Switch to Madden GameCube???

[SportsNUT]

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TreyFury97 said:

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SportsNUT said:

The GC version of Madden 2004 is fantastic. Like any new system the controller takes getting used to...but it is fantastic. Fits great in your hands and the controls are easy to reach. The memory card issue isn't that big of a deal. Fro $19.99 you can get the Noki 64 MB cards (holds 17x more than Nintendo cards) and can hold up to 5 franchises. I have two of these cards and have never looked back.

Graphics wise it is excellent. The grass textures are...well you have seen them....very well done and the player models are on par with XBox. The GC does implement a "look" in the graphics...when the camera is focused on a player...the background players are out of focus...I think this is the fuzzy "look" described above. I think this is intentional...don't know if it is due to hardware limitations...but it has never taken away from the game (you only see it on after play shots). I like it because it is quite accurate...if you focus on one individual....background objects will be out of focus. Anyway, graphically the game is excellent.

Sound. GC doesn't have 5.1 sound, but is still rocks. I have it hooked up to Dobly 2.1 speakers and they sound great. The crowd flows with the game....hear the boos, aahhhs and the players yapping on the field.

Controller. Everyone I have ever talked to was aprehensive when picking up the GC controller for the first time....but it grows on you very quickly. It doesn't have R1, R2, etc. like PS2, but it does have a "z" button and yellow stick and the trigger button that perfom many functions. I love the controller. Melts right into your hands and is very comfortable.

If you haven't gathered by now...I own the GC. It is a fabulous system...as is XBox and PS2....all have great things to offer. But it seems the dark horse every year...is the GC version of Madden. They do a great job of bringing the game to the Cube.

I also saw your post about the grass textures and the discussion about GC hardware. GC has a 485 MHz Microprocessor Unit: Custom IBM Power PC "Gekko" RISC processor...so comparing MHz to MHz with an Intel box is selling the power of the cube short. I read an article that in Intel MHz number 485 Risc is very close to 700...still slightly under the 733 of XBox. Memrory wise...GC has 40MB to XBox's 64 MB....but the GC does some crazy things to keep up. I think there is no question the XBox is more powerful....but clearly the GC does outpace the PS2 and with what it brings to the table...produces great graphics and gameplay.

Cube is a great system for the money...you won't be dissapointed.

* also NCAA import works.

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Wow SportsNut, you put that so damn well. Curious, do you play any other sports games, and will not having all of the games on the Cube affect your decision? With the New EA Bio, that had some effect on my decision not to stick with GC(only for the sports games, I still have to have it for Soul Calibur, F-Zero, Mario Kart, and all the 4-player maddness . If they would have had all the EA sports games, it would have been a no-brainer. One more thing to add about the GC Controller. I actually prefer it to the PS2 one on the football games. Using the Right analog stick seems real natural. Just a little bit more to add.

Trey

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Trey,

I do play other sports games...notably NHL, NBA and TW Golf. It does pain me that NCAA March Maddnes will not be on the cube (at least not this year)....but I'll be frank...with a wife and two kids...I find it hard to get through my NCAA and Madden seasons without getting yelled at!

So the number of EA sport titles produced for the cube are more than enough to keep my interest.

[p00p1]

I only own a GC, and I got it specifically because it supported Allstar Baseball, NFL2k3, Bond, and Mario Kart when it finally comes out. Unfortunately, I'm having some regrets about it now that Sega Sports cancelled their GC line and Acclaim is going that way too now. I've played NCAA 2004 on both a PS2 and GC and I must say, the GC version looks a whole lot better. I've always prefered the GC controller to the PS2, it just feels right, however, Nintendo did limit itself with its lack of buttons, it is agravating to have to use different button combinations for a feature that should require only one button(they should have included the joystick buttons like xbox and ps2). One HUGE bonus to the GC is load times... no one ever mentions this. When I rented NCAA it took around 5 seconds to save my dynasty after every game. After I took it back, my friend bought it for PS2, now after every game, it takes 10X that to save a dynasty. Real pain in the as$, especially when you are trying to finish a game up in a hurry. And with a larger mem card, which most GC sports gamers already own, file sizes are NOT a problem.... developers bailing on the system are.

[simpsman2244]

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Dez said:
Madden takes up 185 blocks.........

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damn, thats like 100+ more than last years (and ncaa's blockage requirement went down). ill still probably have 600 or so blocks free after i delete madden 2003 stuff, but still thats a lot of memory. i guess i'll only have 2 franchises.

[PSU]

my madden graphics r better on my gamecube and not my crap xbox

[iLLWiLL]

*SIGH*

Looks like I'll be going with the PS2 version. Madden online is intriguing to me, I think the dual shock is a good controller, and there are a few more games that I want on PS2 than GameCube. Tough decision, because the Sony hardware is so damn old, and you know PS3 will be coming around the corner

[SportsNUT]

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iLLWiLL said:
*SIGH*

Looks like I'll be going with the PS2 version. Madden online is intriguing to me, I think the dual shock is a good controller, and there are a few more games that I want on PS2 than GameCube. Tough decision, because the Sony hardware is so damn old, and you know PS3 will be coming around the corner

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iLLWiLL.....

Hey PS2 is a good choice...enjoy it! Someday maybe you can get your hands on the Cube and give it a spin....

[iLLWiLL]

Thanks anywayz Sportsnut. I haven't played a GC but I already miss it -- all those great Star Wars games, and a beautiful Madden game

[BTMMAYOR]

One huge question about the GC Madden. Can you save a game in progress this year on the GC? This is the only thing that killed last years GC version for me since I'm often interupted during long gaming sessions.