You will be glad to hear that Madden NFL 10 for the Nintendo Wii takes a similar approach to last years version but also caters a little more for the single player this time around, finally giving Wii owners a top American Football game and at the same time keeping everyone happy with the family/group modes still there.

 

 

EA have catered for all styles yet again with a good balance of control options with Wii-mote and nunchuck combinations on offer plus a new point and pass mode for the Quarter Back where you simply point to player you wish to pass to. There are also plenty of new multiplayer games available. Every game mode has a multiplayer option, even the new Road to the Super Bowl. Here you play a season with up to 3 other players over one season to see who the best is. Sadly it is not as in depth as the Franchise modes from the larger consoles but it is still good fun to play with plenty of options to tinker with to ensure a balanced game.

 

The Wii controls have again been utilized to their best potential for this title, during defence play you can highlight the opponents you are concerned about, focusing your players on them and then shake the Wii-mote to make them tackle when in range. The point and pass with the QB is a great idea that takes a little getting used to as once you have thrown the ball you are then controlling the receiver to catch the ball, it's a little like patting your head and rubbing your stomach.

 

The new madden showdown is a mini multiplayer tournament that allows for quickplay games for up to 4 players to see who owns the field. The game rules can be altered to spice things up like fumblitis, where the ball is slippery as soap, random invisibility, turbo and play restrictions like only passes or running plays can be used; to make the games a little more interesting you can also gamble points in win/loss predictions. Each game can be changed from the realistic 11 vs 11 play or the 5 vs 5 which allows for a more fast paced and furious game. There is also a Superstar mode available to play but strangely this mode has to be unlocked to play?

 

 

Of course this would not be a Wii title without the staple Wii mini games and Madden NFL 10 does not disappoint. There are loads of games to choose from each with a quick and easy pick up and play appeal based on various training exercises for the players.

 

The graphics have completely changed from last years offering, the players now have a cool muscleman like frame and a more arcade game appearance, allowing them to run around the playfield at some pace without any slowdown.

 

Madden NFL 10 is a real treat for Wii players offering a little more depth than previous outings and plenty of fun multiplayer modes to tackle and whilst not as in depth as the next gen console versions this is still a solid American Football game that owners of either the Xbox 360 or PS3 version should also take a look at.