As with what will undoubtedly be the case for many Wii games, Madden 07 has a sharp learning curve. The difference between a success and failure on this console is how well everything is explained to the newcomer. Madden 07 takes the time to do this, and in the realm of simple enjoyment, this is the best version of EA's football franchise.
It's immediately apparent that this version is packed with features. Unlike the series debut on the 360 and PS3, the Wii benefits greatly from a full roster of necessary features. Franchise mode is the deepest out of the three next-gen Maddens, including the Tony Bruno radio show, concession pricing, deep roster management, player morale, and extensive training to keep your team at their peak. In a needed addition, you can also save mid-game and come back to it later.
Create-a-player is here in full along with the Superstar mode, fantasy draft fans will have a great time, NFL Network mode explains the basics of a playbook and the mini-games are possibly better than the main game. The 2-on-2 versus game is a recreation of schoolyard football, complete with the three Mississippi count that can be sped up by shaking the controller. When two friends are on offense, you can send a signal to your teammate that vibrates their controller to let them know you're open.
Gameplay features are standard fare. It's how they're controlled that makes it unique. Options are plentiful. You can switch players by pressing A to cycle through them or simply aim the remote at the player you want to control.
This same action can also be used to shift lines, assign hot routes or send a player in motion. When selecting a player, the ease of use allows for quick defensive changes to AI controlled characters. If you line up and realize having your linebacker blitz is a mistake, point to them and tap the d-pad to access specific alternate actions.
Defensive moves such as swats, tackles, and interception attempts all use the remote. In the case of big tackles, it's the one motion in the game that fails to respond regularly. Both portions of the controller need to be thrust forward when using a speed boost, and the game has trouble recognizing this. Standard tackles are only a matter of running into a player.
On offense, the running game benefits from the changes the most. Swinging the Wii Remote or Nunchuck provides faster response to stiff arms and jukes that feels natural. There are occasional lapses where you'll perform the incorrect move, but the game's lower difficulty generally can compensate.
Passing uses the d-pad to select a receiver and a flick of the Wii Remote to throw. A bullet pass requires a fast motion, a lob asks for a slower more deliberate movement. It's a logical means of control that adds an extra sense of being in the game.
Article comments
1 - Ryan
I played this version of Madden and i feel the Wii control scheme falls apart from the beginning and fails to improve. This seems a bit ironic because i felt Red steels controls were perfect (the opposite oppinion of yours!).
2 - Matt Paprocki
HOW do they fall apart though?