Madden 10 tackles the iPhone
by Andrew Yoon 
{ Sep 9th 2009 at 2:15PM } 
click for Madden 10 iPhone gallery
There's an old (albeit imaginary) adage in the game's industry: If it can play games, Madden will undoubtedly follow. EA Sports is rushing Apple's App Store with a brand new game that takes full advantage of the iPhone's (and iPod's) touch screen. Unlike the console variants, the handheld Madden 10 experience is more accessible to the casual player. Beginners will be able to get by without thinking about the playbook, as the game automatically recommends appropriate plays. The action slows down when the quarterback has the ball, and color-coded icons appear on the screen, indicating the likelihood of making a completion.
In our brief time with the game, it was clear that EA Mobile placed a lot of effort into ensuring Madden could be played in short bursts: not only does the game launch within seconds from the iPhone menu, the game auto-saves after every play, allowing players to stop and resume a match any time they want. Hardcore football fans are likely to appreciate the added depth that casual gamers wil avoid: there are 2000 players in the game, voiced (tinny) commentary from John Madden, and a feature called "Hot Route" which allows players to manually draw plays to carry out. A ridiculous number of stats are also tracked by the game with full sorting, so you can know exactly who has the highest 3rd down conversion ratio in the league.
The game will be available for $9.99 in the App Store, though you can snag it for a discounted $7.99 today. We've been told that multiplayer is being worked on, as well as DLC, such as roster updates and "authentic jerseys."
Gallery: Madden 10 (iPhone)
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
SpyderTaco (PSN: Ar4chNova89) @ Sep 9th 2009 2:18PM
Who honestly did not see this coming?
Madden can be found on a console even if it's made out of an egg carton and some tin foil with a wire hanging out of it.
...That just gave me an idea.
Bert @ Sep 9th 2009 2:33PM
I don't see it on the Appstore yet. Anyone else have any luck?
Akuma FTW @ Sep 9th 2009 2:32PM
Ben Worthlessburger gets free-agent status in my league - Day 1
Misframed @ Sep 9th 2009 2:34PM
Because his name is so long that it doesn't fit on the iPhone's screen?
Cody @ Sep 9th 2009 2:35PM
"We've been told that multiplayer is being worked on, as well as DLC, such as roster updates and "authentic jerseys."
In regards to the DLC. Those are the kind of things that need to be included with DSi Enhanced games. You know, provided they actually made Madden games for DS anymore :(
Alton Brown [ XBL: LordToastington, Soon-To-Be-PSN: OrIsItAltonBrown] @ Sep 9th 2009 2:39PM
They should be included free on every system.
Eric @ Sep 9th 2009 2:42PM
IGN HAS A REVIEW UP ALREADY.
http://wireless.ign.com/articles/102/1022783p1.html
Spartan [Planeteer l Power of bad weather] @ Sep 9th 2009 2:50PM
I was just reading over on engadget that the ipod touch is taking the gaming war directly to the psp and ds.
IMHO i think the touch is about to have it's ass handed to it.
As an all round device the touch is excellent. wish i had one.
but for games all i can say is "where's my ds?"
Chris D.(PSN: Aggie_CEO | XBL:The Aggie CEO | Steam: Aggie_CEO @ Sep 9th 2009 2:55PM
basically...I mean is it innovative? yes it is...that I will give them....but to say the average cost of Games on the PSP and DS are $25-$40 and theres is under $10 is just bullshit...I mean look at what you are getting on the DS and PSP vs the crap on the damn iPhone/touch....sorry but God of War: Chains of Olympus rolls over ANYTHING that is or ever WILL be on the Touch/iPhone
Chris D.(PSN: Aggie_CEO | XBL:The Aggie CEO | Steam: Aggie_CEO @ Sep 9th 2009 2:51PM
Ummm yea...I've said it b4 and I'll say it again....fuck the bullshit....TocuhScreen controls for these games is shit....some things need to just be left alone....at the same time common sense says EA wants all the money they can get and it cost little to nothing to develop for the iPhone...
what got me is how they are REALLY trying to say the damn iPhone/Touch is a better Handheld gaming system than the PSP or DS...touting they have over 21,000 "Entertainment titles" and the PSP has only 600+ games while the DS has only 3.800+ games.....come on Apple...half of those "Entertainment" titles are crazy ass shit like "iGun"
MowDownJoe @ Sep 9th 2009 2:56PM
You're also forgetting how the fart apps get shuffled under "entertainment"... and there are ALOT of them. Nice gross inflation, Apple!
Chris D.(PSN: Aggie_CEO | XBL:The Aggie CEO | Steam: Aggie_CEO @ Sep 9th 2009 3:03PM
yea its PLENTY of things that get thrown under entertainment...I'm willing to bet however that as for REAL games its no more than a few thousand...
Traceur_Ryuk (PSN: Ryuk_shinigami) @ Sep 9th 2009 3:50PM
Most of them suck as well, I don't generally play games on my iPhone, I use it for web browsing (on it right now) and stuff. I have about 15 games on here and only play about 2 of them regularly.
Chris D.(PSN: Aggie_CEO | XBL:The Aggie CEO | Steam: Aggie_CEO @ Sep 9th 2009 4:05PM
I use mine for web as well...the twitter and facebook apps...cheapgas apps, etc...I have tried games on it to see what all the fuss was about and I'm not satisfied with any of them....droplitz is the only ACTUAL game I have paid for and it was .99...wont get me to BUY a game any other way....and the only time I play that is when I am taking a shit....otherwise I play it on PC...
snowleopard233 @ Sep 9th 2009 4:06PM
I get a kick out of ipod games but I’d be kidding myself if I thought any of these felt like AAA games. Most of these are either games you can play on the internet through flash for free or console game tie-ins that feel extremely bland or are just terrible. Apple has managed to create the world’s largest and most accessible store of cell phone games, but their cell phone games and that’s it. Start coming out with stuff that I don’t need to cover up half the screen with my massive thumb and we’ll start treating them like a real game-maker.
HEY @ Sep 9th 2009 3:13PM
gamers do not buy iPod to game on
why not the LS2LS7? @ Sep 9th 2009 4:09PM
That route system is going to be a game-breaker. It'll be fun, but within 3 days someone on the net will have found a route you can draw that the computer absolutely cannot cover and so you can score every time.
herojig @ Sep 23rd 2009 12:42AM
Best game ever played so far on the iphone. I have the Broncos at 14-1 so far this season and looks like I am going to the Superbowl on this one. But it's been tough! I had to sign Tom Brady on early in the season to make it so - ha! How likely would that have been!