Electronic Arts’ Madden NFL franchise is kind of the king of the sports game heap: although the game has its critics and, certainly, not everyone is into American football, the franchise is a bit of a juggernaut among video games, coming out with a new edition every year adding new features and striving to make the game both more playable and more realistic. This year’s Madden NFL 10 is no exception, aiming to bring family-friendly football fun to game consoles, but also provide an authentic football experience for fans.
Madden NFL 10 sports new Pro-Tak animation technology that offers “unprecedented” control over play outcomes: players can drag defenders as they push for yard, evade rushes with new avoidance actions, and defenders have more control over their line. Madden NFL 10 also feature online co-op play—where two players can team up online to fight the CPU-controlled opponents, and the game features new broadcast-style shots and cinematic camera angles to bring the excitement of real games to the living room. The game also features a host of new features, including a little mini game that lets players scramble for loose balls and fumbles, and a dog-pile feature that lets up to nine players pile on a ball carrier. Players can also choose whether to let their team members play injured: they might be able to pull it out in the clutch, but maybe they’ll wind up with an even more serious injury. Players can also build their franchises online in leagues of 32 teams with live drafts, player transactions, and online message boards—accessible from either a console or the Web.
Madden NFL 10 is available for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 for a suggested price of $59.99, PlayStation 2 for $39.99, and the Nintendo Wii for $49.99—although the Wii version is a little less serious and oriented towards quick, exciting games. A version is also available for the PSP for $39.99, and EA plans versions for “feature phones,” including the iPhone in September.
