Just as the seasons change, people expect to see the latest update in the EA sports roster, especially with the introduction of a new gaming console. With the launch of the new Nintendo Wii console people were wondering how Madden football would change, and how it would incorporate the new motion sensor control scheme. People wondered if the controls would be too gimmicky after playing it for a while, and how would the game stand up to the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 versions since the Wii has less graphical horsepower. Well after playing with the game for many hours you can put all your fears at ease as Madden NFL 07 for the Nintendo Wii is one of the best versions I have played this year.

Out with the old and in with the new

That is what I thought of when I first booted up this game and started playing it. When you first load up the game you will be presented with the usual options plus a new one entitled “Learn Madden,” which is very essential to go through if you want to be successful with this game. This mode is very similar to some of the training camp modes but instead of drilling you on how to perform plays this mode shows you how to actually play the game with the new motion sensitive controls.

The thing about this game is that it is so radically different that you have to take the time to learn the controls. Even after you go through this mode you will find yourself trying to play the game as you would on any of the other consoles. For instance, after playing through all of the training modes I found myself pressing the A button to hike the football even though I knew that it would never work, old habits die hard. After you get though the mild learning curve for this game you will see how fun this game really is with all of the new controls. You will actually feel that you are really in the game playing since you are having to hike the ball, throw it, stiff arm people, and so on. I thought that it would be hard for the game to overcome its graphical deficiencies in-comparison to the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 counterparts, but the new controller scheme more than makes up for it and then some.

Since I have effectively hyped up the controls enough let me go ahead and tell you what you actually do and how fun it is. Instead of pressing buttons to get things done you now use various motions. For instance to thrown a ball you make a throwing motion in front of you, depending on how fast you do this will depend if you either loft the ball or do a bullet pass. If you want to stiff arm someone while you have the ball either point the Wii mote to the left or right and to just you do the same thing except with the nunchuk attachment. While these controls might seem cumbersome and hard to master it is very easy once you understand how to use them and makes the game more interactive, personal, and fun.

All in all, EA did a great job with the controls, but it is still not perfect. There are two things wrong with the controls and it is the kicking system and the “Big Hits” controls. The kicking system seems like it is almost broken as I could barely get it to work, so I had some friends try it out and they had the same issues as me. It is extremely hard to get a kick lined up and kick with enough force without messing it up. Another issue I had is with the Big Hit controls, the motion for it is moving both the Wii-motes in front of you. I found that it is hard for the game to recognize this so it only works part of the time. Other than these two complaints the game is a blast to play.

So much to do with so little time
There are several Wii-only multiplayer game modes. The first is “2 on 2” which brings back fond memories since it is just like schoolyard football. This means that you get five plays to get a touchdown before it is the other team;s turn. Y.A.C. Attack (yards after catch) is a mode where it is three verses one (one QB verse three defenders), the more swats or interceptions the defenders get the higher their score, and the more competed passes and touchdowns the QB gets the higher his score. The last new game mode is Kicking Combine, where three people take a field goal kicking challenge, this mode would have been more fun it the kicking controls did have issues.

The other game modes found in this game remain the same from Madden 06. First off you will find a very deep franchise mode where you take a team and see if you can make them the best around and have fun with all of the mini-camps, owner mode, coaching, and everything else. Superstar mode makes a comeback and is better than ever. In this mode you take a rookie and your ultimate goal is to make it into the Hall of Fame before the guy retires. You can then always look at the NFL Network mode, which is a way to master certain plays and see how NFL plays actually come together. Sadly there is no online multiplayer mode, but hopefully this will be rectified next year.

Off sides with a five yard penalty

The graphics for Madden NFL 07 will not dazzle you like the PlayStation 3 or Xbox 360 versions; in fact, it is a very small step-up from the current generation games. In other words the game really doesn’t take advantage of the hardware as it could. While it is noted that the Wii doesn’t have the same graphical power as the other next generation consoles, it still can be better with out the blurry textures and the animation glitches that you will see. Hopefully next year we will see some improvements on the graphics that compliment the hardware.

The sound for this game is as good as it is every year. The musical soundtrack is a mix of popular rock, rap, and other songs that you love to hear. The sound effects are also decently done from hearing the various hits that you will hear on the field. I do hope that next year the commentary will be ramped up some and fleshed out some more as it seems like that has remained static for years now, but it still gets the job done without a hitch.

Madden NFL 07 is rated for everyone.

Gameplay: 8.9
The new control scheme for this game is really fun to play. While the kicking still needs some work this is the most fun I have had playing Madden in a while. The motions will take a while to get accustomed to but once you do you will find it hard to go back and play it on any of the other systems.

Graphics: 7.3
The bad part of this game is the graphics, especially when you compare it to the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 versions of the game. The game is slightly better then the “current” generation of consoles but not by much. Hopefully next year the developers will get a better handle on the system and how to exploit its power as the Nintendo Wii can perform much better then this.

Sound: 8.1
The music in this game is a really good and contains the usual mix of hip-hop and rock. The commentary is decent and gets the job done as it has for many years now.

Difficulty: Medium
It will take a little time to get adjusted to playing the game and all of its motions to perform certain actions. Thankfully there is a Learn Madden mode option that is available from the first time you load the game which will teach you all you need to know.

Concept: 9.1
I really enjoyed how the developers made Madden for the Nintendo Wii. They made the game play like it really was made for the Wii and it is a blast to play.

Multiplayer N/A
At the time of this review I was unable to test out the multiplayer features of Madden NFL 07.

Overall: 8.7
Madden NFL 07 for the Nintendo Wii is a great game. The developers really took the time necessary to make sure the game felt very responsive and not gimmicky. After playing the game on the Nintendo Wii it is hard to go back to the other versions as the game now draws you in it more and makes you feel that you are more a part of the game.