Heard good things from a couple of people who played only briefly. These were both Madden die-hards like myself though. Very intrigued by the online franchise. I wonder if it'll end up being just a bunch of dead teams after a while like some fantasy leagues? What kind of time frame will there be to play your game each week? I'm assuming if you don't log on and play the cpu plays for you?
It's getting good reviews... Here's Cnet's take... http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-10307571-1.html?tag=smallCarouselArea.4 and... 87.80% overall from the combined average of every game reviewing site... Site Date Rating Ratio VideoGamer 08/14/09 8 out of 10 80.00% Cheat Code Central 08/13/09 4.5 out of 5 90.00% TotallyGN 08/13/09 9 out of 10 90.00% Planet Xbox 360 08/13/09 9.4 out of 10 94.00% GameSpy 08/13/09 4.5 out of 5 90.00% GamerNode 08/13/09 9 out of 10 90.00% GameSpot 08/12/09 7.5 out of 10 75.00% Gaming Age 08/12/09 A- 90.00% Gametrailers 08/12/09 8.8 out of 10 88.00% Da GameBoyz 08/12/09 8.8 out of 10 88.00% GamingTrend 08/11/09 74 out of 100 74.00% Official Xbox Magazine 08/11/09 9 out of 10 90.00% 1UP 08/10/09 B+ 85.00% GameZone 08/10/09 8.5 out of 10 85.00% XboxAddict 08/10/09 9.2 out of 10 92.00% GameDaily 08/10/09 9 out of 10 90.00% TeamXbox 08/10/09 9 out of 10 90.00% Game Informer 09/01/09 8.75 out of 10 87.50% GamePro 08/10/09 4.5 out of 5 90.00% GameShark 08/10/09 A- 90.00% ZTGameDomain 08/10/09 9.4 out of 10 94.00% IGN 08/07/09 8.9 out of 10 89.00% http://www.gamerankings.com/xbox360/958702-madden-nfl-10/articles.html
Best football game of all time and it hasn't even been fine tuned yet (patch). The new slowed down gameplay makes everything so much more fun and the reworked ratings feel so right! The added ratings like PA pass effectiveness allow for so much diversity within a single position. Teams play closer to their real life counterparts (Vikings will run) as ever before. Franchise mode with the revamped scouting/draft, progression, FA/contract/trade logic feels so much more "put together". Here are some more informative reviews than your typical big name review sites might offer... http://www.gameshark.com/reviews/3314/Madden-NFL-10-Review.htm http://www.pastapadre.com/9859/madden-nfl-10-impressions
i always thought the strategy book was a waste of money but i bought one for madden 06 and it helped a lot. i still use the same strategies from that, adn they work...dunno if they work for 2010. we'll see. i dont have the game yet cuz i did the SI offer.
Played one game last night and that was about it, so it's hard for me to make a general review or impression of the game, but it seems so much more improved from the last few years. I was the the Texans vs. Jets and won 20-17. AJ is a BEAST in the game. But, the one thing i could say so far is the game just feels like a game of football for once.
Going to pick it up as soon as I leave the office. Looking forward to it so long as I can win with the Texans. It does seem like they're starting to nickel and dime us now with all the extra things you can buy online to help your stats. It could be fun, but it seems like an unfair edge to those willing to spend the money. Oh well.
What strategy do you use? My offense is fine but they completed everything when I was playing on defense. This is my first year playing on PS3 so it is a huge difference from playing on PS2.
I always suck on defense in Football games. I have Madden 09, I hate the fact that there was no Training Camp, No celebration after winning the Superbowl, It had a lot of flaws in my opinion. I was a fan of the 2k Series for Football, IT was more realistic, but Madden is the only thing out there. I haven't tried Madden 10 yet. But I was reading at Gamespot and It got like a 7.5 I believe, which is only average.
I don't know how it was on the PS3 last year but this year I see more detail and realistic stuff. If there is a fumble you have to fight under the pile to try and get the ball. If a call is questionable they show the refs huddling up to make a decision. As far as defense goes I'm much better on NCAA.
Don't go by Gamespot their reviewers are not knowledgeable in the realm of sports. The "atmosphere" is M10 is the best I have seen. The cutscenes are so smooth and just fit.
Playing it right now and it looks pretty awesome except I saw a cut scene in which it looked like there was a dismembered body on the field.
Thanks folks! I'm thinking about buying it but is there any stores that give out a discount? I can pay the 60 bucks but it would be much better if I could get a discount. (say 10 bucks )
If you had preordered at Microcenter last week like I did, you would have been able to get it for $35.
Before 2004, I'd have normally gone with the 2K series, Madden 04 was where the series started to get good. (2001-2003 on the next gen consoles was kinda bad) I'm hoping the same holds true for next gen consoles (07-09). This is their 4th year, even though the first year was rushed. (
IGN gave it an 8.1 for the Wii. IGN gave the xbox and ps3 versions 8.9. Here is the Wii review: The Madden franchise has gone through a series of evolutionary steps as EA figures out what works and doesn't on Nintendo's system. NFL 07 was the initial motion = controls PS2 port, 08 was a buggy but stronger evolution, bringing about the early concept of All-Play controls, 09 started the Call Your Shot phenomenon, and from where I sat a year ago it was pretty obvious where the franchise would be heading. Always keeping us on our toes though, EA has pushed Madden in a whole new direction with its 2010 offering, adding a new visual style, new modes, options, and features designed to make the Wii experience all its own. Some of it works great, and other parts just don't seem to click. The biggest obvious changes with Madden 10 on Wii is the visual style. Now using specific body types for positions, this more exaggerated "arcade-like" change applies to every mode in Madden. Remember the gritty 09 visuals EA settled on- Gone. New cameras are used, the characters are more cartoonish, and the result is a visual design that is sure to split the user base in half. I personally dug the 2009 look, but for the Wii crowd I can understand the move to a more over-exaggerated visual style. It certainly fits the "All Play" design that EA has going, but in the end the style looks more like a Grand Slam Tennis offering than Madden, and it does affect the authentic feel of the game a bit. I'm curious to see if the Madden audience follows EA with this change or dismisses it entirely. On the interface side of things Madden is moving in the right direction, though I can see some hardcore players out there being scared off by the bigger buttons, casual-friendly look, and slightly tweaked design. The "cursor-scroll" system EA is using doesn't always work smoothly when selecting teams or options, but having IR control is of course a step in the right direction. 5-on-5 play is also added as an option, rather than standalone mode, and that's a huge step in the right direction as far as I'm concerned. You can play any of the new modes - as well as Play Now - with five players on the field instead of 11 now, and it's a fun addition. On the topic of new modes, Madden NFL 10 is going in a whole new direction on Wii. Broken record time, but some people are going to love the changes, and others are going to hate them; plain and simple. Madden Showdown is hands-down the best offering of the bunch, pitting up to four players together in a party mode where players go one-on-one in smaller arcade-like games of Madden. Either 11-on-11 or 5-on-5 is supported, and settings can be changed to allow for turbo mode, "It's Alive" - which keeps the ball in play after a dropped pass - and lots of other game changers. Each game not only has the two rivals butting heads, but also a betting mechanic for everyone to engage in, so if your two friends are going head-to-head you can bet on who will win, as well as other stat-driven categories such as "most passing plays" or "most total yards" and the like. The winner of Madden Showdown isn't necessarily the best player, but the guy that knows his rivals better and can still march the field on gameday. The other two modes are a bit less appealing, but still entertaining in their own right. Huddle-Up mode is basically a two player "girlfriend mode" like we saw in Call of Duty Wii last year. Player 2 has control over just a cursor and can use it to detonate and knock down the opposite team when hitting A. It can be set to three hits or unlimited per down, and while entertaining - and great for younger players or non-gamers - it's a pretty simple affair. You can only run back touchdowns off kickoffs so many times when you realize just how repetitive and downright simple the mode is. That being said, it's fun to be on offense, pick a running play, move yourself to lead blocker, and actually push the line while player 2 acts like a turret for a computer-controlled Matt Forte or Adrian Peterson. You're pretty unstoppable. Road to the Superbowl is the final mode, and I have to say this one is a big letdown in the end. Up to four players can hop in and out over the course of a full season, and when playing poorly the game actually benches human co-op players and requires the teammates to buy them back into the game. It sounds like fun, and on its own it is. When you see what the "season" mode actually includes, however, it becomes painfully obvious just how shallow the mode is. You can go 5-on-5 or 11-on-11, but the only other options come with either a full season, half season, or playoff mode. There aren't trades, any team training, no franchise-like stat tracking or options, and no extended play beyond week-to-week gaming. Local multiplayer is a blast in Madden, and this is still a very entertaining package; it's just too small overall. As for the other modes players know and love, Franchise, Superstar, and situational mode are included, but they're hidden away as unlockable bonus modes, and they come with a huge catch. Nothing is changed from last year, with just a simple team roster update piled on top of an old interface, old options, and no additions at all. The game even changes from the cursor-based menus and look to a plain white background with d-pad/analog stick controls only. This was obviously just an afterthought addition, or a way to downplay the unchanged status of Madden's core modes. Madden 10 rocks in the multiplayer category, but for single player use - even those looking to take the game online - it's 100% more of the same. If you want big additions to the franchise mode (such as online franchise play) you'll only find it on the HD consoles. On the gameplay front there's a lot that has changed, but there's still plenty left to improve on as well. Playcalling has remained almost entirely identical, minus the new look, and the addition of Call Your Shot defense is great. CYS on offense is a bit more annoying to engage, having it tucked away on the 1 button and lacking a bit of the visual flair it had in 09, but it's still just as rewarding and easy to use as ever. On defense, simply engage Call Your Shot and you can drag defenders into new coverage zones, changing the play type on the fly as you do. You can even double team receivers in a matter of seconds, which is nice. Also changed is the ability to pull up a mini-menu by holding B pre-snap, which gives you access to specific on-field players based on who you have your cursor over, or general controls for the whole team. That's how you now change audibles, line shift, put a man in motion, or engage Call Your Shot if you don't want to hit the 1 button. It's a nice change, and one EA would do well to expand on in the future. The Wii pointer has also become a huge part of the Madden Wii experience now, as the added cursor passing control option - which I personally dig - and cursor player select is added this year. It's a nice addition to be sure. On the flipside, the controls have again changed for 2010, moving away from some of what 09 did and focusing on a somewhat simpler layout which some hardcore fans may not like. Throwing is now done entirely by button, either with the A button when using cursor passing or the directional arrows. Snapping is now done with A - with no flick to snap you need to snap you lose the A button, so all character select on offense is done with the d-pad - all power moves are assigned to a flick of the remote, and specific moves are mapped to buttons. If you want to juke the nunchuk is no longer used , so you either tap Z or shake the remote and let the computer decide if you lower your head, stiff-arm, spin, jump, try to plow them over. The controls are easier for those just picking up the game, but I can't help but feel like I'm losing what I already perfected in 2009, as only a quick remote shake is being used in the motion department now. I spoke on the visuals already, but it's important to note that while I personally don't dig the visual style EA went with it's not a game-breaking issue for me either. The visuals make sense given the casual, family approach EA is tying into Madden on Wii, and some people are going to totally dig it. Overall though I don't see hardcore Madden fans warming up to it. On the same note, I greatly prefer the broadcast team of Madden and Al Michaels over Cris Collinsworth and Tom Hammond. Just like on 360 and PS3 the Wii commentating just doesn't work. In the end, it feels like there's just a huge list of things that could/should change to improve the design of Madden 10. Some of the on-screen icons (like drumming the controllers and all kick interface) still look old, tackling still feels last-gen with offense animation overwriting a big hit or dive (lots of sliding off people), path running can become glitchy with Call Your Shot, picking off a pass you're perfectly lined up with is still extremely tough, and while additions like the big hit camera and sprint effects look great the game still feels like previous years' Madden re-skinned yet again. Many of the added features - Spotlight Moments and post-touchdown celebrations - also feel pretty tacked on. In the case of TD celebrations the icons don't have specific art to them, so you never know what your player is going to do when you click them. There's still no seamless create-a-player option, making plays with the Call Your Shot interface seems painfully obvious but isn't included, and everything just feels like a first pass to what will be a stronger, more polished 2011 offering. Bottom line though, EA needs to decide if this is going to be a sim game with a friendly look, or a more arcade-like offering all around. Right now it plays like old Madden under a new skin. If the game is going truly casual, it's time to open things up with a totally retooled game of football that relies on big plays and a full-on arcade-like feel. Closing Comments: Madden 10 isn-t a bad game by any means; it-s just a whole new breed of football game on Wii, and one that some players aren-t going to prefer over classic Madden. The new Showdown Mode is great, online is back (but virtually unchanged), Huddle-Up mode is a fun casual offering if you-ve got a non-gamer player 2, and having 5-on-5 mode everywhere rocks. On the other side of the fence, however, is a game that needs a lot of work. Road to the Superbowl is way too basic of a season offering, and while the multiplayer focus rocks you don-t have the ability to tweak your team, do trades, see week-to-week stats, or get anything more than the game-to-game experience of a full, half, or playoff season. Franchise, Superstar, and situational modes are still included, but they-re unchanged from last year and look ugly when compared to the new interface and design of Madden 10. The mini-games, online multiplayer, and Play Now experiences are retained, but it doesn-t change the fact that Madden 10 feels like it-s trying to wear too many hats with too little dev time and disc space. If you dig the local multiplayer Wii scene, by all means give this one a try. For those looking for traditional football though, you-ll want to boot up Madden 09 again or invest in a 360/PS3. Madden 10 is a fun Wii game - It just isn-t one I see many current Madden players getting into over a true-to-NFL offering. EA will grab new fans with this year-s Wii game, but I wouldn-t be surprised if it also pushes away old fans in the process.
