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Off-season Madden suiting up for 3DS launch
There will be no rest for Madden following the February 6 confetti drop at Cowboys Stadium. As the league and fans celebrate (and/or curse) the new Super Bowl champ, drawing the 2010–11 season to a memorable (and/or forgettable) close, EA's tireless football franchise will quickly suit up for a rare off-season appearance as Madden NFL Football for 3DS. The publisher today announced the title as part of the handheld's launch lineup in the first half of 2011. Though not an official Madden 11 release in name, the 3DS game will certainly play like one, as it includes this year's time-shaving GameFlow system, in addition to the paired-down 5-on-5 mode that has become a staple in the series' Wii iterations. Of course, EA reminds us that Madden NFL Football will be unique in that the gameplay and features "jump off the screen with 3D graphics," not to mention the supposed utilization of "the remarkable power of the Nintendo 3DS Touch Screen." We know what you're thinking -- but, no, EA has somehow muffed the perfect opportunity for a true "Madden" mode. Why play football, when you could sit back and telestrate it? And, hey, if that mic's not a means for blurting (and/or babbling) your own Maddenisms into the game, then what's it there for? C'mon EA, this is Madden football, remember! %Gallery-107118%
Madden 2011 out for iPad and iPhone
This year has just flown by -- it's almost that time again, when the leaves start to change color, the kids head back to school, and footballs fill the air. That also means the new Madden is now out, and for the first time, EA has brought the game to the iPad. By all accounts, it's pretty good -- the graphics are not quite comparable to the console versions, but they look nice, and you also get the ability to draw out hot routes and use an adapted version of the GameFlow feature from the console versions. Plus, the iPad version is also getting multiplayer soon, as well as a "Vintage Voltage Football" mode, a Madden-style homage to the old electric football games. The only drawback is that the game's not cheap -- EA is going all out with a price for the iPad of $12.99. The game's also available for the iPhone for $7.99, which ain't real cheap, either. But this is EA's most premium game on the iOS to date, as well as their perpetual moneymaker every year around this time, so if they're going to try inching up the prices on their iOS titles, this would be the one to do it on. That said, EA's also been learning the value of the sale recently, so I'll bet that if you give this one a month or two, you'll be able to pick it up for much cheaper. Too bad there's no lite version yet -- the football fans who've taken the leap seem to really enjoy the game so far.
Madden 11 videos chant new 'Simpler, Quicker, Deeper' design mantra
"Simpler, Quicker, Deeper." That's the tag line for Madden 11, as EA appears to be angling for the attention of the unsophisticated, no-time-to-waste "casual" demographic without dissuading its hardcore player base. The new Madden will be made both "simpler" and "quicker" through GameFlow, the buzzword for an optional auto–play calling mode, which puts players in the role of a quarterback that receives his plays from an AI coach. "Not everyone has an hour to dedicate," says senior producer Phil Frazier, alluding to the average length of a typical Maddden match. GameFlow is said to shave down match times to 30 minutes. But fear not, bro, Madden also goes "deeper" this year with the option to create custom game plans before each match. Plus, there's another buzzword to memorize: Locomotion. That's the name for the game's "all new" animation system. While still short of the highs achieved by the Euphoria-powered animations of Backbreaker, there is a gameplay component to Madden's Locomotion system: Players can now lean and dodge during runs with the analog sticks. According to the trailer, Madden 11 "will make every football game before it obsolete." (At least, GameStop's trade-in value will certainly reflect this sentiment.) Check out the dev diaries after the break, if you're not yet sufficiently pumped up for game day: August 10. %Gallery-91909%
