Common Sense Media Review
By Michael Lafferty
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Facebook football game -- look out for hidden fees.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 13+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Play
Videos and Photos
Madden NFL Superstars
What's It About?
MADDEN NFL SUPERSTARS puts players in charge of a fictitious NFL team that features real-world players. This is a game that relies on statistics for the most part, but players can use the limited supply of Gamebreaker bonuses to change the momentum. Teams must be trained before they work through seasons, earning points and coins, which can be used to buy better players and move up through the leagues. There is also a fantasy football element in which players can pick the winners of the real NFL schedule to earn bonus coins.
Is It Any Good?
While seemingly simple, Madden NFL Superstars has a decent amount of depth. It is certainly challenging -- sometimes even a touch frustrating. Players have to keep their teams well-trained, because the virtual athletes' training points expire after a time. This is a bit insidious in that, to continue to be good, the game must be visited frequently. Still, there are several elements, such as balancing practice time and income with time spent actually playing against other players that make this a fun app. (Note that two-player games are not live, and you never need interact with your opponent directly.) The game should be a very nice Facebook fit for NFL fans.
Online interaction: You can play against other people's teams, but these games aren't live, and you have no direct interaction with your opponent during these match-ups.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the value of proper training in order to improve a team, and how one player may be good, but it takes a team to win.
It would also be wise for families to discuss how careful people must be when using a social network like Facebook.
This game can also serve as a good example of how a game may appear to be free, but there are really micro-transaction elements in place that will cost players money.
Game Details
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
Suggest an Update
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate