Madden NFL 08

A new AND FUN way to play Madden

I read all the reviews of Madden 08 (got the game last Dec) and I thought I might as well give this a try. I was not disappointed with the gameplay at all although there are some notable exceptions.

The graphics will not wow you because it seems like it is a port of the PS2 version of Madden 08 but it's not like the PS1 version of Madden which would be weak compared to today's games. With me, it is a question of is the graphics good enough and the answer is yes.

If you have spent years playing Madden on other systems with controllers such as the Playstation DualShock 1/2 or X-Box 1/360, it won't be very difficult for you to pick up the controls on the Wii-mote. I won't go into deep detail about how the Wii-mote plays but with the Wii-mote, you can throw the ball to the selected receiver by pressing the left, up, right, or down button on the d-pad and then throw the Wii-mote (as long as you don't let go..LOL). The 5th person would mean pressing the A button and throwing the Wii-mote. You can barrel over defenders by thursting the Wii-mote forward. With the nunchunk attachment, you control the players' movements with the analog stick and if you move it left or right, the player will juke the defenders out of their socks. Basically, if you are a longtime vet of Madden, ESPN, 2K, or other football games, this is not difficult to pick up. The only problem is you won't have the timing completely down just yet...I was lobbing passes for awhile until I got the hang of it. I haven't dived into the online aspect of Madden 08 for the Wii so I am unable to comment. Now you want to know what features are in Madden 08 for the Wii? You do have the Franchise Mode and you are able to act as the owner just like in the PS2 version of Madden. However, it seems like the ability to build new stadiums were left out but I saw a new 49ers stadium built while I was in franchise mode so it might be possible after all. You have the Hall of Fame mode and it is great as well since you are closer to your rear end than in a normal Madden game, the Wii-mote's greatness does show here especially as a RB. My lone beef with Madden 08 is that I cannot customize my playbooks so I am forced to look for a playbook that fits what I want to do and it's a pain in the ass! This is still a fun game to play but due to Madden 08 not giving you the option to customize your playbook, I refuse to give this game a 5.0. Peter Moore, please tell Tibourn to let us do that so I can give your stinking game a perfect 5.0!

An impressive game with room for grahical improvement.

I just bought this game and I must say that I am actually very impressed. Many of the critics say the engine needs to be updated, but I disagree. I believe this engine is better because the game play moves more smoothly than the other versions due to a faster framerate. The other versions of the game are good as well, in which both the 360 and PS3 versions have much better graphics and better details in their models. The main improvement that should be made with the Wii version is graphical, in which the body models could be much better as well as staduim and fan graphics. I do understand that the Wii game will never look as good as the other console versions, but it can look alot better than the previous versions. I am impressed,however, with the models used for the helmets as well as the facial models. If the cut scenes were more focused on facial expressions the overall presentation, I believe, would already be bumped up. In alot of situations, less is always more. The game's strong point is definitely in the gameplay department. The new family play mode works very well, and in many ways feels more realistic than the other control scheme and also responds very well to remote movements. That being said, the original control scheme works very well too, which give traditional Madden fans a way to play Madden in way that is more familiar to traditional controls. Overall both control schemes respond very well the the players movement and add a great amount of depth to the overall experience. In conclusion, I very impressed overall with the Wii version of this game, mainly because of the well implemented controls and variety of game modes that are not offered on other versions. Reader's Ratings for Madden NFL 08

Overall a very fun experience

There are some missing features and some features may frustrate you, but overall this game is a fun experience. The controls take a little getting used to, but once you get the hang of them they are a blast. Using the motion-sensing abilities of the wii-mote you can throw, tackle, and stiff arm your way to victory. The normal control scheme requires the nunchuk. Not all actions are motion-sensing based as some require the analog stick or buttons. The Franchise Mode is back and once again awesome. The Superstar Mode was a pleasant surprise and improvement upon the previous Superstar Mode I had played. You play as your superstar in first mode and as that player only. If you don't want to make a superstar, you can play as one from the 2007 rookie class. I would like to say this game has a ton of replay value, it almost never gets old. Outside of the actual football there are the seemingly wii-standard mini games which you can play with your family and friends. There is even a trivia game in there. One letdown was the online mode. I came in with high expectations, but the brutal truth is that you can barely connect and if you can the games have awful lag. There is also no create-a-team or create-a-player. The graphics are also nothing special compared to the 360's and PS3's. If you can put the few negatives to the side though, you will truly discover the great game that is Madden 08 for Wii.

Some Improvements but Not Enough

First, lets talk about the graphics. I knew it wasn't going to look like the 360's but I sure didn't expect it to look like a PS2 game. The controlls are excellent.I find myself stiff ariming a lot. The game is fun and exciting. The online mode isn't the best, but I think it's more of EA's fault than Nintendo's. Despite the bad graphics, the game has a lot to offer such as: family play, yac attack and other mini games. If you own a Wii you should own this game.

madden 07

this game is the same as 07 just a new lame party mode and the online play sucks so bad. it doesnt read your controls right