Customer Reviews

Madden NFL 07

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Madden NFL 07 on the Xbox 360 was as good as fumbling the ball in your end zone and watching your opponent run it 105 yards for a touchdown. EA Tiburon threw out a game that was almost as bad as the `Niners against the Bears earlier this season. The Nintendo Wii version, essentially a motion-sensing re-make of the current-gen Madden NFL 07, fares much better.

To start, the game's a lot of fun to play, running at a smooth frame rate and avoiding some of the annoying problems that plagued the Xbox 360 Madden NFL 07. Without even considering the Wii-specific controls, the current-gen Madden was much better anyway. When you factor in the Wii controls, everything gets a lot more interesting. You'll do everything with motion-sensitive mechanics, including taking the snap (pull up on the Wii remote), passing the ball (thrust downward on the Wii remote), stiff-arming (flick the remote left or right), and juking (flick the nunchuck).

Initially I had some trouble taking snaps and kicking the ball well but after some practice I was rushing and passing all over the place, playing the fast-paced and fun game of football that Madden NFL is supposed to deliver. The new controls allow players to be extremely evasive while running the ball-since jukes and stiff arms are so easily done, there's no reason not to be doing them every time a defender gets close. The Highlight Stick obviously doesn't make an appearance here, but playing a virtual Joseph Addai has never been this much fun.

If Peyton Manning, Jo Addai, and Marvin Harrison are a blast to play, Dwight Freeny isn't. It's too bad that the fantastic Wii controls aren't as great on defense as they are on offense. Everything on defense feels too slow for the fast-paced offensive moves. Of course, it's still a decent game of football, but don't expect a lot of big stops on most defensive chances. Initially I allowed a lot of running yards and couldn't defend passes, which was annoying. Also, even though the mechanic for a Big Hit is fun and immersive (thrust the controllers forward), they're not as easy to pull off as they are with the Truck Stick found on other versions, and neither are interceptions, which are done by thrusting both controllers in an upward motion.

Madden NFL 07 for the Wii is loaded with all of the current-gen features. It's got the Superstar Mode, which was done much better on current-gen consoles than the next-gen ones. It's got the Fantasy Franchises, which are always a blast. Season, Play Now, all of those things come standard. It's too bad that the Wii can't jump online just yet, because that would have rounded off the Wii's version perfectly.

Unfortunately, some of the current-gen Madden flaws hold over. There are still some questionable hits, missed tackles, and players clipping together while tackle animations fail to initiate. Pass defense is still touchy. John Madden is still a big pain to listen to, and it seems that fewer sound bytes were put on the Wii disc, resulting in more repeated lines and more Madden hate. Seriously, I can't stand this guy. Bob and Tom's "Mr. Obvious" skit should really run an episode with Madden on it. I'd love it.

Madden NFL 07 looks alright on the Wii. It's got a slightly higher visual quality than the Xbox version of the game, resulting in some good character models and pretty grass on the ground. Of course, it doesn't look as good as the Xbox 360 or PlayStation 3 versions. The tackle animations aren't as good, and neither are the celebrations, stadiums, or menus, but that's to be expected. What's done here isn't bad at all, but it won't blow you away.

Overall, Madden NFL 07 on the Nintendo Wii is a great effort by EA Tiburon, one that makes me wonder even more how they dropped the ball on the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 games, if it's even fair to call them "games." If you've already picked up a copy of this year's Madden, I'd still recommend renting the Wii version. If anything, it's an interesting departure from the traditional controls. If you haven't picked up a Madden NFL 07, this is the best version to get. It's fun, it's different, and it's Madden. That's a great combo, one worthy of this season's MVP.

This is the second game I bought for the Wii, after legend of zelda. I love this game. It is very fun to play. I have played Madden before, but probably havent owned one since 02.

I have owned it for about 2 weeks now and I really enjoy the freemotion you get to use with the Wii. You control the snap, the passing (plus how hard you through) stiff arm, jukes, power moves, and catching the ball all on offense. These are easy to use, and after a while feel natural. The passing is awesome, it is just more fun that the old fashioned, tapping or holding down X to throw the ball. The stiff arm is great to use as well, you basically throw a stiff arm, and your player responds. How neat is that?

On defense, it leaves something to be desired. You control a lot of the movements based on your control stick, and the best way to tackle in my opinion is diving with the B button. To perform a rip, you swing both controllers, but I have problems with that, getting better at it though. Catching is the same, raise both contollers, strips and swatting work ok.


Kicking is tough to get control of, but I have not had too much trouble with it. I have always struggled with kicking in games, this is no different. However, I usually kick over 90 percent with a slice less than 10 degrees. I will not complain about it, as it gets easier.

Directions are bad if you have never played a Madden game before. I have, but not since about 02. They stopped being fun after a while. This is back to being fun. I love this game.

First, I will start out with the bad. The instruction manual for this game is the most sorry excuse for a manual that I have ever seen. There are no details about any of the different modes, no instructions on how to navigate menus, and absolutely no information about any nooks and crannies of the game. I realize that an instruction manual doesn't need to cover *all* of these things, but the manual literally covers nothing beyond basic controls.

Graphics: The graphics leave a little to be desired, but then again, this is the Nintendo Wii, so graphics are not the main allure. The player movements are fluid and I don't see any problems with the game engine that are distractions during gameplay. The game looks nice, but not beautiful.

Sounds/Music: I don't mind the soundtrack, but I feel like older Madden games had much catchier pump up music and menu navigating (elevator) music. The commentary, as usual is horrible. I think the commentary here might be a little worse than other Madden games. Madden makes me want to scream and he says the same stupid stuff over and over again.

Gameplay: This is where the game truly shines. I was a little skeptical with all the controller movements I was expecting with the Wii, but was pleasantly surprised. None of the motions are overly complex, and most of them are quite intuitive. The in-game tutorials are extremely helpful in allowing you to get the motions down. You get to try the motions and the computer tells you whether or not the motion works or what you need to do to make it work.

The learning curve might be a bit steeper than the earlier Madden games, but after playing pretty frequently over the last week, I can say that I have a pretty good grasp of the game. I think the controls make the game more enjoyable, interactive, and exciting.

Features: I haven't played Madden since Madden 2003, so this is a huge leap for me in terms of features. Unfortunately, I have been too busy playing to delve into all of the features. I started my own franchise and I can say that this mode alone can keep me busy for months. I see no dearth of features in this game, but I wish the instruction manual would give more details about it.

Overall, amazingly fun, and fantastic game. I recommend it to Madden fans and to casual gamers who have even a mild interest in football. You're in for a treat.

This game is a revolutionary football game with its motion sensing. Let's go to pros and cons.
PROS:
-passing is amazing with Wii remote
-running is great with the wii remote
-all game modes from current gen. games are in the game
-great franchise mode (as always)
-classic madden gameplay
-pretty accurate rosters
What more do I say, it's great! However, problems exist
CONS:
-commentary is still terrible
-offense is a bit TOO easy, especially running, as well as kick returns. In madden 05 this wasn't a problem but I noticed this in 06 also.
-fantasy draft is weird-QB's and RB's are immidietly taken while great defensive players like Ray Lewis and Champ Bailey can be picked up in the 2nd-4th round. I got Joey Porter in round 6!
-weird superstar mode, a bit boring
-as a previous reviewer mentioned, what my friends and I refer to as 'Madden Cheapness' is still present. pass D still questionable
-kicking is tough to get used to

Despite its problems, madden 07 is a must have title for any football fan, even madden haters. The freemotion is just incredible (besides tricky kicking). You must get used to the motion thing first, or you wont ever like this game to its full potential. The guy who said "Not a Manning, but definately a Brady" is pretty much right. I play this more than zelda! I also recommend spongebob CFTKK and zelda for your wii. I rate this game

sound-4/10 a ok soundtrack and horrid commentary
gameplay-9.5/10 very solid though a tad easy on offense
graphics-8/10 pretty good, better than xbox 1 or psp graphics 4 madden
overall enjoyment-8.9/10 great freemotin, but madden cheapness sucks.

BUY THIS GAME!

By the way, I do own this game!

It's an EA title. If you're on this page, you know what to expect from this game. People complain about the graphics, but really graphics are secondary to what this game is all about... "the throwing motion" as QB is awesome. It's hard to want to do running plays, with how sweet it is to switch WR's as you drop back. It draws you into the game unlike any madden/football game has before.

That being said... the kicking is a little absurd. I have been practicing it... but basically they make it far too sensative. I realize the desire to make kicking a challenge with a Wii-remote, but it's the NFL... kickers are money... the controls on kicking shouldn't be so demanding, if you aren't rigid as heck with your kicking motion (especially on kickoffs) you hook is so badly, the likes of which I've never seen from an NFL kicker, and this can happen 2-3 times a game.

but the feeling of throwing alone gives this title a solid 4 stars.

Breathtaking, Great, Speech Less, Best Madden Yet PERIOD. The game is amazing and by the far the throwing is the best and the running is pretty amazing too. Swatting down the ball under your control.Priceless, The game is SO much better because YOU do more instead of the computer/Wii(like in previous Madden's). Everything seemed perfect, until I had to kick a field goal. I've tried and tried and can't seem to make a single field goal or kick the ball off behind the 30 yard line. It just kills the game. If I could get the hang of kicking I would beat my brother every time but instead, I lose. Long story short, Kicking is REALLY important for the enjoyment of the game and winning. A final note if I could I would rate this game with a 4.5 out of 5 star rating.

Madden was the first game I bought for Wii and I am proud to have done so. The controls take a little while to learn but they are all very intuitive and even fun to do. I always stand up while I play this game because I get so into the game. The game only gets better when you add multiple people to it.
Overall this game is exactly what I'd expect from a Madden game. It's great fun but can get old if you play it too much and aren't that into football.

I definitely recommend you buy this game.

Madden 07 is an awesome game. The Wii controls add tons of fun make the game feel more interactive. Although the graphics are nothing compared to the PS3 or the Xbox 360 I think that the improvement in gameplay more than makes up for it. All of the controls are responsive and it doesn't confuse your movements. Sometimes while choosing a play or in the menus the pointer doesn't move exactly where you tell it to or maybe it doesn't think you're pointing at it, but normally it works fine.
I find that just playing a random game with teams of your choice is the best way to play this game, but there are a variety of other modes to play. It includes all the modes from older Madden games and adds a few more of its own. These new modes are Multiplayer Minigames one of which is playing two on two with your friends, NFL Superstar: Hall of Fame mode in which you create a player and try to get him through draft and, eventually into the Football Hall of Fame, and a couple other new modes.
There is a lot of variety in the music in this game. Featuring tons of different genres of music and at least twenty songs, I haven't gotten bored of the music yet. Some of the songs are overly long and get boring to listen to, while others are catchy and fun to listen to over and over again. Luckily you can turn off the songs you don't like so that they never play.
Overall I find Madden 07 for the Wii an addictive, fun game jam-packed with features.

Even though I haven't played it, you should consider purchasing Madden NFL 08 instead of 07 because there are many more features, like online play, ehanced controls, and many more minigames.

For 07, I really enjoy it, but the motion controls don't always work, so it might be a hassle for begginers.

I bought this game because basketball isn't as exciting as it used to be and I found myself missing football in the off season. I was expecting the graphics to be a bit better, but this game gets my blood flowing like it's the regular season all over again!

I even catch myself being sadly disappointed with Rex Grossman when I throw an interception with him. Just like in real life!

I think I read that John Madden's commentary can be repetitive... that's true, but it's not quite as annoying as I thought. The different game modes are fun too. I just wish there was a way to play the Superstar mode only when you're player is playing. I thought I saw it somewhere, but I couldn't find it when I was looking for it.

Franchise play would be better too if you could automate all the resigning and negotiating. But then again, you might be able to, there are a lot of poorly organized settings and options.

My primary complaint has to actually do with the selection mechanism. For some reason, it randomly moves to another selection without me pointing at it. That doesn't really hurt game play.

My secondary complaint is that the instant replay and challenge systems are complete garbage. It would be better if they didn't show you a replay... half the time you see the ball fall through the chest of the receiver or have one foot on the out of bounds line and it doesn't matter.

Regardless of the annoyances, this was a good buy. It will hold me back until next season. GO BEARS!