GENRE
	Sports
	DEVELOPER
	EA Tiburon
	PUBLISHER
	EA
	NUMBER OF PLAYERS
	1-4
	WI-FI ENHANCED
	Yes
	DS COMPATIBLE
	No
	BUY NOW AT

Twenty years ago, free agency did not even exist in the NFL -- Madden, however, was making a name for himself in video games. Today, Madden sports a new innovation with the All-Play moniker for Wii. The new subtitle aims to bring in newcomers to the classic series, as well as featuring mainstay options in Madden NFL 09 All-Play. The past two years have given Wii owners a reason to throw their arms into each pass, and along with motion controls, a new 5 vs. 5 mode joins the team. Does this new focus on the casual gamer hit the hole running or leave the rest of the package knock downed a level?

visuals

Like the past couple of years, Madden fails to take full advantage of Wii and instead instills a few graphical updates. This year, the player models have seen a bump in quality, along with a brighter color palette. Each player carries accurate attributes of their position, with offensive lineman finally supporting bigger legs, arms and midsections to fit their role. The brighter shades of team uniforms give the game a nice visual pop, especially when my Bengals wear their orange jerseys.

Even with these improvements, plenty of graphical glitches are present. The main eyesore relates to mismatched heads and bodies. Reggie Bush, for example, may have a light skinned head attached to his body during some replays or celebrations. Along with this blemish, the stadiums look awfully low-res and last-generation, with 2D cutouts for fans. Graphical clipping is still plentiful, although not as much of a problem because of the omission of instant replays during games.

audio

Similar to the visuals, the audio could use an overhaul on Wii. EA Trax, once again, brings about a list of 20 � 30 contemporary tracks that are solid, although nothing noteworthy stands out. The commentary, on the other hand, is outdated and painful. The PS3/Xbox 360 Madden counter-parts get new announcers, while Wii owners are left with voiceovers from John and Al Michaels that seem about 2-3 years old. This is not acceptable.

gameplay

The main update for Madden NFL 09 All-Play relates to the 5 vs. 5 mode. This feature simplifies the play selection down to four, a la classic Tecmo Bowl, and gives gamers only four downs to hit the endzone before turning the ball over. This new take of Madden football is fast-paced, fun, and great for multi-player action. Unfortunately, this mode isn't an option in online matches, which is an oversight. 5 vs. 5 also enlarges each player�s head, which may be jarring at first, but fits the style of the gameplay rather well.

The controls are also a focal point of All-Play. Like 5 vs. 5, the motion control scheme hits the mark. There is a learning curve, especially for past Madden players, to learning how to juke with the nunchuk or throwing with the Wii remote. The greatest control improvement for this year's Madden revolves around the Call Your Shot feature. This ability allows you to redraw a receiver's route with the Wii remote's IR functionality. The Wii-specific element adds a new layer to the classic Madden formula by tweaking any play to your liking. Peyton Manning fans, for example, can finally experience the joy of shifting every play with simple wrist movements. Hopefully, Call Your Shot will be available on defense next year, giving players the ability to draw new blitzes or pull back a lineman into pass coverage.

However, the title also contains All-Play controls. All-Play only requires the Wii remote for some game modes, or allows novices to play regular games with a more straightforward approach. Moving the Wii remote, for example, will be the only motion needed to throw the football, deliver big hits, catch the pigskin, or even spin out of a tackle and shimmy along the sidelines. The implementation works well and allows for new gamers to immediately join in on the fun.

On the other side of the ball, the hardcore features have failed to see much improvement, if any. The same Superstar and Franchise modes are available. Superstar mode is frustrating because you must play each side of the ball, even if you choose to be a quarterback. Thus, it basically plays out similar to franchise or season mode, although more emphasis is placed on your character. Franchise returns, but for some odd reason, contains a few menu quirks that can be frustrating. The most perplexing issue relates to the breakdown screen not highlighting your needs and the inability to scroll back and forth on some player rosters. These are definitely minor and niche complaints, but for Madden hardcore, frustrating because these in-depth options should improve each year, too.

multiplayer

Once again, EA showcases how to do online on Wii. Like Medal of Honor Heroes 2, the menu navigating is easy and the play experience is pretty smooth. Wii owners can either exchange Wii System Codes or use a unified EA Nation account to play online, which simplifies connecting with friends. In addition, EA has set up a lobby system that displays who is hosting a game, along with their connectivity strength. As for the actual games, there are a few instances of lag between plays, but when blitzes are taking place and bombs are being thrown, the game never staggered at all. Bravo, EA.

overall

Not surprisingly, Madden NFL 09 All-Play slightly updates the gameplay from previous years, while still containing flaws, too. The improvements are welcome, however, as the 5 vs. 5 mode is great for playing with friends locally, and the online interface is another step in the right direction for Wii. The controls continue to be refined for the pigskin series, and the ability to thrust the Wii remote into each hit is amusing. Still, we would like to see some more focus placed on the hardcore side next year, especially with the Franchise and Superstar mode. Even so, Madden hits hard on Wii and illustrates how sports should be done on Nintendo's system.

8.4/10