Mad About Madden

For video game fanatics, it was like Super Bowl Sunday only it was a Tuesday.

Dozens of gamers rushed out to stores to be the first in their neighborhood to own Madden NFL 2011.

The popularity of the football simulation even led the GameStop at 6150 Sunrise Highway to open at midnight.

"We've sold over 100 units today," a manager at the store told Patch. It's a popular game to play online."

Because of this, an older crowd showed up for the early store hours, according to another GameStop employee.

"We don't get a whole lot of kids at the midnight releases," she said. "It's mostly an older crowd who plays the game; maybe a few parents picking up a copy for their kids."

But the younger crowd was out in full force by Tuesday afternoon, hoping to buy the EA Sports game, named for the Hall of Fame Oakland Raider coach and longtime popular NFL broadcaster. 

Jimmy, 13, whose favorite team is the Green Bay Packers, says he's been playing Madden NFL since 2005. "It's a good game for kids his age," his mom said. "They learn the rules of the game."

Another customer said he was picking up the game for his 13 year-old brother, who"plays video games day and night."

That sounds fine for 10-year-old  Marcell who said he's been playing the game "for as long as I can remember!"

A Giants' fan, Marcell said the best part of the game is beating the other team particularly when it's the Jets. When asked which team was his biggest rival he enthusiastically said, "The Jets!"

Not everyone had time to be interviewed. "No thank you," said one Madden fan, "I just want to go home and play my game."