Functionally, it'll operate in much the same way as FIFA's system. Players will start the game mode with a random pack of cards. The players on those cards are the players on your team. They'll mostly be the dregs of the NFL to begin with; as you play more and earn points, you can buy better packs of cards that will feature a higher calibre of player (they'll still be random cards, just, the more expensive packs will have better players in them).

Point being it spices up online gaming a little, creating random teams (to break up the monotony of people sticking with big/good teams), with the added compulsiveness of Pokemon-esque card collecting.

I've played the FIFA version, and it was pretty neat, though the downside was that the FIFA version cost money. The Madden edition, however, will be free, so the least you can do is check it out when it's released in January.

Madden Ultimate Team First Look [GameSpot]

Could a plastic football accessory make Madden sell better on the Wii? CTA Digital, the company behind the Wii bowling ball and iPhone steering wheel accessories would like to think so. The Football for Wii opens up to accept your Wii remote, mirroring the face buttons of your controller on top of the football for a semi-authentic sort of look and feel. The controller is compatible with Madden 10, Madden 09 All-Play, NCAA Football 09 All-Play, and several other football games that you can just read off the sales brochure below.

The point here is that when Crecente and Totilo imagine something, it happens. We might want to stay on their good sides.

There are some ridiculous sights to see here. Some players fall through the ground, others have the ball thrown right through them. There's even an instance of one guy having his own teammate tackle him! We present to you some of the funniest and strangest glitches in Madden 10, thanks to players who uploaded them to YouTube.

Yes, he's completely serious folks. If the latest game in the long-running first-person shooter franchise manages to topple the game that generally dominates the month of August, he'll reimburse you the full retail price for Wolfenstein.

Here's the original tweet:

Here's the deal folks: if Wolfenstein outsells Madden 10 in August I will personally pay for your copy (keep your receipt) - SPREAD THE WORD

Since that original post earlier this morning, Heir has gone on the clarify details about the offer. For instance, reimbursements will take place on an international level, and he'll be using official NPD numbers to determine whether or not he needs to pay. Oh, and you need to follow him on Twitter to collect, so pay close attention to the link below.

It's a pretty bold statement, but I'd say that going up against Madden for the month of October with a first-person shooter is like trying to entice your football-loving spouse into sex with a striptease in front of the television on Super Bowl Sunday. It's futile, and you could get hurt.

Besides, if he has that kind of money to spend, why not buy a bunch of copies himself to pad the numbers? It would certainly save him a fortune in PayPal fees.

Manveer Heir's Twitter [Twitter, duh]

More importantly we had on you, our readers, phoning in live to ask questions and talk games. If you missed the live, call-in show you can stream the full episode right here or download the show from the link below. If you're a fan of the iPod you can also check out our show on iTunes where a subscription is a must.

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Madden NFL 10
DLC

Wal-Mart is going all out for the Madden 10 release, prepping thousands of stores for a midnight release on August 14th, with a couple of exclusive promotions to make sure players don't offend their loved ones too badly in the days following the game's release.

First off, Wal-Mart stores will have a limited edition Gillette Fusion NFL razor for sale with the game, with handles featuring your favorite NFL team. It doesn't specify that this is the Gilette Fusion Gamer, but seeing as that's just the normal Fusion marketed at gamers, it might as well be the same thing.

Then come the roses.

With thousands of men likely to be glued to the game after Friday, Walmart is rolling back the price of a dozen roses to $8 and making them easily available in the Electronics department, so guys, who may need some early forgiveness, can remember their gals who don't want to feel "left out." An easy to send and thoughtful "early apology email" is also available at Walmart.com/madden.

That's extremely thoughtful of them, isn't it? You can even visit the company's Madden micro-site and send a pre-emptive apology email. Extremely cheesy as well, but this is Wal-Mart. It's not as if they could have used my idea of an NFL-licensed marital aid anyway.

Wal-Mart is also offering a $10 online gift certificate to anyone who pre-orders the game online instead of hanging around the store in the middle of the night, but I'm not sure you can call yourself a Madden fan if you aren't physically handing over a method of payment at 12:01am.

Similarly, it doesn't mean it's all over for the runner. Rather than animate a three- or four-man rodeo as a Quicktime event with an irrevocable outcome (usually falling somewhere near the point of contact) the game now gives you some control to manipulate the direction of the impending pileup.

Moreover, you'll sometimes "have an offensive lineman hit you in the back and give you that first down." Just so long as that's all nice and incidental, m'friend. Otherwise, will this year's Madden include the rarely-ever called "helping the runner" penalty?

Monday Night Madden: Pro-Tak [GameTrailers]

Buried at the foot of a press release for the iPhone's "Spore Origins" is mention that both FIFA 10 and Madden 10 are "coming soon" to Apple handheld.

Wonder how they'll swing this? Obvious answer is some awful attempt at actual versions of the respective games. A pleasing answer would be that, via your EA account, both handheld titles are accompaniments to your console experience, and let you mess with management, tactics, player signings, etc. while on the road.

FIFA 10 and Madden NFL 10 are coming to App Store 'soon' [PocketGamer]

Speaking to ESPN Radio bleatmeister Colin Cowherd yesterday, Houshmandzadeh took issue with his overall 91, acknowledged a relatively low yard-per-catch stat, and then threw his old team (Cincinnati) under the bus to justify this fit of pique - which is all too typical of NFL players primarily tasked with catching or deflecting forward passes.

I understand I averaged 10 yards a catch, but it's the offense, not me. I'm not playing Madden no more until they get my rating right. ... I used to be the best in the world at Madden. I'm going to miss not playing it, but until they do me right, I' not playing it any more.

ESPN blogger Mike Sando points out that Houshmadzadeh was the sixth-best receiver in the NFC according to Madden 10, with scores of 95 or better in core skills such as catching, catch-in-traffic and route-running.

The hell else does he want? A 99 in place-kicking?

'Housh Boycotting 'Madden 10' Over Ratings [ESPN via Yahoo! Sports]

While PS3 owners and Xbox Live Silver subscribers will be able to download a demo of the Giants v Cowboys on July 30, if you're an Xbox Live Gold subscriber, you can get it on July 23. A whole seven days early, and the same day the GameStop demo - featuring the Steelers v Cardinals - is released.

Fun fact: despite my antipodean residence, I'm actually a big Niners fan. Tragic, I know, but that's how I roll.

Only those preordering Madden at GameStop will get a demo for the game. A demo for a game they've already committed to purchase.

Words fail me. Please, EA. Stop. Please.

UPDATE - It's OK! Don't blame EA! Blame GameStop, for issuing a press release that touted the demo as an exclusive, when it's not.

EA have let us know that there will be two demos made available. One for GameStop preorder customers, which features the Cards vs the Steelers (with 5-minute quarters), and a second demo for everyone, which will feature the Giants vs the Cowboys (with 2-minute quarters).

First up, the Wii version. With a...unique new visual style. Second one's the PS3/360 version

And to ram that point down your throat, EA Sports have released three new screens for the game, showing RB Ronnie Brown lining up in the Wildcat in three athletic, vein-bulging poses.

Hope there's not this much depth-of-field in the actual game.

Partly because it's one of the biggest-selling games in the world. Partly because some people have attached a ridiculous belief structure to the fate of the chosen athlete. And partly because, as much as people may publicly decry them, many of you love your sports games.

Realising this, EA Sports know they can squeeze a bit of mileage out of the process. Instead of naming the guy who will be on the box, they're naming nine guys on a shortlist. And revealing only four of them this week.

Cheap, we know, but in the interests of keeping sports fans in the loop, here they are:

- Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger
- Giant RB Brandon Jacobs
- Vikings RB Adrian Peterson
- Ravens FS Ed Reed

While there are still 5 names to go, my money's already on Peterson.