Kotaku: madden nfl 10

Latest Madden Patch Pays Tribute to Slain QB

Owen Good — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 19:20:00 MST

The second patch for EA Sports' Madden NFL 10 adds the tribute helmet sticker Tennessee is wearing for Steve McNair, murdered in the offseason by his deranged mistress. Philadelphia defensive coordinator Jim Johnson also gets the memorial treatment.

Those are the cosmetic changes to the game. Many others are included with the next patch, which hits the PS3 as of now and the Xbox 360 sometime soon.

• Improvements in covering of the flats
• Improved pursuit angles
• CPU takes sacks more often instead of the last second throws while getting hit
• Worked on eliminating various exploits such as with the RB Direct Snap
• Fixing of problems caused by first patch such as black squares for numbers on some helmets
• Addition of Seahawks alternate uniforms
• Tribute sticker for Steve McNair added to Titans helmets
• Tribute sticker for Defensive Coordinator Jim Johnson added to Eagles helmets
• Doubled the length of replays
• Increased frequency of auto-replays especially after touchdowns
• Reduced the number of times the chain-gang measurement scene occurs
• Extended time in post-play to allow those scenes to fully play out
• Stats tuned for franchise mode
• Decreased chances of injury for players with high injury ratings
• Included each player's draft info to be viewable in franchise

The 360 patch is coming later. "Unfortunately, during the certification process for the 360, update issues were found that will prevent it's release this week," said Phil Frazier, a senior producer on Madden. "Assuming all goes well with our new submission, the title update for the 360 should be released this time next week."

Second Patch for Madden 10 Now Available (PS3) [Pasta Padre]

Backbreaker Going For Broke

AJ Glasser — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 11:40:00 MST

I can't imagine how scary it is for a developer to pitch a football video game when their name isn't EA Sports. I imagine a room full of people going dead silent before someone says, "You mean like Madden?"

That may not have been what developer NaturalMotion went through while pitching Backbreaker to publisher 505 Games — the name doesn't even suggest football — but even when the dreaded Madden comparison was made, it was successfully dodged with "This is an alternative to Madden." The idea is that the developer approached football with a completely clean slate and no aspirations of doing what Madden does only somehow better.

Instead, NaturalMotion is using the Euphoria engine (of Grand Theft Auto IV fame) to craft a more game-y feel for the classic American sport. All the animations are real time as opposed to canned and the perspective from which the developer showed me the game was something like a third person action/adventure camera angle. Like GTA IV, only with football.

Backbreaker was in pre-alpha, so I wasn't able to see much. I watched an 11x11 Exhibition match in a Day Mode stadium (the game will have both night and raining modes for stadiums as well). A bug prevented us from switching views or switching between players, so I watched two or three plays from the perspective of a quarterback and a linebacker. Immediately, it felt like a more intimate experience from what I remember of Madden's overhead God view — although I confess I lack Owen Good's extensive knowledge of the series, so I'm not sure if there's a comparable camera angle in Madden NFL 10. Either way, I can definitely say that the football players move differently than I expect from my sports games. It's almost like they're less-realistic to look at, but when they tackle somebody, the response of the character model is more realistic.

Stuck in this perspective, I worried that it would be hard to see where the ball was — that is the challenge of sports in real life that they don't come with glowing icons. To tackle this problem (pun intended), the game makes the player who has the ball glow red. I like this because it doesn't make it too easy to find the ball, but it does cut back on the chances of me tackling the wrong guy.

When Backbreaker is finished, NaturalMotion plans to have all kinds of views in place during games, including a jumbo-tron view mode to review tackles or spectacular plays. At launch, they also plan to have 32 teams (and the ability to make your own) with 16 stadiums in day, night and raining modes. (Note that these teams and stadiums are only modeled after real life teams and stadiums — Madden sort of has the market cornered on that kind of realism.) Backbreaker will also have mini-games like something called Tackle Alley that I didn't get to see, and two difficulties for both the casual and hardcore players and online functionality for all. A press release sent out last night also says that the game will have two variants for on the field play: evasive mode and aggressive mode. I assume it has to do with offense and defense, but all the release says is "in evasive mode, players are more agile ... though they are more likely to fumble when tackled" and "in aggressive mode, players can stiff arm and fight through linemen, run faster and fend off big hits and tackles."

Hm. Sounds like it might be more fun to be aggressive. B-E Aggressive (sorry, had to do it!).

Backbreaker is looking at an April 2010 release for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.

The PlayStation 3 Buyer's Guide

Brian Ashcraft — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 13:00:00 MST

With at least one potential game of the year exclusively nesting on the Playstation 3 and a price drop under its belt, the PS3 has had a pretty darn good year.

My favorite among the games listed is Uncharted 2: Among Thieves, which probably isn't surprising. What is yours? Anything we didn't review that you would suggest?

Remember, the games listed aren't all recommendations. Instead we're providing this as a quick reference guide to help you decide if a game is a good gift or not.

50 Cent: Blood on the Sand

Price: $59.99
Rating: Mature
Genre: Third-person hip-hop shooter
Subject Matter: 50 Cent: Blood on the Sand tells the unintentionally(?) amusing tale of rapper 50 Cent as he struggles to reclaim his diamond encrusted skull from a Middle Eastern bad guy. He's assisted by his G Unit hangers on and some laughably outlandish moments.
Value: An adequately long adventure, made seemingly longer by endlessly looping 50 Cent songs. There are much better games to give this holiday season.
Buy it for: someone as a gag. Or a die hard 50 Cent fan fresh from a six month coma.
Read the Full Review

Assassin's Creed II

Price: $59.99
Rating: M
Genre: Free-running platforming adventure game
Subject Matter: Assassinations and conspiracy spent mostly in 15th century Renaissance Italy.
Value: Lots more content than the first game had, probably lasting gamers at least double the time they spent with the first Assassin's Creed.
Buy it for: People who were let down by the first game, people who like history, beautiful scenery, dynamic platforming, solving mysteries and games that might be the Game of the Year.
Read the Full Review

Batman: Arkham Asylum
Price:$59.99
Rating: T
Genre: Action/Adventure
Subject Matter: Join one of comic books' most iconic heroes on an adventure in Gotham City's insane asylum, where The Joker is on the loose.
Value: With character ability customization, bonus challenge maps and tons of riddles courtesy of The Riddler, Arkham Asylum offers at least three playthroughs' worth of fun.
Buy it for: Batman fans and anybody jonesing for a Mark Hamill voice over fix.
Read the full review

The Beatles: Rock Band
Price: The stand-alone game sells for $59.99, the Limited Edition Premium Bundle sell for $249.99, the Rickenbacker 325 Standalone Guitar and the Gretsch Duo Jet Standalone Guitar sells for $99.99.
Rating: Teen
Genre: Rhythm music game
Subject Matter: The Beatles: Rock Band is a musical journey through the history of one of the world's most popular bands.
Value: For those new to the Rock Band phenomenon and fans of The Beatles, this 45-track game is well worth a purchase because this is the only way you'll play The Beatles music in a Rock Band game. If you're not into the band, give this a pass.
Buy it for: huge Beatles fans.
Read the Full Review

Borderlands

Price: $59.99
Rating: Mature
Genre: First-person shooter RPG
Subject Matter: Borderlands targets the loot-hungry region of the brain, offering four classes with which to stalk the planet Pandora, shoot things and level up, acquiring cool guns, sweet armor and totally rad superpowers. As role-playing games go, it's shallow, but offers a constant stream of junk food gaming.
Value: Seeing all that Borderlands has to offer could take hundreds of hours. But the real value comes in the form of being able to play with friends on PlayStation Network or via splitscreen.
Buy it for: the loot glutton with an itchy trigger finger and a history of playing Diablo.
Read the Full Review

Brutal Legend

Price: $59.99 Rating: Mature
Genre: Action Adventure
Subject Matter: Brutal Legend is a heavy metal-themed action game that combines racing, shooting, real-time strategy, and hack and slash into one slightly disjointed mix.
Value: Brutal Legend is a game from Tim Schafer, one of gaming's greatest comedy minds, and the absurd humor carries the game a long way. It's the story of a roadie who gets transported to a heavy metal world where he must raise an army to free the oppressed inhabitants. There's plenty to do, though the odd mix of genres might be too much for some players.
Buy it for: Anyone with a strong affection for heavy metal music or sa twisted sense of humor.
Read the Full Review

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2

Price: $59.99 to $149.99
Rating: Mature
Genre: First-person military shooter
Subject Matter: Lead a team of elite commandoes in Modern Warfare 2 as they try to prevent a Russian invasion and global thermonuclear war. Then take the action online, going head to head against other well-armed gamers. It's loud, violent and a hell of a lot of fun to play.
Value: Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2's single-player storyline may be short, but the package more than makes up for it with ample cooperative and competitive multiplayer modes. Near endless replayability will be stoked with future downloadable content.
Buy it for: the Michael Bay action movie fan who likes his shooters bombastic and nearly devoid of a comprehensible story, one who doesn't shy away from ultra-violent fare.
Read the Full Review

Critter Crunch

Price: $6.99
Rating: Everyone
Genre: Puzzle
Subject Matter: A puzzle game with bug eating, cute critters and sorta cut, sorta gross tecnicolor yarn.
Value: The good puzzle game mechanic is strong and addictive — add to that beautiful graphics, a lengthy adventure mode and super fun multiplayer and you have a good time. With barf.
Buy it for: Gamers with a strong like of puzzle titles and no fear of cute puke.
Read the Full Review

Call of Juarez: Bound in Blood

Price: $39.99
Rating: Mature
Genre: First-person shooter
Subject Matter: Call of Juarez: Bound in Blood is a Civil War era first-person shooter.
Value: With an engaging story, wide open maps and plenty of mulitplayer options, this game will take up quite a bit of your time.
Buy it for: First-person shooter enthusiasts, fans of the Wild West and Civil War buffs.
Read the Full Review

DJ Hero
Price: $119.99
Rating: Teen
Genre: Rhythm
Subject Matter: DJ Hero is a rhythm game featuring a replica DJ turntable so players can mix and scratch to the beat of original music mash-ups.
Value: DJ Hero features upwards fo 100 different DJ-driven mash-ups featuring songs from the 70's on up to present-day hits. Unlike the latest Guitar Hero or Rock Band games, however, it's only good for one or two players, so the party element just isn't there. The innovative turntable-based gameplay makes it a breath of fresh air in the currently band-centric music genre, but it certainly isn't as social.
Buy it for: Fans of eclectic music mixes and lonely Guitar Hero fans.
Read the Full Review

Dragon Age: Origins
Price: $49.99
Rating:Mature
Genre: Roleplaying
Subject Matter: An epic action roleplaying game set in a world besieged by evil inside and out.
Value: Dragon Age: Origins packs more than 100 hours of gameplay into this action RPG, with branching story paths that encourage multiple play throughs in order to experience it all. BioWare designed the game so it can be played by RPG gamers of any skill level, but mature content and strong sexual situations mean you might want to keep it in the high teens.
Buy it for: Anyone who has ever conversationally mentioned hit points.
Read the Full Review

EyePet

Price: £20 game only, £35 with PlayStation Eye (game currently only available in PAL territories)
Rating: E
Genre: Virtual Pet Management
Subject Matter: Using the PlayStation Eye, "directly" interact with a digital pet on your TV screen.
Value: Smaller kids won't mind the game lacks any real direction, they'll be happy to play it every few days just to check on their pet.
Buy it for: Kids who think Tamagotchi is so 20th century.
Read the Full Review

Fallout 3: Broken Steel

Price: $10 (Requires a copy of Fallout 3)
Rating: M
Genre: Post-apocalyptic role-playing game
Subject Matter: Fallout 3 expansion involving missions with a high-powered fighting force.
Value: High because it extends the level cap to Fallout 3, changes the game's ending and allows the adventure to be played infinitely once the story has "ended"
Buy it for: Fallout 3 fans who want to play more; essential for anyone getting any Fallout 3 downloadable content
Read the Full Review

Fallout 3: Mothership Zeta

Price: $10.00 (Requires a copy of Fallout 3)
Rating: Mature
Genre: Still a post-apocalyptic RPG
Subject Matter: It's Fallout 3 in space!
Value: Mothership Zeta gives the Fallout 3 player an entire spaceship to explore and make their own, some futuristic new weapons, and tacks a good five hours onto the regular campaign, making it a relatively fair value for your money.
Buy it for: Fallout 3 fans.
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Fallout 3: Point Lookout

Price: $10 (Requires a copy of Fallout 3)
Rating: M
Genre: Post-apocalyptic role-playing game
Subject Matter: Fallout 3 in microcosm, set on a spooky island.
Value: Tons of content, and widely seen as the Fallout 3 downloadable content that best shares the strengths of the base game.
Buy it for: Fallout 3 fans.
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Fat Princess

Price: $14.99
Rating: Teen
Genre: Action
Subject Matter: Capture the flag? No, capture the princess. And feed her cake, so she's fat and hard for enemies to cart her off.
Value: Single player weakness aside, the main draw here is multiplayer. That, and cake. Cake's always a draw. Always.
Buy it for: Gamers with a sweet tooth for multiplayer.
Read the Full Review

FIFA Soccer 2010

Price: $49.99
Rating: E
Genre: Round-Ball Football
Subject Matter: The best football game on the market.
Value: Almost endless. There are so many leagues and cups, and such a deep singleplayer experience, that it can be played to death until FIFA 11 is released. And that's before we even get to the 10v10 multiplayer…
Buy it for: Anyone who has even a passing interest in the world game.
Read the Full Review

Fight Night Round 4

Price: $59.99
Rating: T
Genre: Boxing
Subject Matter: Boxing
Value: Tons of fighters, good online options and no real competition.
Buy it for: Boxing fans or people looking for a fighting-based game that has longer-lasting fights.
Read the Full Review

G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra

Price: $49.99
Rating: Teen
Genre: Action
Subject Matter: A arcade-style shooter loosely based on the live-action G.I. Joe movie.
Value: G.I. Joe is a movie tie-in strangely reminiscent of Konami's Contra series. One or two players take control of their favorite Joes from the movie and take on Cobra across multiple levels of run-and-gun action. There are a few unlockables catering to fans of the old cartoon series, but other than that this is strictly a movie-lover's affair.
Buy it for: Really, really big fans of the G.I. Joe live-action movie.
Read the Full Review

Guitar Hero 5

Price: $59.99 for the game, $99.99 with a guitar controller included
Rating: Teen
Genre: Music/Rythym
Subject Matter: It's Guitar Hero. You play a quintet of color-coordinated "notes" as they scroll downscreen to a new selection of music.
Value: Guitar Hero 5 offers a great suite of single and multiplayer modes, the most robust options yet for the series. What it doesn't offer is the series' most attractive soundtrack, despite an 85 song strong line up. Good for the new Guitar Hero gamer, but that money may be better spent on downloadable songs.
Buy it for: for Guitar Hero noobs who have extremely eclectic taste in music.
Read the Full Review

inFamous

Price: $59.99
Rating: T
Genre: Open-world action game
Subject Matter:Gritty adventures of an electricity-based super-hero from the makers of the Sly Cooper series.
Value:Designed to be played through twice to explore two distinct moral paths.
Buy it for: Super-hero fans and folks who like Grand-Theft-Auto style open-world games.
Read the Full Review

Katamari Forever

Price: $49.99
Rating: Everyone
Genre: Planet-building action
Subject Matter: Katamari Forever offers a greatest hits style package of the Katamari Damacy series' more memorable levels. Players will roll the titular sticky katamari over objects, building bigger and bigger piles of stuff to replace the universe's missing stars and planets and ultimately please the King of All Cosmos.
Value: At $49.99, Katamari Forever is the most expensive entry yet, a high price for a game that's largely rehashed content. But the content is vast and offers plenty to play. Sadly, there's no online component to help extend the experience.
Buy it for: the fan of quirky games who somehow missed every other Katamari Damacy game or the kid that longs to make snowballs in the summer time.
Read the Full Review

Killzone 2

Price: $59.99
Rating: Mature
Genre: Single-person shooter
Subject Matter: Killzone 2 takes the fight to the Helghast, with an invading force landing on Helghan.
Value: Even though this game landed back in February, you would be remiss if you forgot to check it out. Next to Uncharted 2, this is one of the top games for the Playstation 3. The chunky single-player experience backed by 32-player multiplayer matches makes this a very good deal as well.
Buy it for: Anyone with a Playstation 3 who some how missed this title when it first hit.
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The King of Fighters XII

Price: $59.99
Rating: Teen
Genre: Fighting
Subject Matter: SNK Playmore's latest entry in its King of Fighter series is a return to its roots with 2D fighting and hand-drawn graphics.
Value: The game feels largely unfinished — though, the parts which are done should please the hardcore fans.
Buy it for: Die-hard SNK fighting game fans.
Read the Full Review

Madden NFL 10

Price: $59.99
Rating: Everyone
Genre: Sports
Subject Matter: The only video game licensed by the NFL, covering the current season.
Value: For the first time on the current console generation, Madden earns its must-own status among sports gamers. The fine-tuned action is slightly slower, creating greater big play potential on both sides of the ball.
Buy it for: Any sports gamer who doesn't yet have it. Madden is a no-brainer gift that any sports fan will enjoy.
Read the Full Review

Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2

Price: $59.99
Rating: Teen
Genre: Action RPG
Subject Matter: Tons of Marvel heroes take on tons of Marvel villains
Value: Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 may not quite live up to the thrill of the original, but it is a more cohesive package overall, with a storyline ripped from Marvel's Civil War storyline and a good dozen hours of heroic fun for 1-4 players.
Read the Full Review

Marvel VS. Capcom 2

Price: $15.00
Rating: Teen
Genre: Fighting
Subject Matter: Marvel characters. Capcom characters. Fighting.
Value: Marvel vs. Capcom 2 contains one of the largest roster in fighting game history, with 56 Marvel and Capcom characters to choose from. The sheer amount of variety plus online multiplayer makes this one downloadable title well worth the price.
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Mini Ninjas

Price: $49.99
Rating: E
Genre: Juvenile Bush Disguise/Phantom Removal
Subject Matter: Play as one of a band of adorable child ninjas on a quest to kill a bad guy and free the adorable little forest animals.
Value: A somewhat short singleplayer game, but the ability to play as one of several ninjas means there's plenty of replay value.
Buy it for: Anyone. Everyone. Kids will love the straight-forward combat, adults will find there's a great stealth and combat system lurking under the hood.
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Modern Warfare 2 Combat Controller Camo

Price: $49.99
Rating: N/A
Genre: N/A
Subject Matter: This wireless controller features programmable buttons, better triggers and a Modern Warfare 2 theme.
Value: It's a bit pricey, but if you're a big fan of the game and like the idea of programmable buttons, it's probably worth the $50.
Buy it for: Fans of Modern Warfare 2.
Read the Full Review

Modern Warfare 2 Combat Controller Camo Faceplate

Price: $14.99
Rating: N/A
Genre: N/A
Subject Matter: This faceplate snaps onto your Playstation 3 controller.
Value: For $15 it's not bad, but not a great deal. Consider it a cheaper alternative to buying a new controller.
Buy it for: HUGE fans of Modern Warfare 2.
Read the Full Review

Modern Warfare 2 Combat Wireless Headset

Price: $39.99
Rating: N/A
Genre: N/A
Subject Matter: This wireless headset gives weak lip-service to Modern Warfare 2.
Value: The painful design and static-filled connection makes this a bad deal.
Buy it for: Someone you hate.
Read the Full Review

NCAA Football 10

Price: $59.99
Rating: Everyone
Genre: Sports
Subject Matter: The tradition and pageantry of college football's 115 teams, plus any schools you might choose to create.
Value: NCAA Football 10 is the deepest simulation of a sport, on and off the field, of any currently available sports title.
Buy it for: Any sports nut with a serious helping of school pride or leftover nostalgia for college days gone by.
Read the Full Review

NBA 2K10

Price: $59.99
Rating: Everyone
Genre: Sports
Subject Matter: NBA 2K10 celebrates the 10th anniversary of 2K Sports' best-in-class basketball simulation.
Value: NBA 2K10 offers a much more varied set of gameplay modes, both single- and multiplayer, than its challenger NBA Live 10. Its season simulation lacks the aspect of playing in this year's league but is deeper in all other regards. My Player, in which you create and control one player on his journey from prospect to all-star, is tough but a rewarding experience.
Buy it for: Serious basketball fans with some exposure to the sport in real life, either as a player or a devoted fan.
Read the Full Review

NBA Live 10

Price: $59.99
Rating: Everyone
Genre: Sports
Subject Matter: NBA Live 10 is EA Sports' current title covering pro basketball's upcoming season.
Value: EA Sports has poured a ton of effort into resurrecting the franchise. New controls enabling you to move players off the ball on offense and defense are easy to learn and a real plus. Dynamic DNA allows you to run your season simulation as if it were taking place among current league events in real life.
Buy it for: Basketball fans who prefer singleplayer sports gaming, want a very accurate league simulation, and an easy-to-comprehend control set.
Read the Full Review

NHL 2K10

Price: $39.99
Rating: Everyone 10+
Genre: Sports
Subject Matter: NHL 2K10 is 2K Sports' current title covering professional hockey's latest season.
Value: NHL 2K10 is still a runner-up to EA's NHL 10, but it is not without merit. It features the same robust multiplayer package as its NBA cousin. The action's a little arcadey, but it also is the only NHL title with the league's popular outdoor classic venues.
Buy it for: A casual-to-moderate hockey fan who enjoys lots of scoring action.

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Operation Flashpoint: Dragon Rising
Price: $59.99
Rating: Mature
Genre: Realistic military first-person shooter
Subject Matter: Operation Flashpoint: Dragon Rising is a relatively open-world tactical shooter that has players trying to take the fictional island of Skira from China.
Value: Plagued with problems this shooter doesn't deliver much for the premium price you pay.
Buy it for: hardcore fans of realistic shooters that offer no chance for mistakes or do-overs.
Read the Full Review

Pro Evolution Soccer 2010

Price: $59.99
Rating: E
Genre: Sports
Subject Matter: Football title encompassing international and club tournaments, manager modes and online play.
Value: Pro Evo's "Master League", a time-devouring game mode incorporating RPG and strategy elements, is the one area fans remain devoted to this series ahead of its rival, EA Sports' FIFA.
Buy it for: Football fans who like to not only play a good game, but also roll up their sleeves and get lost in a sea of statistics and growth charts.
Read the Full Review

Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack In Time
Price: $59.99
Rating: E10+
Genre: Third-person shooter (Ratchet sections); Third-person time-manipulation puzzle-platformer (Clank sections).
Subject Matter: The third PS3 Ratchet is still an action game, but has a stronger than normal narrative, as Ratchet discovers he's not the last of his species, while Clank discovers his origins.
Value: A bombastic single-player campaign full of spectacular cartoon visuals is designed to be replayed, with new content and missions available only after the first play-through is complete.
Buy it for: Jaded Ratchet fans who were waiting for the series to feel special again; fans of cartoon visuals who don't mind their entertainment feeling like a fun all-ages sci-fi adventure.
Read the Full Review

Resident Evil 5

Price: $39.99
Rating: Mature
Genre: Survival Horror meets third-person shooter
Subject Matter: The latest iteration in the famed survival horror game ditches a bit of the slow pacing and fear for a bit more of an action feel.
Value: A worthy addition to anyone's library, but perhaps not the sort of game you'll keep around after it's completed.
Buy it for: fans of Resident Evil and those interested in the premise of the franchise but not in the steady pacing of the gameplay.
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Street Fighter IV

Price: $29.99
Rating: Teen
Genre: Fighter
Subject Matter: The next iteration in the storied and fabulous fighter brings with it a dynamic new look and a death grip on classic mechanics.
Value: Packed with playable characters both old and new and a mechanic that is timeless, the online play and in-room versus mode make this a great deal..
Buy it for: fighting fans, Street Fighter fans.
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Tekken 6
Price: $59.99
Rating: Teen
Genre: Fighter
Subject Matter: Once you've mastered the moves of your favorite character, Tekken 6's 3D fights are all about timing and tactics.
Value: With 40 playable characters and a seemingly endless single-player campaign, Tekken 6 is a good deal for fans of the franchise willing to put up with some online issues.
Buy it for: fighting fans, Tekken fans, and maybe as a taste of something different for Street Fighter IV fans.
Read the Full Review

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
Price: $59.99
Rating: Teen
Genre: Action adventure third-person shooter.
Subject Matter: A well-crafted story and pithy dialogue is backed by solid third-person shooter action, stunning Himalayan backdrops and a smattering of puzzles to solve and things to climb.
Value: The story-driven campaign will only take up about eight hours of your time, but the plentiful and creative mulitplayer modes are sure to be a lasting time drain.
Buy it for: anyone with a Playstation 3. Uncharted 2: Among Thieves is destined to be one of the best games of the year.
Read the Full Review

WET
Price: $59.99
Rating: Mature
Genre: Third-person acrobatic shooter.
Subject Matter: Rubi Malone is a leather-pants wearing, wall-running, pole-spinning death machine. She can shoot two shotguns while flipping through the air, slide under tables to hamstring and gut with her sword, and regains health by swigging liquor.
Value: The single-player only game has a sizable campaign, fantastic music and troubled controls and camera work. It's sort of a mixed bag.
Buy it for: fans of Kill Bill and fast-paced action noire games.
Read the Full Review

Wolfenstein

Price: $59.99
Rating: Mature
Genre: First-Person Shooter
Subject Matter: World War II First-Person Shooter with Occult Tendencies
Value: While Wolfenstein is an excellent first-person shooter from a technical standpoint, the story is a bit far-fetched and the multiplayer is disappointing, especially in the face of games like Modern Warfare 2.
Buy it for: First-person shooter fans looking for a little something different.
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WWE Smackdown Vs. Raw 2010
Price: $59.99
Rating: T
Genre: Pro wrestling
Subject Matter: WWE wrestling, with deep customization options allowing players to create and share their own characters, moves and — the big new addition — storylines.
Value: High value for those who will take advantage of the online play and content creation/sharing.
Buy it for: WWE fans, even those who don't like current WWE programming, since those disgruntled fans can create the WWE of their own liking using the game's deep editors.
Read the Full Review

The Xbox 360 Buyer's Guide

Michael McWhertor — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 08:00:00 MST

New Halo, new downloadables for Mass Effect, Fallout 3, and Grand Theft Auto, new Forza. It was a pretty good year for Xbox 360 owners.

Pick through the list to decide which games to give and get and leave a comment to point out any you would add that we didn't review.

And don't forget, this is more reference material than it is suggestion. Just because it's on the list doesn't mean we're saying you should get it.

Axel & Pixel
Price: 800 Microsoft Points ($10)
Rating: Everyone
Genre: Adventure
Subject Matter: A point and click adventure game about a man and his dog escaping a dream world with small doses of action.
Value: Axel & Pixel is a good couple of hours worth of relaxing adventure gaming, with a few action / racing segments tossed in to keep things interesting. It's very simply, extremely easy, and once you are done there isn't much reason to go back through it.
Buy it for: Adventure game fans and older parents, to show them that consoles have something for them too.
Read the Full Review

Borderlands

Price: $59.99
Rating: Mature
Genre: First-person shooter RPG
Subject Matter: Borderlands targets the loot-hungry region of the brain, offering four classes with which to stalk the planet Pandora, shoot things and level up, acquiring cool guns, sweet armor and totally rad superpowers. As role-playing games go, it's shallow, but offers a constant stream of junk food gaming.
Value: Seeing all that Borderlands has to offer could take hundreds of hours. But the real value comes in the form of being able to play with friends on Xbox Live or via splitscreen.
Buy it for: the loot glutton with an itchy trigger finger and a history of playing Diablo.
Read the Full Review

Brutal Legend
Price: $59.99 Rating: Mature
Genre: Action Adventure
Subject Matter: Brutal Legend is a heavy metal-themed action game that combines racing, shooting, real-time strategy, and hack and slash into one slightly disjointed mix.
Value: Brutal Legend is a game from Tim Schafer, one of gaming's greatest comedy minds, and the absurd humor carries the game a long way. It's the story of a roadie who gets transported to a heavy metal world where he must raise an army to free the oppressed inhabitants. There's plenty to do, though the odd mix of genres might be too much for some players.
Buy it for: Anyone with a strong affection for heavy metal music or sa twisted sense of humor.
Read the Full Review

Fairytale Fights

Price: $59.99
Rating: M
Genre: Action
Subject Matter: A quartet of cutesy fairytale characters set out to regain their fame by beating the beejesus out of other cutesy things.
Value: With two-player cooperative play and a four player battle royal mode, you can really let out you violent side in buckets of cartoony blood.
Buy it for: People who need a healthy way to blow off steam after a bad day at work. Just don't be standing next to them if the game happens to crash and they need an immediate alternative.
Read the Full Review

Forza Motorsport 3

Price: $59.99
Rating: Everyone
Genre: Driving simulation
Subject Matter: Forza Motorsport 3 takes the driving simulation in a new direction, making it easier than ever to get into a car, upgrade it, tune it and take if for a spin. For more advance driving game fans, there's plenty of hardcore driving simulation to enjoy as well.
Value: Hundreds of cars, dozens of tracks, thousands of upgrade possibilities and an increasing amount of user-generated content available via the game's storefront, all purchased with in-game credits, not real money, make Forza Motorsport 3 a great driving value.
Buy it for: the Xbox 360 owner who likes to go fast.
Read the Full Review

Gears of War 2: Dark Corners

Price: 1200 Microsoft Points (about $15)
Rating: Mature
Genre: Third-person tactical shooter
Subject Matter: This downloadable add-on for Gears of War 2 lets players run through The Road to Ruin, a campaign level original cut from the game.
Value: With a new single-player level, seven new multiplayer maps and director's commentary, you can't go wrong for $15.
Buy it for: Owners and fans of the original Gears of War 2.
Read the Full Review

Grand Theft Auto: The Ballad of Gay Tony
Price: $20 if downloaded through Xbox Live Arcade (requires a copy of Grand Theft Auto IV) or $39.95 if purchased as one half of the Grand Theft Auto IV: Episodes From Liberty City disc (GTA IV not required; Episodes disc also includes the similarly-sized first GTA IV expansion, Grand Theft Auto: The Lost and Damned.)
Rating: M
Genre: Open world, third-person shooter.
Subject Matter: Over-the-top modern crime drama set in a fictional New York City.
Value: Offers more content per dollar than just about anything else downloadable on the Xbox 360, a 13-hour-plus campaign, numerous side activities and returning multiplayer challenges similar to what was offered with GTA IV.
Buy it for: People who thought GTA IV was too tame and wished their lead character would be asked to parachute off skyscrapers, steal subway cars (with a helicopter), dance in a nightclub and cross paths with the last two protagonists in the GTA IV saga.
Read the Full Review

Halo 3: ODST

Price: $59.99
Rating: M
Genre: First-person shooter
Subject Matter: Daytime sci-fi military action interspersed with noir-inspired nighttime sleuthing.
Value: Varies depending on one's Halo experience. A seven-hour campaign and the offline Firefight mode can be played with up to four players and is all-new, but only three of the game's 24 multiplayer maps haven't been sold — and possibly purchased by the prospective ODST consumer — before.
Buy it for: Halo fans who either never bought Halo 3's bonus maps or wouldn't spend $60 of their own for ODST because they did.
Read the Full Review

Left 4 Dead 2

Price: $59.99
Rating: Mature
Genre: First-person horror shooter
Subject Matter: Four Survivors fight their way through a gory zombie apocalypse in the Southeastern United States, decapitating, dismembering and generally destroying every walking dead human in their path. Cooperative multiplayer is at the core of the Left 4 Dead 2 experience.
Value: Left 4 Dead 2 is a multiplayer game with a massive amount of replayability, but requires cooperative gameplay and reliable friends to fully enjoy. There's very little here for the lone, single-player gamer, so make sure that Live subscription is all paid up.
Buy it for: the grown-up Xbox Live Gold subscriber who believes there's no "I" in team and may be disappointed with the body count in Modern Warfare 2 and Halo 3 ODST.
Read the Full Review

Lucidity

Price: 800 Points
Rating: Everyone
Genre: Platform/Puzzle
Subject Matter: Little girl Sofi wanders through her dreams, looking for her lost Nana.
Value: While the puzzle gameplay element is average, the art style is superb.
Buy it for: Tim Burton fans.
Read the Full Review

Mad Catz Modern Warfare 2 Throat Communicator

Price: $29.99
Rating: NA
Genre: NA
Subject Matter: This throat communicator is meant to replace the need for a standard Xbox 360 microphone.
Value: The throat communicator does a great job of cutting down on room noise for your friends and feels pretty comfortable. If those things are important to you, you should pick this up.
Buy it for: Modern Warfare 2 enthusiasts, online gamers and friends who play in noisy settings.
Read the Full Review

Madden NFL 10
Price: $59.99
Rating: Everyone
Genre: Sports
Subject Matter: The only video game licensed by the NFL, covering the current season.
Value: For the first time on the current console generation, Madden earns its must-own status among sports gamers. The fine-tuned action is slightly slower, creating greater big play potential on both sides of the ball.
Buy it for: Any sports gamer who doesn't yet have it. Madden is a no-brainer gift that any sports fan will enjoy.
Read the Full Review

Mass Effect: Pinnacle Station

Price: $5 (requires a copy of Mass Effect)
Rating: M
Genre: Bonus missions for third-person shooter/role-playing game
Subject Matter: Mass Effect gets a battle simulator to allow goal-based shooting challenges.
Value: High for those looking for something new in the original Mass Effect while awaiting the January sequel; low for people looking for what made the first game popular.
Buy it for: Mass Effect completists, though you'll only be able to buy them download points for this game or give them a small check.
Read the Full Review

Modern Warfare 2 Combat Controller Camo

Price: $49.99
Rating: N/A
Genre: N/A
Subject Matter: This wired controller features programmable buttons, better triggers and a Modern Warfare 2 theme.
Value: It's a bit pricey, but if you're a big fan of the game and like the idea of programmable buttons, it's probably worth the $50.
Buy it for: Fans of Modern Warfare 2.
Read the Full Review

NBA 2K10
Price: $59.99
Rating: Everyone
Genre: Sports
Subject Matter: NBA 2K10 celebrates the 10th anniversary of 2K Sports' best-in-class basketball simulation.
Value: NBA 2K10 offers a much more varied set of gameplay modes, both single- and multiplayer, than its challenger NBA Live 10. Its season simulation lacks the aspect of playing in this year's league but is deeper in all other regards. My Player, in which you create and control one player on his journey from prospect to all-star, is tough but a rewarding experience.
Buy it for: Serious basketball fans with some exposure to the sport in real life, either as a player or a devoted fan.
Read the Full Review

NBA Live 10
Price: $59.99
Rating: Everyone
Genre: Sports
Subject Matter: NBA Live 10 is EA Sports' current title covering pro basketball's upcoming season.
Value: EA Sports has poured a ton of effort into resurrecting the franchise. New controls enabling you to move players off the ball on offense and defense are easy to learn and a real plus. Dynamic DNA allows you to run your season simulation as if it were taking place among current league events in real life.
Buy it for: Basketball fans who prefer singleplayer sports gaming, want a very accurate league simulation, and an easy-to-comprehend control set.
Read the Full Review

NCAA Football 10
Price: $59.99
Rating: Everyone
Genre: Sports
Subject Matter: The tradition and pageantry of college football's 115 teams, plus any schools you might choose to create.
Value: NCAA Football 10 is the deepest simulation of a sport, on and off the field, of any currently available sports title.
Buy it for: Any sports nut with a serious helping of school pride or leftover nostalgia for college days gone by.
Read the Full Review

NHL 2K10
Price: $39.99
Rating: Everyone 10+
Genre: Sports
Subject Matter: NHL 2K10 is 2K Sports' current title covering professional hockey's latest season.
Value: NHL 2K10 is still a runner-up to EA's NHL 10, but it is not without merit. It features the same robust multiplayer package as its NBA cousin. The action's a little arcadey, but it also is the only NHL title with the league's popular outdoor classic venues.
Buy it for: A casual-to-moderate hockey fan who enjoys lots of scoring action.
Read the Full Review

South Park Let's Go Tower Defense Play!

Price: 800 Microsoft Points
Rating: Mature
Genre: Tower Defense
Subject Matter: South Park Let's Go Tower Defense Play! has the South Park kids big towers to fend off enemies that range from gnomes to old people in an 11 mission campaign.
Buy it for: Fans of South Park, fans of tower defense games, and fans of both.
Value: The game features unlockable characters and challenging maps (especially the later levels), co-op and online. There are also unlockable clips from the show.
Read the Full Review

Trials HD

Price: 1200 Points
Rating: Teen
Genre: Racing/Puzzle
Subject Matter: Trials HD is a twist on motorbike racing: Players must navigate trick courses and tricky in-game physics as fast as they can.
Value: The game features over 50 tracks and seemingly simple, yet deep game play — offering replay value as your skills continue to get better and better. A level editor lets players make their own courses. It's the Excite Bike of the 21st Century.
Buy it for: Those who want more from their racing games than speed.
Read the Full Review

Football Fans — Here's Collinsworth NFL 10

Owen Good — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 20:00:00 MDT

Cris Collinsworth took over as the color analyst for the Madden franchise last year. John Madden retired from broadcasting this year. As this video suggests, it's only a matter of time before the ex-Bengals receiver takes over the title

Collinsworth (as voiced by NYC comedian Rob Lathan) has to start out somewhere, so here he begins by calling the action for Intellivision's ~~Rural New Mexico Six-on-Six Football~~ NFL Football (and the later All-Pro Football, with the forward pass perfected by the Mattel LED handhelds years before).

Remember, "You've never lived until one of those clowns flips you upside down." It's a sound bite you hear 48 zillion times in the most mundane Madden NFL 10 game. It'd also take up 20 times the memory of one of these ROMs.

Collinsworth NFL 10 - Rated E for Effort [YouTube, thanks Ian V.]

Show Your NFL Pride On Xbox Live

Mike Fahey — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 09:40:00 MDT

If anyone was crazy enough to spend $4 on a tiny virtual football jersey it's those whacky NFL Football fans.

The Xbox Avatar Store now contains football jersey's for each of the thirty-two current NFL teams, each coming in both male and female versions, courtesy of Madden NFL 10. From the amazing Philadelphia Eagles to the even more amazing Pittsburgh Steelers, your avatar can show his or her pride for football teams from Pennsylvania for the low price of 320 Microsoft points, or $4.00 real-world money. I suppose you could buy jerseys representing other teams as well, but that simply doesn't make any sense at all to me. It's crazy talk.

Buy Your NFL Avatar Jersey Here [Xbox Live Marketplace via Major Nelson]

Will the Madden Curse Strike Fitzgerald? You Bet! (Literally)

Owen Good — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 10:00:00 MDT

The so-called Madden Curse, which doesn't involve witch doctors as much as it does wacky concepts like "regression to the mean" and "injuries in a full-contact sport," claimed one of this year's two cover boys in week one.

A Costa Rica casino is now taking proposition bets on when the Madden Curse strikes Larry Fitzgerald of the Arizona Cardinals, Troy Polamalu's cover co-star. Polamalu was sidelined for three to six weeks after spraining ligaments in his knee in week one. This, of course, was attributed to the Madden cover jinx, which has dinged pretty much everyone except Marshall Faulk (2003) since they started putting athletes on the cover.

Playblackjack.com is giving 9:1 odds (bet $100, win $900) on each of Fitzgerald's remaining 15 games. Basically, the terms are that Fitzgerald gets injured for at least one game - not the kind of season-ending, career death spiral the Curse is cracked up to be. He needs to be listed on the Cardinals' official injury report for that game to win the bet, says the casino.

Larry Fitzgerald must be listed on the Arizona Cardinals official injury report for a bet to be graded as a winner. If he's injured during practice or outside practice, the upcoming game is the wining game. If he stays healthy throughout the year, all bets are off and all money is returned.

You can see where this is headed. First, a player can be listed on an official injury report and still play the entire game. See Patriots, New England, whose coach has listed Tom Brady as "probable" since scouts watched Brady play for Michigan. Second, it suggests that Fitzgerald could get both legs broken in the first quarter of, say, week four, but the winning game is actually week five. Third, it leaves open the possibility that Fitzgerald gets a hangnail in weeks two through 17 and every game is a winner.

Betting on a specific player's injury? What a fantastic idea! If only there were some way to affect the outcome. Like, if only the people who organized such an honest gambling business also had professional relationships with people whose job it was to injure others ...

Will the Madden Curse strike again? Bet on it! [PlayBlackjack.com via Go Nintendo]

Looks Like You Won't Be Getting A Refund On That Copy Of Wolfenstein

Michael McWhertor — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 19:20:51 MDT

Prior to the release of Wolfenstein, Raven Software designer Manveer Heir promised a full refund to anyone who bought the game if it outsold this year's Madden. It did not. It didn't come close, actually, according to NPD Group estimates.

According to a report from GameSpot, the Activision game sold just 106,000 copies across the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC. Madden sold 1.9 million. Sure, combined Wolfenstein looks like it may have outsold the Wii version of this year's Madden, but I don't think that counts.

Not terribly good news for Activision, id or Raven, but news that helps shed a bit more light on those recent layoffs at the developer.

Here's to hoping that Singularity, Raven Software's other first-person shooter, fares better with its new release date.

Wolfenstein sells 106K on PC, PS3, and 360 combined [Gamespot]

Madden Cover Athlete Hurts Himself

Mike Fahey — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 08:20:00 MDT

Madden NFL 10 co-cover athlete Troy Polamalu did just fine in the season opener between the Titans and the Steelers last night, until an injury put him out of commission for 3 to 6 weeks.

This is just another one of those silly little coincidences that has nothing at all to do with supernatural powers working behind the scenes. This sort of thing happens all the time. Polamalu was doing great, with six tackles and a one-handed interception, until a scrum just before the end of the first half left him with a sprained medial collateral ligament. It's perfectly normal injury that will have him on the sidelines for 3-6 weeks. Big deal! It's not like Pittsburgh needs him! They've still got....um. It'll come to me.

Note how I didn't say Madden curse. I don't believe in the Madden curse, and won't unless something horrible happens to Arizona's Larry Fitzgerald, the other athlete on the Madden 10 cover. Arizona plays San Francisco this Sunday, so you might want to set your DVR, just in case Fitzgerald spontaneously combusts.

Steelers Notebook: Knee injury to sideline Polamalu [Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]

Madden Tops Charts Again, But Sales Plummet On PS2, Wii

Michael McWhertor — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 17:00:00 MDT

Electronic Arts CEO John Riccitiello had a right to be discouraged by sales of the latest Madden NFL football game from EA Sports. While it managed to be August's bestselling game in the U.S., sales were definitely down.

Madden NFL 10 leads the NPD Group's top ten with 928,000 units sold on the Xbox 360. That's a drop from last year's cool million. And while Madden sales were up year-over-year on the PlayStation 3, the game suffered on the PlayStation 2 and Wii, with the sports game moving less than half of what it did on the PS2 from the same period last year.

All told, Madden NFL 10 managed to move 1.9 million copies across all platforms in August, down from the 2.2 million-plus Madden NFL 09 managed last year.

But NPD Group estimates had good news for Nintendo and Square Enix/Eidos. Wii Sports Resort continues to sell, as does Wii Fit and Mario Kart Wii. That means plenty of Wii MotionPlus, Balance Board and Wii Wheel accessories in U.S. homes. Nintendo's Fossil Fighters for the Nintendo DS managed to crack the NPD top ten, with the kid friendly game moving 92,000 units.

U.S. consumers snapped up 593,000 copies of Batman: Arkham Asylum.

01. Madden NFL 10 (Xbox 360) - 928,000
02. Wii Sports Resort (Wii) - 754,000
03. Madden NFL 10 (PS3) - 665,000
04. Batman: Arkham Asylum (Xbox 360) - 303,000
05. Batman: Arkham Asylum (PS3) - 290,000
06. Madden NFL 10 (PS2) - 160,000
07. Dissidia: Final Fantasy (PSP) - 130,000
08. Wii Fit (Wii) - 128,000
09. Mario Kart Wii (Wii) - 120,000
10. Fossil Fighters (DS) - 92,000

All told, U.S. game buyers snapped up $470.32 million in games last month, a 15% decline from August of 2008. Here's NPD analyst Anita Frazier with some silver lining.

"The PS3 was the only platform to realize a year-over-year increase in total software sales and this is reflected in the top 10 list for the month which includes two PS3 games," says Frazier. It should be an interesting September, when we can see how the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 price drops affected sales of each platform over the course of an entire month.

EA Boss Does Not Seem Pleased With Madden 10 Sales

Michael McWhertor — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 15:20:17 MDT

This year's sales of Madden NFL football may not be living up to Electronic Arts CEO John Riccitiello's expectations. He calls sales of Madden NFL 10 "discouraging," indicating they're down from the previous year's.

According to an internal communication intercepted by Bloomberg, Riccitiello appears disappointed that "one of our highest-rated and best-marketed ‘Madden' titles in years is facing strong headwinds" in its debut month. The NPD Group is expected to release its August sales figure estimates later today.

Riccitiello noted that Madden sales were down in line with the trend of declining game sales.

Last year, Madden NFL 09 sold well over 2.2 million copies in its first month on the market across the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 2 and Wii platforms. EA Sports head honcho Peter Moore pegged sales of last year's edition at $133.5 million during its first month on the market, a 6% increase from the year prior.

As of October 30, 2008, Madden NFL 09 had sold 4.5 million copies, according to NPD data offered by EA.

While this year's edition of the football game appeared to have been doing well on the pre-order front, it's doubtful that Riccitiello would send such a memo if things were as positive on the actual sales front.

We've asked EA for comment and a copy of the memo from Riccitiello for better context, but reps did not respond to requests.

Update: The Wall Street Journal has printed Riccitiello's memo in full.

Electronic Arts Says ‘Madden,' Industry Sales Drop (Update3) [Bloomberg]

Legacy Pack Brings The AFL To Madden 10

Mike Fahey — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 08:20:00 MDT

Travel back in time to the 1960's before the fourth American Football League became the AFC with the AFL Legacy Pack, due out later this month for Madden NFL 10.

The AFL gave the NFL a run for its money back in the 1960's, stealing top players left and right up until 1970, when a merger between the two resulted in the formation of the NFC and AFC. EA Sports celebrates the AFL on September 24th with the release of the AFL Legacy pack, which takes players back to a time when there wasn't nearly as much color in football.

Along with the eight original AFL teams - the Buffalo Bills, Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs (as the Dallas Texans), New England Patriots (as the Boston Patriots), New York Jets (as the Titans of New York), Oakland Raiders, San Diego Chargers and Tennessee Titans (as the Houston Oilers) - the AFL Legacy pack also introduces 1960's-style presentation elements, with a film-grain camera, orange-striped AFL referees, and official AFL markings on the field.

All of this plus new trophies and achievements for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation3. Look for the AFL Legacy Pack to go on sale September 24th for 560 Microsoft points or $6.99.

GameStop Robber Demands Madden by Name

Owen Good — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 20:40:00 MDT

"Small, unmarked bills" is the clichéd demand of an armed robber. Not in Jacksonville, Fla. A holdup artist told a GameStop employee to fill his bag with games - Madden NFL 10, to be precise.

According to a Jacksonville cop report. a robber went into a Gamestop on Monday night, pretended like he wanted a 360, and then produced a firearm as his method of payment. He demanded copies of Madden NFL 10, and then any Xbox 360 games, presumably declining any NHL 2K10 pre-order solicitations.

Local TV news crusading truth avenger WJXT-TV said the robber made off with 23 games valued at $1,300 total, plus $600 and two 360s. Cash and prizes, the hood's $2,500 richer. But in doing that shoeleather reporting of the mood of the street, the quotes WJXT got sound a little worshipful, and fairly reek of viral marketing, except for the fact filing a false report is also a crime.

"I just heard it was good," video gamer Brian Fletcher said. "I mean, Madden's Madden. Come on. Everybody loves Madden. Can't beat it."

"It's very realistic, followed by you get to create your own teams and rosters and do all sorts of things," video gamer C.J. McCloud added.

Jax cops, however, said the circumstances mimic those of an earlier robbery elsewhere in the city.

Robber Demands Madden NFL Video Game [WJXT-TV via Evil Avatar]

iPhone Madden to Arrive by Opening Day

Owen Good — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 19:00:00 MDT

Well, well. Now we know why Gameloft was in such a hurry to get NFL 2010 for the iPhone out the door this month. EA Mobile says Madden NFL 10 will release to the iTunes store by opening day.

Although the news release says only "September 2009," (October '09 in the rest of the world), an accompanying email to Kotaku said the game would be available "in time for opening day on the App Store." That is Thursday, Sept. 10. No price was suggested in the news release.

EA let slip Madden - as well as FIFA - was in the works for the iPhone back in July, so this is not a total surprise. Today's announcement, however, certifies that Madden, at least, will be an actual football game, and not the adjunctive iPhone app for the management of your console season - a product already announced.

From these screenshots, the control mechanic looks similar to that of NFL 2010 - virtual analog stick, and specialty buttons aligned to whatever player (or side of the ball) you're manipulating. In a news release, Madden 10 on the iPhone also promises a season mode, the same as NFL 2010.

On top of that, the same release also promises adjustable game-speed, hot-route audibles, full roster management that includes trades and free agents, and authentic stadium settings. These are all features not in NFL 2010. The voices of John Madden and console announcers Tom Hammond and Cris Collinsworth also will call your action.

Here are two more screens, of ~~Packers~~ Vikings QB Brett Favre, and Pittsburgh running back Willie Parker.

Madden Suit Seeks to Gang-Tackle EA

Owen Good — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 14:00:00 MDT

Did you buy a copy of Madden NFL from its 2006 version forward? You too can be a plaintiff in the lawsuit against Electronic Arts, over its exclusive-rights arrangement with the NFL.

Pecover vs. EA, the federal class-action suit alleging EA's exclusive license with the NFL constitutes an illegal monopoly, is looking for additional plaintiffs to join the fun. In a news release two weeks ago, the firm representing the named plaintiff put out a call for those who bought not only Madden from August, 2005 forward, but also any Arena Football or NCAA football branded game in the span, too.

If any of this applies to you, and you want to join a class action suit, the plaintiff's firm has set up a page where you can give over your information.

But before those cash register sounds go off in your head, let's be real for a minute. While it's true an expert witness for the plaintiff estimated the EA/NFL exclusivity pact may have cost consumers upwards of a billion over its lifespan, think of how many zillion copies of the game have been sold since then. And that's presuming a court looks at this and says the NFL has to make its trademarks and players available to those with enough dough to pay for a reasonable license to them.

If, however, this gets into a settlement phase, then joining the suit will guarantee you your cut of the loot, which would probably be something like a coupon off your next purchase of Madden or something.

The case recently survived a dismissal motion by Electronic Arts. At last mention, this was set to go to trial Sept. 14.

Lawyers in Class Action Suit vs EA are Seeking Buyers to Join In [Game Politics]

Yes, Brett Favre will be in Madden NFL 10

Owen Good — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 19:00:00 MDT

Ah, August, the time for two-a-days, water breaks, and EA Sports making special dedicated announcements for Brett Favre. The publisher of Madden NFL 10 says Favre will join Michael Vick on the next roster update, which goes out tomorrow.

Favre's attributes have declined across the board, most in his accuracy ratings, perhaps reflecting the league-leading 22 interceptions he threw last year, most of them down the stretch as the New York Jets choked away a playoff berth. His durability, a bulletproof 99 last year, is down to 90 this year, perhaps reflecting he's 39 going on 40. Here's a look at his core attributes:

Throwing on the run, a trademark of that grinnin' gunslingin' just-look-at-how-much-fun-he's-havin' good-ol boy, while rarely associated with its often disastrous results, is down to a don't-do-it 72. Especially when coupled with his 60s in both speed and agility.

OK, we've covered Vick, Favre, Plaxico Burress and Donté Stallworth. Is that all? Is that everyone? Is everyone active, retired, indicted, convicted, exonerated, expunged, whatever? Good. Let's play some football.

The Free Madden Winner is — Probably Not You

Owen Good — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 19:00:00 MDT

Not unless your name is Taylor H. He was chosen at random from more than 500 correctly answering entrants, the Charger fan living in Eagles country - Lancaster, Pa., to be exact - took home my copy of Madden NFL 10.

More than 800 answered yesterday's trivia question, 300 of them incorrectly. The player on the left side of the screen at 0:59 of this video, helping Kellen Winslow from the field after 1982's "Epic in Miami" is none other than left tackle Billy Shields, No. 66, a sixth-round draft pick from Georgia Tech.

"I'm a 49ers and Chargers fan," not an Iggles partisan, Taylor writes. "For college football I like Michigan. I know, strange I don't like any of the local teams and believe me I get tons of crap from my family for liking Michigan over Penn State."

Well, you can wave around your copy of Madden NFL 10, and tell 'em answering questions about John Shaffer never won nobody nothing.

In the footage, Shields is wearing a helmet and his number is partially obscured, so we had plenty of incorrect answers. The most common wrong answers were defensive end Leroy ~~Jenkins~~ Jones, defensive tackle Jimmy Webb, and center Don Macek. Some also answered "Eric Sievers, WR, Maryland," which is correct - for the guy on the right side of the screen.

Thanks to all who entered. I've never been more delighted to see an inbox jammed with 800 "SUPER CHARGERS!" greetings.

Play Spot-the-Difference in Current-Gen Madden

Owen Good — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 18:30:00 MDT

A lot of the year-to-year "advances" in Madden are about as subtle as noticing the change in typefaces in the white pages. "Real-time natural grass growth physics." "Crowd boos its own mascot." "Authentic third-quarter beer cutoff." You get the drill.

Here's a 10-question quiz testing your knowledge of all the changes in the Madden NFL franchise on the current generation. I got a four out of 10, mostly because a lot of the gimmicks in previous editions were discarded. It's straight-up hard. And if you hate Madden or hate football, there's a bunch of other easier quizzes on the site, too. Although the Batman one kicked my ass as well.

Name That Game - Madden Edition [UGO.com]

Free Madden if You're a Chargers Fan, or Can Fake It

Owen Good — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 15:00:00 MDT

EA sent me two copies of Madden NFL 10 by mistake. So I'm giving the second away, but I want to be sure it goes to a San Diego Chargers fan. Or at least someone who knows NFL history.

Update: The contest is now closed, and a winner has been chosen from the more than 500 correct entries, and more than 800 overall. Thank you very much for participating.

Original post follows. Thanks very much for participating.

Alright, if you want it, you're playing for an NTSC region-coded copy of Madden NFL 10 for the Xbox 360. It's sealed, new in the box, so it's got the franchise codes with it.

To win, watch the video below, and pause it at the 0:59 mark - the last sequence with players on the screen. Tell me the name of the guy on the left, his position, and where he played in college. Send your entry to kotakucontestATgmailDOTcom, with "Super Chargers" somewhere in the subject header. You must also correctly spell the player's name and school.

Cutoff for entries is 11 p.m. U.S. Mountain time tonight. In the case of multiple correct entries, one will be selected at random.

Alright, here we go. Presenting the Epic in Miami:

Vick's Madden Ratings: Worse, but Still Dangerous

Owen Good — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 10:00:00 MDT

As we reported Friday, EA Sports will add Michael Vick to its Madden NFL 10 roster on Aug. 19, pending league approval. ESPN got a hold of Vick's game attributes, and as expected, he's off his Madden 08 form.

ESPN, without citing its source, reports that Vick has dropped to a 73 rated quarterback overall, from a 90 in Madden 08. But as a running quarterback he still holds a great deal of potential for those who want to play as the Eagles, or unscrupulously trade him into their preferred team.

Vick's speed, agility, acceleration, elusiveness, juke and spin moves all declined between three and four points, but all remain 90 or better. Where Vick seems to have suffered the most is in passing. Never particularly accurate, his ratings there dropped from 78 across the board to between 64 and 69.

His awareness also dropped from 74 to 65. I agree Ookie might not be the most self-aware individual, but one might think 21 months in Leavenworth would put your head on a swivel.

As a running quarterback, Vick remains very dangerous - his secondary running stats are better than all but the elite halfbacks. And though inferior to Brian Westbrook as a runner, he'll be a strong complement in a Wildcat formation - which is a part of the Eagles' playbook in this game.

Here's the full breakdown, per ESPN:

Vick to be Added to 'Madden 10' [ESPN, thanks Brian L.]