should look. Even Madden’s attempts at running the play are not always successful.

Al Michaels and John Madden provide the majority of the commentary, and it is excellent. An injured player? Melissa Stark reports from the sidelines, and provides solid updates. The game also features a dynamic soundtrack, and all the crunches and audibles of the game.

Graphically this game is amazing in virtually every aspect. The crowds are a little flat and two dimensional, but the plays move realistically, and the light shading - highlights and shadows - gives this game an incredibly realistic look.

But when it comes to the GameCube and saving games, Madden 2004 is a ball hog. This game requires 185 blocks of memory to save all the aspects of the title. If you only have the little four megabyte/59 block chip, you will have to invest is more to save all the aspects of this game.

But this game is worth it.

Madden 2004 is the standard by which other football games are judged. There is a reason for this. This storied franchise, which was inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame, features all the aspects and elements that are essential for videogame playing. Not only does this game look great, to the point of being almost rivaling what one sees on television on Sundays or Monday evenings, but it has challenge, and great entertainment value.

This game is rated for Everyone.

Gameplay: 9.3
From highlights to play-calling, once the opening kickoff is in the air, this is a smoothly flowing game that rivals the ebb and flow of real NFL games.

Graphics: 9.4
From the shadows to the light reflecting off the helmets, or the scramble for the loose football, this game is sharp. Sometimes the onscreen boxes, full of stats or other information, can obscure the video behind it, almost like a televised game. The player animation is great, but that cheerleader stuff at halftime is a little silly.

Sound: 9.5
Al Michaels and John Madden are great, the music is excellent and the game sounds are spot on. The only time that the sound falters is when Michaels is relating the score. It becomes readily apparent that this is pre-recorded numbers accessed because the tempo and flow of Michaels banter alters markedly.

Difficulty: Medium
The game is definitely challenging, and just because you pick a high-profile team does not mean that you will be beat. Couple that with working a franchise, working all the financial aspects of being an owner, and this becomes a game that takes on another head, and one that is much different than the game on the field, though both feed of the same plate.

Concept: 9.3
This game has several great new features, the player interface is simple to use and the game play is dynamic. What else can be said? This is a well-designed game with historic and current teams, as well rewards in terms of unlockable teams.

Multiplayer: 9.3
The game AI is very good, but still cannot hold a candle to playing against another human. There is so much variance and unpredictability in multiplayer that the excitement level climbs.

Overall: 9.4
The game has a few stumbles, but very few, This is a well-managed drive for the end zone, and the Madden franchise proves why it is, perennially, the top game in its genre. This is the National Football League with all its unpredictability, athleticism, spectacular plays and game day challenges.