Madden NFL Arcade Hands-On Preview (IGN)

[Steve_OS]

IGN has posted their Madden NFL Arcade hands-on preview, along with some screenshots and videos.

"Unlike simulation styled games, NFL Arcade is a fast paced game revolving around the best five players on offense and defense on the thirty two NFL teams. Football fields are shortened significantly: instead of the standard 100 yard field, each team takes to a sixty yard field and are provided with only four downs to reach the end zone for a score; fail and the opposing team takes over with their own set of downs. Penalties aren't allowed in the game, and neither are kickers, so you'll have to rely on the running or passing game to get you points. When you're at the line of scrimmage, you'll have one of four play options available to you: a running play or a short, medium or long pass play. Defensively, you've got four plays that you can run against your opponent, covering either the short, medium or long pass or blitzing the quarterback. Manage to score a touchdown, and you have the opportunity to take a free extra point or go for two. By default, the game ends when a team hits thirty points, although you have the option to manipulate the score, skill levels and other options."

[Valdarez]

Re: Madden NFL Arcade Hands-On Preview (IGN)

$15 always seems a little pricey to me for download game. I have a hard time shelling out $5.

[vaibhavp3]

Re: Madden NFL Arcade Hands-On Preview (IGN)

no need for this just buy madden 10 lol (just kidding).

[GTheorenHobbes]

Re: Madden NFL Arcade Hands-On Preview (IGN)

What a waste (IMHO). But thanks for the link.

[jyoung]

Looks terrible to be perfectly honest. I can't believe they are putting out such a barebones package, much less charging $15 for it. If anything, this should've been a minigame in Madden 10. If they wanted to do arcade football justice, they should've brought back the NFL Street or Mutant League Football franchises.

[fjccommish]

Re: Madden NFL Arcade Hands-On Preview (IGN)

The entire concept is laughable.

[Tick32]

Re: Madden NFL Arcade Hands-On Preview (IGN)

They should just make another NFL Streetz. which is basically wat that is. I always liked Streetz concept so i would rather play that.

[Valdarez]

Re: Madden NFL Arcade Hands-On Preview (IGN)

Watched the videos, and it looks like they kept the play calls simple, ala Techmo Bowl style. IMHO that's a plus. Would like to see something different than the Madden 3D view for gameplay though. Man, I miss Super Techmo Bowl. Think I'm going to go fire up the NES and get a couple games in.

[morieeel]

Re: Madden NFL Arcade Hands-On Preview (IGN)

I'm kinda sick that they are wasting resources on this kind of stuff....

[wheelman990]

Re: Madden NFL Arcade Hands-On Preview (IGN)

I just wish this effort could have been towards improving Madden more. Arcade football, just isnt for me personally.

[roadman]

Re: Madden NFL Arcade Hands-On Preview (IGN)

Actually, the Arcade Hockey from EA was a fun to play as HE double ll hockey sticks. The $15.00 price is too much, but I'm not going to knock anything before I try it.

[Radioactiveman]

Re: Madden NFL Arcade Hands-On Preview (IGN)

Once again..EA going in the wrong direction. Seriously, does anyone (older than 8 years old) actually buy these games? Bigs, Street, Arcade...I really don't get the appeal.

[aholbert32]

Re: Madden NFL Arcade Hands-On Preview (IGN)

Once again..EA going in the wrong direction. Seriously, does anyone (older than 8 years old) actually buy these games? Bigs, Street, Arcade...I really don't get the appeal.

Yes people do. Many actually. OSers arent even close to being the majority. Most people dont give a **** about how "sim" a game is.

[Radioactiveman]

Re: Madden NFL Arcade Hands-On Preview (IGN)

Yes people do. Many actually. OSers arent even close to being the majority. Most people dont give a **** about how "sim" a game is.

Sim or no sim I still don't get it. The original RBI Baseball was far from a sim but it at least resembled baseball at the time and it was fun. I don't get the appeal of the "wacky" over the top antics of these games. More power to those who like it I guess.

Now if they wanted to get crazy and give you better/more control of the action (e.g. pass placement, tighter control of your runner/defender) than we already have in the "sim" Madden I'd be all for it and would probably like the game even with the "wackyness". But I'm taking into account EA and Maddens history here and I have no reason to believe that's what they're doing with this game.

In what I consider a similar style game, I downloaded the demo for "The Bigs" and played about a half an inning and was left wondering how anyone could actually enjoy that....I would imagine this thing is probably the same...who knows, maybe it will be fun for more than 15 seconds?

[jyoung]

The problem with this game is that it's too much like Madden. All they really did was limit the playbook, add some lame powerups (the one that flips the score is about the illest-conceived powerup I've ever seen in a sports game) and give the player models a sort of "Wii" makeover. The reason games like Blitz, Mutant League, NFL Street, et al. were popular is because they had some personality to them that helped separate the experience from your usual football sim. The reason this game looks boring, even with the barebones, "arcade" trimmings, is because it's fundamentally still a Madden game.

The same thing keeps me from being interested in the NHL 3 on 3 game or 2K's BIGS series.

If these companies want to make an arcade game, go all out and give us a game with some personality and flair instead of rehashing your "sim" product with only a few added "arcade" gimmicks.