Madden NFL 10 Updated Hands-On

The idea of making Madden open to everyone is at the heart of Madden NFL 10 for the Nintendo Wii. A new art style seeks to differentiate the game visually from a mere PS2 port, and a handful of game modes exclusive to this version look to bring fans of football--young and old alike--to the Wii to have a good time. Earlier today we got a look at a near-final version of the game to see how it has shaped up just ahead of its August release.

We had a chance to check out two modes we hadn't seen before, the first being Huddle-Up mode. Essentially a cooperative mode, Huddle-Up mode lets one person control most of the action on the field using more traditional controls, while a partner (perhaps one who doesn't have much Madden experience) assists with some greatly simplified controls.

When the mode begins, one player is designated as captain and will be responsible for everything from calling the plays to making throws as quarterback, running the ball, and so on. Any other players on the team are designated as helpers and are essentially responsible for making blocks for the captain.

During a kickoff, for example, the captain will receive and run the ball, while his teammates will be blocking by simply pointing their icon at opponent players and pressing the A button. If a block is successful, the player will go down like a sack of potatoes, giving the captain the room he or she needs to gain more yards. Similarly, on offense, the captain will call the play and run the play as designed, while the other players will be responsible for blocking. When on defense, the captain will control one player on the team, while the other players once again knock down blockers, giving the captain a clear shot at the ball carrier. You can choose to limit the number of blocks for "helper" players or go unlimited and become a button-mashing force of blocking nature.

The other big mode was called Road to the Super Bowl and is the Wii version's equivalent to Season mode. As in other modes in Madden 10, you can choose to play games as 11 vs. 11 or 5 vs. 5, and you'll also have your pick of how long a season you'd like to play (full, half, or playoffs). If playing cooperatively with a friend, you'll earn points for being involved in successful plays on the field, such as sacking the QB or scoring a touchdown. This mode has a "benching" option that will cause a player to be benched if he or she screws up on the field too many times. Your fellow players will then need to perform well and earn enough points to get the benched player back on the field.

The Madden series has been through many different iterations on the Wii, from the sim-like game of Madden NFL 07 to the almost cartoon appeal of Madden NFL 10. Whether or not this version will be the one that strikes casual Madden fans' fancy remains to be seen. Stay tuned for our review of the game after its August launch.