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Madden NFL 10

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Game Reviewed: Madden NFL 10
Publisher:  Electronic Arts
Developer: Tiburon
Reviewer:  James Trevillian
Platform: Wii (Other similar versions available on Xbox 360, PS3, PS2, PSP)
Category: Sports
ERSB Rating: E

 

Game Description:

I have a feeling that John Madden had no idea that the franchise that started with his name would become a dynasty in the video game realm. Madden NFL 10 is this year’s rendition of the franchise, which has been around on several platforms since 1989. The Wii version of Madden 10 has brought some new and improved gameplay options to the table. One feature is the ability to select from simple play controls for the Wii or more advanced controls similar to Madden games on other consoles. The simpler controls allow for someone who is not the greatest football video game player to grab a Wii remote and chuck passes like a pro. There is also the ability to choose from more simple play selections for those who are unable to decipher plays drawn right from NFL playbooks. You can change player assignments on offense and defense after a play is called simply by pointing with the Wii remote. The game also has a “Spotlight moment” feature, which slows the game down so you can make take your time to make decisions in key situations. There is also the ability to play a scaled down 5 on 5 football game which goes much faster than a traditional 11 on 11 game. The “Madden Showdown” mode allows you to play a tournament with 1 to 4 players. In this mode, you can change some of the rules of the game for more of a challenge and make predictions on who will win or who will have the most first downs. At the end of a “Madden Showdown” the points for predictions also contribute to the overall score for the tournament, so it is possible to win a tournament by predictions.

Note that this review is based on the Wii version of Madden 10. The other versions of Madden 10 may have different content than the Wii version, but should be very similar.

 

What Parents Need to Know

Violence:

The only violence present in Madden 10 is run-of-the-mill football tackling and blocking. Players can be injured and have to sit out if they are injured badly enough.

Language:

There is no foul language in the game. One concern for this category is the music that plays in the menu screens before and after you start a game. Artists for these songs include Slipknot, System of a Down, and Public Enemy to name a few. Swearing is cut out, but some of the uncensored lyrics can be offensive with or without swearing. I was unable to find any feature to disable certain songs or tweak the music.

Sexual Content:

There is no sexual content in the game.

Spirituality:

There is nothing to report in this category.

Reviewers Thoughts:

On the positive side, Madden 10 brings a lot of good features to the table for people who are not very knowledgeable about football and/or playing football video games without sacrificing some of the more advanced options for more experienced and knowledgeable players. On the negative side, some parents may be concerned the music selection in the menu section.

Overall, however, Madden 10 is a great game for anyone of any age who loves football. At a “research session” I had with our youth group, we discovered you could also have an even match-up with an experienced person playing against someone who only knows a “down” as some form of pillow stuffing. The experienced player used advanced controls and a higher difficulty, while the other player used simple play-calling and “All-play” controls. The experienced player still won, but the match up was much farther from a blow out than everyone expected. This Wii version of Madden is an excellent choice for multiplayer gaming, but the game’s stylized graphics may not appeal to those looking for realism.