With NCAA Football 09 and Madden NFL 09 on the Wii, it seems as if EA Sports could care less about these versions. While the other current consoles are host to a variety of new exciting features, the Wii edition is decidedly last generation, and that has nothing to do with the graphics.
A simple comparison is all that’s needed. Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 owners receive a far better camera angle, new commentators, online leagues, nifty new play calling, and stunning new presentation to give the game a TV feel. The Wii still has Michaels and Madden in the booth, the same old camera, no online leagues, an atrocious play calling screen, garish presentation, and no online leagues. It’s appalling.
As for the base game itself, this is a low end version of the franchise. The running game is based on far too powerful dekes that can get any player out of a tackle. It’s almost impossible not to get a full power kick, a problem when trying to punt short. Other aspects, including a rock solid smooth frame rate, give the game a constant steady pace that works for it, not against it.
Wii Controls become a hindrance, instead of making it more interactive. Having to not only press the appropriate button but then flick your wrist to pass does two things. One, it recalls the days of having to press a button to call up the icons. Secondly, it causes a brief unnecessary delay in the throw that can lead to interceptions or sacks. Like with tackling, the motion controls are inaccurate and sometimes unresponsive.
AI can be awfully stupid. The defense, whether the player’s team or the opponent, consistently lines up wrong. Its almost funny to see DB’s quickly shifting a second before the snap to their coverage like high school players. Play selection is handled through a counter-intuitive vertically oriented menu with touchy motion controls (or you can just use the d-pad and save yourself the trouble). Even worse, every time you get the ball back, you need to reselect if you want Madden to call your plays, look by formation, or by style. It’s annoying.
The sole benefit to the Wii Remote is “Call Your Shots.” It’s simple to call up the menu and swap your receiving routes on the fly before the snap. This is far easier than making the same adjustments on other consoles.
As with all EA Sports titles this year, the game includes the All Play mode, a fancy way of saying it’s easier. With this turned on, the controls are simplified to motion controlled movements. Since you still have to learn motions, why not take a few minutes to learn the buttons? Is that actually any easier? That, and the first time the motion fails to respond, it’s only going to lead to frustration for the newcomer.
The usual plethora of mini-games are included, with a new 5-on-5 mode that recalls NFL Street without many of its more over the top aspects. A fun trivia mode is included too. However, all of these require multiple players, so you cannot test these out by yourself.
Madden goes online this year for Wii owners, though it’s simplified. Online leagues were just introduced on other consoles, so it’s not a huge surprise not to find them here. Still, with the Wii Friend Code system in place, it’s hardly worth the effort to play a game with friends. That said, the experience is mostly lag free and enjoyable if you can get into Madden’s Wii-styled gameplay.
Maybe before the lifespan of the console is over, Wii-owning Madden fans will receive the game they rightfully deserve. Madden NFL 09 is the furthest thing from it. Expecting the visuals to match is ridiculous; expecting the feature set to match isn’t.
Tags: all-play, ea sports, friend codes, madden 09, nintendo wi-fi, nintendo wii, ps3, wii, wii locate, xbox 360
