Madden NFL 11 Reviews

3 Comments

1. Louie Lefkowitz "LOU DA JOO" says:

   July 13, 2011 at 7:01 am

   61 of 64 people found the following review helpful:

   
   Point and Pass, August 10, 2010

   By 

   Louie Lefkowitz “LOU DA JOO” (New York, NY) –
   
     

   Fun: 

   Amazon Verified Purchase(What’s this?)

   This review is from: Madden NFL 11 (Video Game)

   I am a big fan of the point and pass system, and actually enjoy playing the Wii version a lot. I think Madden lost a lot when they converted the PS2 version to the PS3, but the Wii version has been simplified the most of the 3 platforms IMO. The simple approach of pointing the Wiimote at the receiver you’d like to throw to is genius. Running is also fun because in order to get a big run, you have to shake the wiimote fast (while holding A) in order to get a power move. If you aren’t fast enough or your timing is off you get a big whiff message. Defense is also more enjoyable to the casual player, because if you are inexperienced with football video games, you’re looking to get that big hit message across the screen which shows your defensive player rocking the opponent.

   Online-Online is fun. I played Madden 11 online, but there were only between 25 and 30 other players on, most likely because the game just came out today. There weren’t any lags, stalls, or disconnects. You can play against friends, if you’d like. Online was a great experience for me.

   Gameflow-The Gameflow system claims to simplify the game which allows the CPU to choose 1 play instead of choosing between 350. There isn’t a star system like there is on the PS3 or 360 version which allows you to assign stars to your favorite plays for a specific situation. The Gameflow system is designed to speed up the game, although the old system that allowed Madden to pick for you was adequate, but now the game is even faster and easier for casual gamers to pick up and play. I also think it’s important to note that you do have the option to open the playbook before each play by pressing the one button, or changing the play at the line by pressing the two button, after viewing the Gameflow play by pressing the B button.

   Call your Shots- This is one of my favorite features on the Wii version. The obvious play that everyone chooses is to have your fastest receiver run the fly pattern, but you can use it to have the receiver run a pattern you create when you’re lined up before the snap or have your running back run in a different direction. It’s as simple as pointing at the receiver or back and drawing the line. Press B to finalize.

   Game Modes- 5 on 5 or 11 on 11. You can also choose practice. The 5 on 5 is similar to the downloadable game Madden Arcade for the PS3 and 360, but with better music. The songs mostly played during the 5 on 5 were AC/DC-Thunderstruck, Ozzy Ozbourne-Crazy Train, and Kiss-Rock and Roll All Nite.

   Franchise Mode- Manage your own NFL team. Do well, and you can outfit your stadium with new items by earning money. You can manage your money at the Pro Shop.

   Madden Showdown- Up to 4 players can compete in a quick series of games. The rules can be customized by you for Madden Showdown.

   Road to the Super Bowl- Allows 4 players to compete throughout an entire NFL season, and if they’re good enough, compete in the Super Bowl.

   Cooperative Play- Cooperative play is available if the other player is with you, and you’d like to be on the same team.

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2. JSP "JSP" says:

   July 13, 2011 at 7:46 am

   31 of 34 people found the following review helpful:

   
   Best Wii Football Game, But Still Flawed, August 12, 2010

   By 

   JSP “JSP” (Nashville, TN United States) –

   Fun: 

   Amazon Verified Purchase(What’s this?)

   This review is from: Madden NFL 11 (Video Game)

   I bought Madden 09, but did not buy Madden 10. I wasn’t crazy about the look, and the reviews weren’t so hot. However, when I saw that the new version would have improved (but still cartoony) graphics, included detailed stadiums and (gasp) WEATHER, I had to get it.

   The good stuff:

   - IMPROVED GRAPHICS. Finally, weather appears in the Wii version of this game! The graphics overall are much improved, with smoother animations and more detailed stadiums.

   - IN-GAME PRESENTATION (TO A POINT). I think the graphical presentation of the games themselves are much better. I’m also a fan of Gus Johnson and Cris Collinsworth, so the occasional strange call or odd opinion doesn’t really bother me as much as most. I’m also a big fan of the play-calling interface. Even without using GameFlow, the whole thing moves much faster.

   - FRANCHISE MODE. Vastly improved, and I really like competing with other team’s legacies. Giving the mode actual goals makes it ten times better. As someone that plays mainly single-player, I’m really happy with this change.

   - SOUNDTRACK. Replacing the crappy hip-hop and pop-punk tracks with music that they would actually play in stadiums is a big improvement. I’ve heard “Crazy Train” a billion times, but it feels right playing in a stadium.

   - MULTIPLE CONTROL SCHEMES. Point and Pass is much easier for some, but I’m accustomed to the Gesture-based controls of Madden 09. I like being able to pick and choose.

   - MULTIPLE GAME MODES. The different modes and mini-games ensure hours and hours of singleplayer and multi-player fun. No complaints there. I haven’t played online yet.

   The bad stuff:

   - MENU INTERFACE. Unfortunately, I HATE the controls on the menus, such as the Stat areas. Sometimes, you can only use the pointer, and other times you can only use the D-pad. It’s clunky and bad.

   Aside from what I mentioned above, there’s this strange thing where, my player makes a TD, these helmets pop up in the end zone. When you mouse over them, the letter A appears. I then press A . . . and nothing happens. What’s the point of this? It’s just sloppy and not very good. When it comes to menu interface, this game needed more quality control before being sent out.

   - INCOMPLETE PLAYBOOK MENUS. One option I liked in Madden 09 was being able to switch between formational to situational plays. For example, rather than lining up in I-Formation, I could simply select “Short Run” and sample the different runs available. It’s not a dealbreaker (In fact, I have more access to different plays with the current setup), but still, why remove it?

   - GAMEFLOW IS ULTIMATELY SOMEWHAT POINTLESS. I was looking forward to hearing the coordinator explain playcalls, like the XBox360 & PS3 versions. Nope.

   Gameflow makes the game faster, but as I said earlier, the updated presentation makes everything a bit faster to begin with, so I’m not sure how essenetial it is.

   - DEFENSIVE “CALL YOUR SHOT” is useless. Especially when playing on Gameflow, it’s impossible to create ideal defensive matchups on the fly. Call Your Shot itself is hidden under the audible sub-menu, another example of clunky menu interface.

   Overall, Madden 11 is still, easily, much better than the previous Wii Madden games. It’s far from perfect, but for those looking for a deep, enjoyable football experience on the Wii, this is your only option.

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3. Pierre Ricolando "Rico" says:

   July 13, 2011 at 7:55 am

   14 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

   
   Definitely glad I bought it., August 12, 2010

   By 

   Pierre Ricolando “Rico” (Sanford, NC) –

   Fun: 

   This review is from: Madden NFL 11 (Video Game)

   I have been playing Madden since the old Super Nintendo games and each year I have bought the newest edition to create a franchise and sort of dream team. This version is definitely one of my favorites. The Wii version put me off and I was worried about buying it. It looked a bit cartoonish and not like the versions I was used to more recently. I decided to get it anyhow and it has definitely exceeded my expectations. The only thing I was initially upset about was the iniability to have a draft in franchise mode. I ended up trading for the players I wanted instead, so it worked out. I have not played online yet, but it was one of the reasons I didn’t get the PS2 version. I prefer the motion controls for passing over the point and click version. I am ecstatic that this turned out so far above my expectations. I love the Legacy meter as well, so you can stack yourself up against some of the greatest dynasties of all time. The controls are easy to get the hang of and the challenge factor is higher than any Madden to date.

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