Madden NFL 07 - E

Not much new, but sure to be a big hit with kids.

Publisher: Electronic Arts Category/Genre: Video Games - Sports Platform: Nintendo DS, Nintendo GameCube, PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, PSP, Windows, Xbox, Xbox 360 Price: $49.99 Online Enabled: Yes Graphics: Medium. Pretty players and stadiums with a few animation hiccups. Playability: Medium. Lots of options are complex but easy enough for the initiated. Reading Level: Medium Release Date: 08/28/2006 ESRB Rating: E

Common Sense Note

Parents need to know that this football game features some controls that may be too complex for younger players. The gameplay is pretty much like real professional football; players control some hard tackles and they have the option to try illegal moves like holding, although the may have to face the penalties. The game has some ads for real-life companies, a soundtrack with licensed songs, and it promotes the National Football League Parents should also be aware that the game has an online mode and that Common Sense doesn't recommend online play for anyone under 12.

Families can talk about what makes football interesting. Do flashy plays and show-business elements make the game exciting or is it the play-calling strategy? Families may also want to discuss the advertisements that are wrapped up in the game. Why are drive summaries and player profiles sponsored by companies? Is this commercialism distracting -- or does it make gameplay more authentic? Finally, families should discuss proper online behavior.

Rate It!

Common Sense Review

Reviewed By: Chris Jozefowicz

Another year, another Madden. The king of console football games returns with MADDEN NFL 07, an entry that adds some small tweaks and innovations to the franchise to create a solid, enjoyable game that should please fanatics and casual fans alike.

Players who have tackled a Madden game before, such as the 05 or 04 versions, will find themselves on familiar ground. As in previous years, Madden 07 does a nice job of translating the big, complex, and messy world of professional football: real players, real stadiums, big hits, injuries, commercial sponsorships, some showboating, and plenty of play-calling strategy.

Although Madden 07 has a pick-up-and-play, single game option, for serious players the heart of the game will be one of the season-spanning modes which have only minor tweaks over previous entries in the series.

In Franchise Mode, players take control of a team, draft new players (now after scouting college players in an all-star game), make trades, and attempt to come out on top of the league. In Superstar Mode, players select one player, go through training, and man a specific position game after game, accumulating accolades and influence while shooting for stardom (now the Hall of Fame).

Changes to the controls in Madden 07 focus on the offensive side of the ball. Players on the run now have a finer degree of control over evasive jukes, spins, and tackle-breaking maneuvers. Kicking is fully controlled by one of the analog sticks, as in NCAA 07. But the most exciting innovation is the Lead Blocking feature, which allows players to control a blocking linesman, push a defender to the side or even deliver a cut block to the legs, and then switch control to the ball carrier as he runs through the hole left in the defensive line. Lead Blocking can be a tricky, but once players get the hang of it, the move gives them a deeper control of the game and reduces the sense that a lot of fine controls have been left to the computer.

Despite the changes, Madden 07 still has some minor problems. Corporate sponsorship of things like drive summaries and player-of-the-game awards are familiar from real football, but come off as gratuitous in the game. Likewise, the EA-staple of a background soundtrack of punkish and hip-hop songs, complete with pop-ups identifying the song and artist, feels awkwardly tacked on.

Yet the biggest complaint many gamers might have is that they've seen the basic Madden football game before. This latest iteration will hold most appeal to football fans and those players eager to delve into the up-to-the-minute online community for contests against real humans.

Rate It!

Content		CS	adults	kids
Content
Sexual Content
Violence Some big hits and low blocks, but nothing gratuitous.
Language
Message
	Social Behavior Players are given the option to commit fouls and not always penalized.
	Commercialism The game is part of a long-running series. Players will see ads for EA Games, the NFL, and a few products like Sprint, Motorola, and Snickers.
	Drug/Alcohol/Tobacco
	Educational Value It is impossible not to learn something about football strategy.