It's that time of year again, when one of the planet's most-watched sporting events grips us all: Super Bowl Sunday is upon us.
It doesn't matter if you're a Panthers fan or rooting on the Broncos (or if you're just tuning in for the commercials), the Super Bowl is an event to be enjoyed the world over.
Microsoft has some heavy involvement with the NFL, not least its provision of the customized Surface tablets the teams use on the sidelines. And if you own an Xbox One, there's a great, footballing time to be had with it.
Here's a look at a few things to get you through!
Madden 16
Play out your own virtual Super Bowl with the longest-running NFL game franchise around. Madden 16 is the latest incarnation with all the licensing and players for the current season.
One of the great things about Madden is that casual players can have just as good an experience as the hardcore football fans. The playbooks are deep, but you don't have to take full control over those decisions. The game will serve up a small selection of suggestions to help you on your way.
It looks fantastic, it plays fantastic, and it's the closest you'll come right now to the perfect, digital NFL experience.
EA Access
EA Access is a fantastic service for Xbox One owners, allowing them to play a number of games from EA without having to buy them as well as get a 10% discount on purchases. For a small monthly or yearly outlay, you get access to a number of great titles — including Madden.
Just in time for Super Bowl 50, EA added Madden 16 to its vault. So, if you fancy trying it out but don't feel like paying $60 upfront for it, maybe subscribe for a month for just $4.99 and toss around the ol' virtual pigskin.
There are also a couple of older Madden games to play, too, including Madden 15 and Madden 25 (the anniversary one). If you want a year's subscription (and to save a decent bit in the process), hit the link below to grab a voucher from the Microsoft Store for $29.99.
NFL on Xbox and Windows 10
While we're specifically talking about the NFL on your Xbox One here, we'd be remiss not also mentioning the NFL app on Windows 10, also. Both apps are great ways to follow the action.
You're getting tons of video content, nex-gen replays where you can analyze the play yourself, fantasy support, and stats galore. On the Xbox One you can even snap the app to one side of your TV while you're watching the game. Grab it in the Apps section of the Xbox One Store.
Check out more on both at the link below.
Watch the Big Game on Xbox One
Install the CBS Sports app on your Xbox One and tune in Sunday, February 7th 2016 at 6:30PM ET to watch it live. This is a great option to have in case something goes wrong with your cable or satellite service. The app is free with no login credentials required. You can grab it from the Apps section in the Xbox One Store.
Pizza!
You're going to get hungry over the weekend, right? If you're in the UK and Ireland, at least, you can order yourself some eats without having to leave the comfort of your Xbox One with the official Domino's Pizza app.
It's basically the same app as you'll find in the Windows Store, and while basic, it does what you need it to do. Order up your food, then snap the app to the side so you can keep tabs on your order's progress while you keep on gaming or watching TV.
Grab it now from the Apps section in the Xbox One Store. You can also download the Domino's Pizza app on Windows 10 Mobile if it's not available on your Xbox One.
So, that's a few ways we'll be using the Xbox One over the Super Bowl weekend. If you've got any suggestions of your own, or just want to shout about your support for the Panthers or the Broncos, hit the comments below!
