Yard work was never this much fun!

Hit 'em hard with one of many innovations in this year's Madden.

If you thought the Madden franchise hit hard before, wait until you get your hands on the Hit Stick in Madden NFL 2005. Deliver shots so big that your buddy sitting next to you will feel them.

Features

• New Hit Stick
• Enhanced Franchise Mode featuring Storyline Central
• Defensive Playmaker Control
• Customize your offensive packages, hot routes and even fans

The top selling football franchise of all time reloads with Madden NFL 2005. Enhanced graphics and tougher defenses highlight this pigskin gem.

The Hits Keep on Coming

Above all else, the Hit Stick makes this new Madden even more ferocious. Forget the ancient task of diving at the ball carrier. Now you can use the C Stick to deliver a bone-jarring smackdown that will make the quarterback think twice about staying in the pocket too long. After a lick from the Hit Stick, receivers won't be so bold about coming across the middle.

The way the Nintendo GameCube Controller is configured, the Hit Stick actually gets you more in the game. It got us more in the game, at least. As we got ready to make a big hit, we didn't just move the C Stick down to apply the big hit. We slapped it down, jerking the Controller in the process. Ooohs and fake winces of pain followed. Or we laughed as our foolish defensive back totally missed the tackle and tripped over his own feet.

Overall, the default defense doesn't seem much smarter than in the previous versions, despite EA's claims that defense is tougher. (Maybe we're just that good?) The game does offer more defensive options, though. In addition to the Hit Stick, EA added the Defensive Playmaker Control. With this control, you can look at the formation matchups and choose to double-team a certain receiver. You can have any of your players match up against anyone on offense.

As always, the player models and graphics are top notch. Add to all this a training camp for your players and minigames (Rushing Attack and Two-Minute Drill) and you have a full-service football masterpiece.

Full-On Sim

Gamers will either view the Franchise mode as the best ever or an exercise in excess depth. With most of these options, you can have the CPU make the decisions for you.

How deep is the Franchise mode? You need a four-man coaching staff and trainers. The game includes scores of NFL coaches and assistants. Also, you'll need to set the prices for tickers, concessions, merchandise and parking and choose which advertising venues you want to explore. Looking for extra income? Build a new stadium, add amenities to your old and one sell the naming rights, or move to another city altogether. The Los Angeles Bears? It doesn't sound morally acceptable to football traditionalists, but you can make it happen. (Besides, traditionalists aren't paying the bills.)

The Information selection lets you view charts on how effective (or ineffective) your moves are. All this and then you need to make your offseason personnel moves, including scouting rookies, signing free agents, drafting and setting your depth chart. When it comes to signing players, you offer the overall value of the contract and the amount of that money that's guaranteed as a signing bonus. Players tend to sign for less money overall if they get a larger signing bonus.

On the Air

One entertaining new aspect of Madden NFL 2005 is Storyline Central, featuring the EA Sports Radio. Syndicated radio host Tony Bruno moderates a faux call-in show that plays as you're managing your team off the field. Although some of the calls sound a little rehearsed (of course, they are), the callers and Bruno discuss such topics as the best defense ever, players reporting to training camp late and the best QB ever. At the very least, the chatter is a nice, unique background as you're sifting through all the between-game details. It's obvious that EA Sports Radio was a labor of love for the writers and performers. Let it give you a little history lesson.

Even though the names of historic players get thrown around on EA Sports Radio, they aren't included with the historic teams in Madden NFL 2005. Even teams from two years ago, containing still-active players, show the players by position and player number only. Madden NFL 2005 did secure the use of USA Today as a national newspaper and many local newspapers. Yet, they can't get the rights to players' names from 2002?

Bottom Line

Are you All-Madden material? Even if you're not, Madden NFL 2005 is.

Source:

www.nintendo.com (GameCube)

Still fighting fit in its fifteenth year, the daddy of all American football sims touches down on PS2 again.

Now in its fifteenth year, and with a staggering 37 million units shifted, EA's Madden NFL franchise is a veritable institution - so much so, it's the only videogame to be displayed in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. This latest update brings with it a wealth of new features, including the innovative 'Hit Stick', which promises to revolutionise the game's defensive play.

Using the right analog stick, players can now deliver bone-crunching tackles on the opposition which, if timed correctly, can cause that vital fumble that reverses teams' fortunes on the pitch. To further ramp up the game's defensive system, there are also all new Defensive Playmaker controls for defensive situations such as receiver jams and blitzes.

While there's a wealth of game modes to keep you busy, the main event as always is Franchise mode, which this year boasts unrivalled depth. A new in-season progression system means immediate rewards for your work on the pitch, while other enhancements allow to you to name your captain, sign away restricted free agents and more besides. Even the presentation has been overhauled; using the new 'Storyline Central' feature, you can keep tabs on your team via local and national newspapers and a weekly radio show hosted by Tony Bruno.

On the pitch, you'll notice dozens of graphical improvements to players and stadiums alike, with hundreds of new animations, incredible lighting effects, dynamic weather and more besides.

• New 'Hit Stick' system - use the right analog stick to execute huge, bone-crunching tackles
• Storyline Central - Franchise mode gets more compelling, with a radio show, newspaper reports and more besides
• Improved graphics - hundreds of new animations, beautiful lighting effects and higher levels of detail in stadiums

Source:

uk.playstation.com

FEAR THE "D"

MAKE THE BIG STOP

CUSTOMIZE YOUR CROWD

NEW EA SPORTS™ RADIO

ALL-NEW GRAPHICS TECHNOLOGY

FEATURES

• NEW HIT STICK CONTROL

Change the game's momentum by making a huge hit to force a turnover and fire up the crowd. Time it right or get burned.

• NEW DEFENSIVE PLAYMAKER CONTROL

Modify pre-snap assignments for each player on defense, including double teams, blitzes, and specific match-ups.

• NEW STORYLINE CENTRAL

Your games are impacted by the stories that surround your team. Get the inside scoop from local and national newspapers, e-mail from assistant coaches, and Tony Bruno's weekly radio show.

• DEEPER FRANCHISE MODE

Players' morale and stature are affected by on-field performance-reward a hard worker by naming him team captain or trade an unhappy player.

• ENHANCED EA SPORTS™ ONLINE**

Join the largest online sports gaming community with all-new quick play modes. New reputation ratings ensure a high quality gaming experience.

Source:

Back of Case - Playstation 2 (U.S.)

Force the action on defense in Madden NFL™ 2005. New defensive tools allow you to make more plays and be in on all of the action. The all-new Hit Stick lets you lay the big hit to turn the momentum of the game in your favour. With new Storyline Central, you get the inside scoop around the league from radio talk show and local and national newspapers to help you make critical franchise decisions. With groundbreaking graphics that capture the real stadium experience, Madden NFL 2005 continues its 15-year tradition of innovation in videogame football.

Source:

www.xbox.com