Madden 10 Wii Rapidshare Movies

Madden NFL 25 - Playstation 3 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?

1. Madden Wii Game
2. Madden 13 Wii

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, 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.

Madden Wii Game

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.

Madden 13 Wii

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.