The Madden NFL franchise from Electronic Arts Sports gets its latest installment in the form of Madden NFL 09. The game doesn’t change much from the previous version, but it does have its ups. It has some new features implemented into it, but nothing that will essentially change any gameplay mechanics.
One of the biggest additions is the inclusion of Rookie Mode, which simplifies all gameplay mechanisms for beginners to get the hang of Madden NFL 09. With the features made so easy, the learning curve is drastically reduced, and it works well for those who are new to the game and just want to try it out.
There are prompts and assists to help you out through the game in rookie mode, and you’ll be concentrating on just the basic four buttons. For instance, when you’re on the offensive, square enables you to dive, circle lets you spin, and hitting X will perform highlighted moves.
On the defensive, X will perform big hits, circle will switch players and square will make your player dive. Every other aspect of the game has been simplified so everyone can play. This is of absolutely no use to the older Madden NFL players, but can attract a whole bunch of newbie’s to the game.
While rookie mode can be a plus point, it does have its minuses too. When you play in rookie mode, you won’t understand much of what John Madden is saying, and you won’t get why one play is better than another, and which play to use in what situation, which forms a major part of the Madden NFL gameplay mechanism.
Rookie mode is one of the main additions to the game, and apart from that, it is pretty much the same as Madden NFL 08 on the PSP. Visuals of the game seem to have improved a bit, but nothing substantial. Because of the lack of screen space, and the tight cameras, formations won’t entirely be seen on screen, and sometimes, it’s hard to figure out if everyone is in position or not.
Overall, the game does the job of keeping old fans happy, and making new fans, but if you’re looking for something different from Madden NFL 08, then you’re going to be disappointed.
Tags: american football, football, Madden, nfl 09, psp, sony











