Madden 96 is the second and last iteration of the football franchise to appear on the Sega Game Gear. It is based closely on the previous year's game, with one important difference: it loses the NFL license, thus featuring only generic team names. Still, teams, stats and schedules are based on the 1995 NFL season, with the two new expansion teams and rule changes like the two-point conversion included.
The gameplay experience is mostly unchanged from its predecessor, with the main game modes Exhibition, Season and Playoffs returning alongside a new Sudden Death mode. Thirty teams are available, along with the traditional All-Madden team. The controls, features and graphics remain largely consistent, with some notable updates such as a redesigned frontend/menu system, reworked playbook, the addition of injuries, and substitutions now being available for all positions.