Madden NFL 97 is a football video game released in 1996. It was the first multiplatform Madden game released for the 32-bit consoles (following a 3DO-exclusive version simply titled John Madden Football in 1994), being released on both, the PlayStation and Sega Saturn. 16-bit versions were also made for the established Super NES and Genesis platforms, as well as a portable version for the Game Boy. This is the first edition of Madden to implement a salary cap when customizing team rosters. It also features the new Baltimore Ravens, formerly the Cleveland Browns for the 1996 season. The game also adds a team of real free agents (as opposed to the blank slate used in Madden 96), which can be traded and added to other teams' rosters (led by recently semi-retired quarterback Randall Cunningham), and can be played by using a cheat code. Madden NFL 97 was the best-selling PlayStation game of 1996. Development The player graphics were created by using 3D models with motion capture data to produce 2D sprites from multiple angles. Classic teams were once again used, although most were different from the previous year's teams; the years ranged as far back as 1952 (Detroit Lions) and as recent as 1990 (Buffalo Bills). Jacksonville and Carolina, once again, did not get classic teams, but Baltimore was attached to a classic Cleveland Browns team. The best team in the overall ranking, with a score of 85 was the Dallas Cowboys and the worst team with a score of 62 was the Baltimore Ravens. The best ranked offenses were between the Cowboys and the Lions with a score of 92. The St. Louis Rams had the best ranked defense with an 86. The Miami Dolphins had the best ranked special teams with a 93. Reception Critics hailed the PlayStation version as a strong comeback for the series after the cancellation of the PlayStation version of Madden NFL 96, citing outstanding gameplay, graphics, and options. The two sports reviewers of Electronic Gaming Monthly (EGM) were pleased that all the teams are available from the beginning, as opposed to having some teams unlocked via hidden codes as in earlier installments. GamePro wrote that "Madden PlayStation is not only the best football game on the market today, it's the best 32-bit sports game, period." A Next Generation critic was particularly impressed by the control and skill demanded by the gameplay, though he