The App Shelf for iPhone and iPod touch
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Reviews
Video Review: Madden NFL 10 - A New Brand of Touch Football
Price: $9.99
App Store Link: Full / No Lite Version
Verdict: Love It!
Replay Value: Very High
Pros: Great graphics, gameplay, and depth. Edit plays right on the field.
Cons: Repetitive commentators, cannot save original plays, and no multiplayer (yet).
Bottom Line: Madden NFL 10, despite a few flaws, is a console worthy iPhone app sure to impress and definitely worth the price. If you’re a fan of sporting games, this is a no brainer.
Madden NFL 10 for the iPhone OS redefines the meaning of touch Football: All 32 teams and stadiums, nearly 2000 players and 300 plays, and comfortable touch screen controls all at your fingertips. This is the app that hardcore football fans have been waiting for, and it definitely lives up to its expectations.
Madden NFL 10 is one of those apps that’ll make you realize the iPhone can definitely contend with the big-boy portable gaming systems, such as the PSP and the Nintendo DS. On the first start-up, the app asks for your favorite NFL team in order to make your life easier. From the title screen, players can choose to play a quick game, play a season, or view team rosters. In season mode, players will battle their way through a full NFL season, potentially taking their team all the way to the Super Bowl. “Play now” mode, on the other hand, will pit your team head to head against any team of your choice and is perfect for a quick, pick up and play game.
The graphics for Madden will put you right in the action. The control schemes for both offence and defense are comfortable and intuitive. You control player movement with an on-screen virtual analog stick and a slew of touch screen buttons that adapt themselves to your situation. Among other controls, QBs can pass, toss out of bounds, or scramble. Ball carriers can spin, sprint, and slow time. In slow motion mode, they can juke left, juke right or plow through defenders. Defenders can intercept, block passes, and dive tackle. Because of the clearly marked icons, the on-screen controls are easy to learn and master (possibly even more so than with a standard console controller).
One of the best features in Madden NFL 10 is the ability for individuals to edit and create their own plays right on the field. This is as simple as tapping the edit button and redrawing the movement line for one or more of your receivers. This makes your playbook essentially unlimited. My only gripe is that there doesn’t seem to be any way to save edited plays for later use.
Individuals also have the option of customizing their team through player trades and the signing of free agent players to create an unstoppable dream team.
EA’s iPhone interpretation of Madden 10 doesn’t have too many flaws, but there are a few. Probably the most obvious is the overly repetitive announcers. You’re more than likely to hear the same play commentary several times in one short game. This is a bit disappointing in a game like Madden; it’d be nice to make it through at least a full game without much repetition. The pre-game build up and end of game victory screens aren’t as fulfilling as they should be—something which Gameloft’s slightly less complex NFL 2010 app does better. Additionally, at initial launch, the game is missing any multiplayer functionality (something which the developers promise to update). Finally the inability to save custom plays for future use is a little inconvenient.
Over all, Madden NFL 10 for iPhone OS is quite impressive and fun. The arrival of this app on the App Store is a big step forward for the device, helping to establish it as a recognized gaming platform. There seems little doubt that football fans will enjoy playing this app. Like many other EA games, the high price-point might scare away some casual gamers, but rest assured, if you’re looking for a great football game app, Madden NFL is worth the price… especially when compared to other platforms.
