About a week ago, I got Madden 2010. Now comes a review for fans of the franchise.

This game is great. I love all the new modes and the  in-game minigames are great as well. Those are the new Fight for the Fumble andIce the Kicker abilities. In Fight for the Fumble, when the ball hits the ground, players from bothteams converge on it. The players are then directed to press a series of buttons, either repeatedly, like X X X Y Y Y  or sometimes like A B XXX Y AAA. Whoever can complete their grouping  first without messing up collects the fumble. In Ice the Kicker, I believe that if the teams are separated by three points or less with 2 minutes left in the 2nd of 4th quarters, the defense can call a timeout and control the icing effects on it.

The NFL Superstar mode involves taking control of a player you create yourself, or you can play as a rookie from the ‘09 draft class. You go through the rigors of signing an agent, being scouted by teams, going through the combine, and finally draft day. You also take an IQ test. You get the option to be selected by your favorite team, and now I am playing for the Patriots. I’m playing as a running back. You  go through training camp, do some interviews and play a few preseason games. At the end of the training camps, you get attribute points based on your performance during training camp practices. Use these to up needed skills. Once you hit the regular season you fall into a routine, which you’ll get used to pretty quickly. One downfall is your player gets really good really quickly, and from then on its pretty easy.

 

Fantasy Challenge involves drafting your own “Dream Team” and taking on other similarly crafted teams. You start in the Newbie League and move to the playoffs. After defeating the best team, you take on a team called the Kickers for the League Championship. They are a made up team and if you tackle them really hard you will get a “Roughing the Kicker” penalty because the team is made up of kickers. The only plays they really run are fake FG run and passes. However no matter what the y always score some matter of points. When they kick a field goal, they have unlimited range! The next league is the Black and Blue league. Haven’t made it past it yet.

By the way, after defeating the Kickers, I unlocked them for “Play Now” mode. There is a host of other unlockable teams that I bet you get by beating them in Fantasy Challenge.

Graphics are great!

 

9 out of 10 points possible. 0.1 off because no game is perfect. 0.9 points off because I had a glitch freeze my screen when I was doing really well versus the Steelers in my NFL Superstar playoffs. It didn’t matter though. I turned it on and off, played them again, and scored the winning touchdown reception. HAHAHAHAHA! Yes, I’m talking to someone who reads my blog. You know who you are.

Upcoming Posts:  The long awaited (sorry it hasn’t been sooner) Chapter 3. Any day now. Then Chapter 4. And a look at football season. Also a check on the baseball season so far. And anything else I think of.