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Variety of modes, accessible, shorter length minigames
Daunting depth of user interface Frame stutter
Welcome to another Backlog Review, where we take a look at an older game that fans might have sitting waiting to be played or are still considering giving a purchase. This time we’re looking at EA Sports Madden NFL 26.
Madden NFL 26 is at its core a proper Madden game. It’s whole is made up of an evolution that’s taken place over the 37 years that the franchise has been a part of the video game ecosystem. This is a game that has gained features over and over again spanning its long lifespan on the market. If jumping into the game for the first time, or the first time in years, this fact becomes evident quickly.
Considering the fact that the last Madden game released on a Nintendo console was Madden 13 on Wii U, this is more likely to be the case, unless you have other consoles to play on. Madden’s evolved form on Nintendo Switch 2 has a massive amount of variety in its NFL simulator gameplay and modes, but variety can also feel daunting to new players or players returning after hiatus from the franchise.
Underneath the surface, Madden 26 is still what it should be, a game where players can live out any NFL situation they can dream of, whether that is making plays on both sides of the ball, controlling their favorite player, or reliving a favorite moment or game. It even has a glorified trading card system for those who enjoy collecting and reselling cards.
Here’s a breakdown of the multitude of modes for newcomers: There is Ultimate Team, which is the trading card system mentioned above. In Ultimate Team, you can play games and game scenarios to earn points that allow you to open what are essentially card packs with different NFL and college players. After earning them, you can play with those players on your team or you can auction them off to other players for more currency to buy more players. After that, we have Franchise mode. This is a mode where you pick a coach and team, either with chosen stats or one tailored to a real life coach and team. Then, you play out your pre season and season, leading into the Super Bowl.
There’s training to improve the stats of your players and get a better understanding of the gameplay, but this is present in most modes and also has its own separate mode. One more big mode is Superstar, which has you pick a position and create a player. Once you have created that player, you go from being drafted in the NFL through your NFL career. This mode changes things up a bit compared to the others, as it feels more like choosing your own adventure. There is dialogue with characters that affects your relationships with certain aspects of the game. For example, you can choose to practice or go see your fans. This affects your stats or relationship with those fans.
Every mode ends up having very similar base gameplay under it all. It is still the NFL simulator once you get into the gameplay. You play through full games or you have the option to just play individual plays or scenarios. On offense, you choose a play and start as the quarterback, either pass it or hand it off, then play as the player you got the ball to. You can do jukes to try and avoid the defense for as long as possible to score a touchdown or get far enough to make a field goal. While kicking, making it in the uprights depends on wind direction and the direction you are kicking, as well as where you release the button for power. On defense, you choose a defensive play, pick the player you control, and go after the player with the ball, all while using moves to attempt a tackle.
Having many different modes creates more experiences for different types of players, which is positive, as it makes the game more accessible to different types of players. One really helpful part of the game is having a training mode, as well as smaller mini games the ability to play out individual plays by themselves. This creates a quicker gameplay format for those that do not have the time to sit down and play for the extended sessions needed for full games.
A huge fault in having the number of modes that Madden NFL 26 has is that you can easily be drowned in interface elements and options. For a user, especially a new one, this can be overwhelming. Each mode has tutorials that come up when interacting with certain interface elements inside of those modes, but there does not appear to be an overarching tutorial upon initial startup. There are explanations that describe what each mode is, so you can get an idea of what you are selecting, which is helpful if you know what you want to do, but including an initial tutorial might help users that are new to Madden.
One nice feature of the game is the music that plays throughout the menus and the game as a whole. There is a pretty large list of songs from various artists and genres that has something for many different tastes. You can choose through the list of songs, but it is not the easiest thing to find in the menu. It takes some experimenting to eventually find it hidden in the minus button menu. In addition, the menu becomes more complex upon entering the different modes. On the main menu it takes you straight to the music, but in modes the menu includes other tabs.
When it comes to graphics, the Nintendo Switch 2 version is definitely missing some key elements that are present on more powerful hardware. Visuals are lacking in resolution in textures and overall clarity. Many of the higher end lighting and shadow systems appear to be not present in this version of the game. Much of this downgrade is expected in a handheld version of the game. However, on occasion, framerate stutter is also present, which can be jarring in a fast paced sports game where every moment counts to make that next big play or make it to the end zone to score.
Overall, Madden NFL 26 is another version of Madden, the NFL simulation game. The sheer number of modes makes for many different types of experiences for many different mindsets and needs. This large variety can be overwhelming at times in a very layered user interface system that changes based on each mode. The graphics are mostly acceptable given the hardware of the Nintendo Switch 2.
Nintendojo was provided a copy of this game for review by a third party, though that does not affect our recommendation. For every review, Nintendojo uses a standard criteria.
