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Madden NFL 10
(EA Sports/
EA Tiburon)
Ever get the feeling that the folks that developed some of ‘…today’s hottest…’ video games, regardless of the platform, fail to take their particular craft seriously? Don’t get me wrong; as previously stated, I’ll be the first to openly admit that my obsession with video games and all things video game-related has been, for better or for worse, a life-long affliction. Seriously…when Japanese arcade pioneers Taito released Double Dragon II: The Revenge in 1988, I was wholeheartedly convinced I had developed a moderately severe case of Carpal Tunnel. Despite this (or perhaps because of it), twenty one (!) years later, my disturbingly thorough quest for the ultimate gaming experience continues, for the most part, at least, largely unabated, hindered only by the painful and outright inexplicable lack of imagination that ultimately characterize so many commercialized titles.
Fortunately for all parties involved, this is most definitely not the case with the stunning Madden NFL 10 (2009, available for PlayStation 3, PlayStation 2, PSP, Xbox 360 and Wii), the latest expertly assembled offering from the notoriously prolific EA Sports. Undoubtedly attempting to capitalize upon the breakthrough success of 2008’s Madden NFL 09, the atypical gamer (i.e. you, the overwhelmed consumer) is immediately thrust headlong into what can only be described as the quintessential NFL video game experience. Wasting little--if any--time with the mindless formalities so often embraced by the genre-defying blockbuster’s few contemporaries, the league’s thirty two franchises, both good and bad, are at your immediate disposal, ensuring that the veritable avalanche of testosterone-laden ‘action’ is as initially impressive as it is thoroughly satisfying.
While the primary premises at ‘…the heart…’ of the arguably brilliant Madden NFL 10 remain mercifully unchanged from its chart-topping predecessors, the staggering variety of amenities (including easily unlockable Prowbowl and Superbowl options) now afforded to the average novice gamer have been carefully redefined. Focusing on a newly revamped QB/RB/DB design (helmed in part by the team behind the ingenious NFL Head Coach 09), Madden NFL 10 offers in excess of two hundred distinct play options. Additionally, with the incorporation of the Wii’s trademark Nunchuck controller allowing the gamer to physically ‘pass’ the ball downfield and increase the speed of breakaway plays, EA Sports have effectively rechristened an entertaining yet once pedestrian title as a bold, daringly interactive experience that simply begs for repeated overindulgence.
An undeniable must-have for both die-hard completists and clueless newcomers alike, the ensuing wealth of bone-jarring, cartilage-shredding ‘…gridiron gameage…’ is jam-packed with an impressively diverse array of multiplayer and online options (Madden Showdown and Road To The Superbowl, to name only a precious few) that significantly amplify nearly every aspect of the NFLPA-licensed series’ oft-documented intensity. The end result(s), as you may have already guessed, is a wisely re-imagined take on a truly flawlessly executed concept that, while obviously not as groundbreaking and genre-defying as it’s understandably primitive 1989 Apple II debut (or, for that matter, the wildly ambitious sequels that would soon follow in its ever-widening wake), is quite possibly as good as it gets. Love it, loathe it or otherwise, a new dramatic standard has officially been set.
So what, exactly, are you waiting for? Easily the improbably long-running behemoth’s most technically proficient (and thus truly enjoyable) release to date, the majority--if not all--of the decidedly realistic wares contained herein is seemingly guaranteed to leave even the most jaded and unimaginative of Gamers only wanting for more, a much-welcomed and increasingly rare characteristic that makes the that makes the mighty Madden NFL 10 one of the year’s most genuinely refreshing surprises. Needless to say, if you’ve once again found yourself in search of a quasi-authentic NFL experience that won’t cost you the proverbial small fortune (and may actually have the potential to improve the overall of your Gluteus Maximus), then this, my friends, might just be the unabashedly ‘…smashmouth…’ cure for what ails you. Trust me, you won’t be disappointed.
Select Gameology
Madden NFL 10 (2009)
Madden NFL 09 (2008)
Madden NFL 08 (2007)
Madden NFL 07 (2006)
Madden NFL 06 (2005)
Madden NFL 2005 (2004)
Madden NFL 2004 (2003)
Madden NFL 2003 (2002)