Worried about Madden on Wii being hard to control? Worry no more.Madden NFL 07 was the first Wii game I played on the show floor. Madden can be a challenging game to play for the uninitiated, and while I've played it a number of times, I'm by no means a Madden guru. If I could pick up Madden and get used to the controls right off the bat, that'd be a good indication of just how good the Wii's control scheme could be. After all, if you're going to use the Wii Remote for the first time, you might as well put it through its paces right?
I'm pleased to report that Madden controls pretty well on Wii. There's a learning curve involved, but it isn't so much the usual "Oh, OK, when that happens I hit B"; it's more about getting an idea of how to hold the remote, and the best way to do the actions in order to get the result you desire. Luckily the demo that I was playing crashed near the end of my first run, so I got a second play-through (much to the chagrin of the crowd around me).
The demo consisted of three parts: a Quarterback Passing Drill, a Field-Goal Kicking Drill, and a time-limited exhibition game between Seattle and Pittsburgh. The Quarterback Passing Drill is first up and serves as an introduction to the controls. Using the Wii Remote and the Nunchuk controller, you move your QB using the analog joystick and keep him within a circle (he can only move around within a confined area). There is a series of five targets, representing receivers, that light up at different intervals. Each target corresponds to a direction on the remote's D-Pad and the A button. To throw to the selected target you press the appropriate button and then flick the remote forward. Depending on how quickly you flick it forward, your quarterback will throw the ball harder or softer (indicated by a Miles Per Hour reading for the speed of your pass). The goal is to hit as many targets within the alotted period of time as possible, racking up as high a score as you can based on your speed and accuracy.
The next event is a field goal kicking drill. You move the direction arrow left and right using the analog stick, hit A and then kick by sweeping the controller upward while keeping it level. The more you tilt the remote to the left or right, the more slice you'll put on your kick. One of the EA Sports representatives told us that some people don't actually move the directional arrow, but instead put lots of slice on their kick to achieve the same objective. The kicking was a breeze and I was letting loose perfect kicks in no time.
The third part of the demo was an exhibition game between the Seahawks and the Steelers. You choose an offensive/defensive set and play with A, and of course you have the options to get help from John Madden or flip your play. Once you've made your selections you're into the game. To hike the ball you flick the remote upwards with a quick motion, and then select a receiver with the D-Pad and A (the Z-button on the Nunchuk shows you your receivers). You flick the controller forward, fast for a bullet pass and slow for a lob, to throw the ball. Once your receiver catches your pass, you hold down B on the Nunchuk to sprint and quickly move the remote left and right to juke/stiffarm.
I was skeptical that Wii's controls would work well with Madden. I must admit I was really impressed because its controls are very natural and easy to pick up and run with. It was a little difficult to see the difference between a hard pass and a soft pass (they all seemed to look the same), but from a straight control standpoint it was a whole lot of fun. The biggest adjustment for me was clicking on the D-Pad/A to select a receiver and then having to remember to actually perform a physical action to throw the ball. Like everyone else I'm used to doing a series of button clicks, not having to move my arm. Once I trained myself to do that I really got into the swing of things. The controls were really responsive and I never got the feeling that things "weren't working". I actually found it easier to do things like stiffarming, because remembering to move the controller left and right is a lot more natural than having to remember a certain button.
While the graphics weren't on a level of the PS3 or XBox360 versions, Madden on the Wii is a sharp game. I didn't get to see any weather effects (the exhibition game took place in a domed stadium), but everything looked and played great. Of course, the new style of control is the main draw here, and in that department Madden is certainly looking like a success.
Topic: IMPRESSIONS: Madden NFL 07 (Read 3205 times)
