Football-American Style
Today, on a lonesome street, past old steel plants and auto factories, along decrepit corridors of memories past, the echoes of football usher in another October morning. Six years ago, down that same street, came not the sounds of football, but the sounds of a video football game. It was a game like no other. That game was John Madden Football, and it marked the beginning of a new era in console sports simulation. At the time, John Madden Football was hands down the best football game ever made. But actually, it was much, much more than that. It was as if the earth shook, and what sprang forth was a Prometheus. It challenged the gods. It asked, "Is there anything that I cannot do?"
The launch of the Madden Football franchise was one of the most memorable launches in video game history. Not only did it make the Genesis the great console that it was (along with NHL of course), but it created the first true "scourge" of the sports game industry. Companies began to copy Madden, emulate Madden, even out-and-out rip Madden off, but no other football game could come close to beating it.
The release of Madden 64 is another landmark launch, another step in the ongoing history of video games. It literally took the world by surprise. Not a mention, not a hint, not a whisper regarding a 64-bit Madden was heard by anyone. Then, at a private event, EA announced this N64 bombshell. GI caught the first glimpse of Madden 64, rumors spread quickly, and soon the entire industry was abuzz. And in case you're not excited, start getting pumped up, because everything that made the old games so great - the simplicity of control...the complexity of execution...the nail-biting last minute fourth down...the perfectly timed catch - all the great Madden trademarks are found throughout the entire game. What makes this game exciting for us is that we see this history, we know how to play the game, we still have our favorite plays, only this time it all takes place in the bold and beautiful world of polygons. When you see your first touchdown celebration, when you first see John Elway pump fake on an out-and-up, when you first see that ambulance roll out on the field after laying an earth-shattering hit, you're going to say (like so many times before), "This is the Madden I've been waiting for."
Do Polygons Make a differnece?
At the heart of it all, beyond the discussions of polygons and frame rates and AI and virtual stadiums, lie the memories of Normal-Pro Form/All Streaks, the ambulance, the playbooks, and everything that took the world by storm as Madden first appeared on that fateful day in 1991. It is now 1997, and this is
Madden 64.
We'll make no bones about it, this game surprised the entire world. But people who were carefully following the industry might have known that EA Sports wasn't playing the steady running game, they were looking for a bomb, the big play. No one knows how long it took to develop Madden 64, but remember that last May EA had announced "no further plans to develop any software for the N64." Then, like the late Franklin Roosevelt, Nintendo and EA announced a "New Deal." What part had the Madden franchise played in this deal? We believe that because Nintendo had always gotten the short stick when it came to video football, they wanted everything, and struck the deal with EA on the promise that this year, a polygon Madden would be exclusive to the N64. Sports games are vital to the success of any platform, and polygons are the wampum of 64-bit gaming. Madden 64 makes the PlayStation version look like a blurry sea of dots.
So to anyone who asks - "Can the N64 push more polygons?" - the answer is YES. The machine allows for tremendous attention to player detail.
The TV screen is a full celebration of video game graphics. From the weather effects to the player animations to the rich green turf, this is one game that leaps out and grabs you. Small things like cuts and spins, swim moves and play actions all meld into a smooth growth from snap to final tackle. End zone celebrations take place before a deep landscape, where every background detail stays sharply in focus. It's just like you were there.
With the new tools and graphics power, the Madden 64 team opted against adding a variety of special moves (like those found in GameDay). The philosophy is that the game becomes unbalanced, that having to press too many buttons takes away from the instinct of the game. We agree. Football is above all else a game of instinct. Quarterbacks may `read' defenses, runners may have `patience' in finding the hole, but in the end, decisions must be made in the blink of an eye. This is the beauty of polygon Madden. In Madden 64, receivers' strides and hitches are more recognizable. Individual match-ups on the line are clearer, more distinct. Tackles and guards can be seen bowling over linemen, and holes in the line ebb and flow. This all emphasizes individual gaming skill. Pure and simple, there is no excuse for blowing a play. If something went wrong, nine times out of ten it's your own fault.
With Polygons, the developers have also been able to add excellent player animations. There is nothing cooler than playing a sports game for months on end, only to see something you've never seen before. Madden is chock full of one-handed grabs, leaping catches, and bone crunching hits. Think about how cool it is to play the game for months on end. You've exhausted the one-player game. You're sick of playing against your best friend. Suddenly, new challengers arise, your cousins perhaps. Because of their particular style, the different plays they call, or timing of their tackles, you see your running back do an end over end flip. You've never seen it before, but there it is, crisp and clear in real-time gamespeed. There's nothing you can say but "wow."
Madden 64 now includes the first ever practical football Helmet Cam. Although the feature is limited to the 1-player game, the Helmet Cam is an interesting addition. It's fun to fiddle around with passing and running plays, but the Helmet Cam is best for instant replays. After a big gain, Pat Summerall says, "Let's look at that one again." The game then selects a camera angle and shows a replay of the previous down. It's cool to watch the replay in the Helmet Cam as you spin and juke your way down the field.
Madden 64 doesn't have an NFL license, which means no team names and logos, but that didn't stop EA Sports from duplicating the stadiums in perfect detail. Within each stadium, the natural grass is a deep, lush green, but the most striking improvements to the game environment occur in terms of the weather. The N64 allows truly stunning weather effects. Rain and snow are both done in 3D, and the depth of vision is affected by fog. All of the effects look just like the real thing.
We'll just come out and say it...Madden 64's graphics are truly awesome.
How Does Madden Stack Up?
Liquid AI - Basically just a marketing term, EA Sports has an advanced AI engine that allows players to flow within a certain assignment. Take a draw play for instance. In real football, the draw play starts out looking like a pass, so the linebackers hang back in coverage. But the instant the ball is handed off, Madden's linebackers break from coverage and charge the ball. The basic concept is that even in the strictest of zones, players can break from the zone and pursue different responsibilities. Very cool.
New Plays - Madden 64 offers much fewer plays than almost any other football game on the market, especially on defense. The plays are scripted by Madden and his sons, and correspond to the core set of plays used by almost every team in the NFL. The ability to set men in motion on offense, and move men into bump coverage on defense, creates a great depth in the amount of plays available. We feel that having fewer plays actually improves gameplay, since players must focus on fundamentals rather than plain old luck.
100 New Motion-Captured Animations - At the time of press, new animations continued to surface. This is a key part of Madden, and gives players continued enjoyment over a long period of time. Seeing a new cool one-handed grab, or a different spine tingling hit is a rare treat.
Touch Passing - In Madden 64, the velocity and arc of the pass are determined by how long the button is held. To its credit, it is a more manageable system than GameDay's Total Control Passing, but Acclaim looks to have an interesting concept for Quarterback Club. Acclaim is developing a system that relies on the analog stick. The further the stick is pulled back, the faster the pass will fly upon release. Although people may not choose to use this advanced passing feature, the option would be a nice one to have.
Stats - EA Sports has long been recognized as the leader in stats technology, and Madden 64 continues the tradition. A full complement of stats accompanies every season, with the ability to sort by category, by individual, by team, and by overall team ranking. Stats are kept for created players as well.
Player Fatigue - As with the PlayStation version, key offensive players are accompanied by a fatigue bar. This bar can be viewed before each play, and is crucial in determining primary receivers. Receivers who run long routes play after play are bound to get tired. In this instance, look to your odd receivers to get open in man coverage.
Player fatigue on defense is also important. Visible wear on the defensive line has never been as pronounced in a Madden game. This makes the run more important than ever, because ball control really does matter. Will Acclaim be able to incorporate realistic player fatigue? Let's hope so.
Season Options - A full season is the only way to play a sports game. Madden 64 allows for a full season with a playoffs and `super bowl' based on the 1997 NFL schedule. Players can play as few or as many games as they desire each week. Then, after the championship, the computer selects the top players (including created players) to compete in the `pro bowl.'
Madden 64 also offers a custom season where conferences can be realigned, and classic teams can be imported. The computer then generates a schedule, and stats are tracked just like in the regular season. After any season is completed, players have the option to enter into a new season with a completely different schedule.
Tournament Options - For a group of players who compete against one another on a regular basis, a tournament can be set up with up to eight players competing. This is a great way to structure a championship amongst your friends.
Fantasy Draft - Madden 64 features a comprehensive draft in which up to eight different fantasy teams can be created. Each position must be drafted, and all of the NFL players are entered into the draft. This is an excellent feature for players who tire of the strict professional rosters, but unfortunately the teams are not portable. The N64 controller pak is designed so that individual gamers can carry a team on a memory card. Quarterback Club allows for portable fantasy teams, but Madden's Fantasy draft should be enough to satisfy most fans. BEWARE!!! Madden's season takes one whole controller pak to store. If you want to play a season and a fantasy draft, you will need two controller paks. Ouch!
Multiple Camera Angles - As in any sports game, there is basically one camera angle that works the best. Madden 64 features the new Madden Zoom Cam that reacts differently for running and passing plays. Additionally, the ball cam is a feature that adds enjoyment to the 1-player game. Unfortunately for Madden, Quarterback Club features a Custom Cam that allows players to zoom and pitch the camera to an almost infinite amount of playing perspectives. Madden 64 has some room for improvement here.
Let's Play Football
What was the best Madden ever? Most people, including the developers of Madden 64, believe it was Madden 93. It was the balance of the game that made it great. If you take a look at the other games on the market, they offer an almost overwhelming wealth of plays. In real football, teams script very few plays for each and every game. Too many plays become confusing, and every NFL coach will tell you that any team can win with a small set of plays. The key is to execute them correctly. On offense, the science of football then becomes the ability to work different variations of the same play by putting men in motion, play faking, and using audibles to call a run out of a pass set (or vice versa). On defense, the new bump coverage is a most welcome addition. While in either zone or man coverage, players can automatically move up to the line for bump coverage. This is a sweet way to stuff the run while preventing against a quick out pass. It's also a great way to distract the quarterback, whose primary receivers might not make it past the line of scrimmage.
The most important part of running an offense in Madden 64 is understanding the man in motion. Using motion, either on a passing or a running play, causes a shift in the defense. The advantage then lies within the offense, since during run plays an extra blocker is available. A great example is the Normal - Pro Form - Quick Toss. Don't even consider running this play without putting a man in motion, or the outside linebacker will stuff you every time. Using motion on a passing play is a good way to find the seam against a zone, or to avoid bump coverage. If your opponent is calling a lot of zones, use the receivers or tight end to move in towards the seam and then snap the ball. Just remember, rookie guards and tackles have a tendency to false start during excessive motion. Also, there can be no man in motion when in a two tight end set.
Many people criticize video football games as being too dependent on the pass. Last year only two teams ran more often than they passed - Buffalo and Pittsburgh. The best way to play Madden is to focus on the pass throughout most of the game. This doesn't mean abandoning the run. Instead, the run should be established early, then used to set up the pass. After establishing a few successful running plays, the play action becomes very effective. From the run and play action, start working slants and quick outs, and when the time is right, look for the bomb. The ultimate reward of establishing a run is the fatigue of opposing defenses. In Madden 64, it is obvious when the defensive line becomes tired. There is nothing more frustrating than watching rookie tackles utterly destroy your veteran ends.
Audibles are also of paramount importance. Recognizing defenses is at the heart of the audible system. Try calling a draw against the blitz, and the long pass against the tight man. One play to always keep in your audibles is the Normal-Pro Form/All Streaks. NEVER, EVER, EVER hesitate to go long in Madden. It's a game about big plays, and hey, if you don't make the catch, you just might score a sweet defensive pass interference!
After the Game
In wrapping up our discussion of Madden 64, we have to ask - how much does the lack of an NFL license hurt Madden 64's entertainment value? Opinions vary. Although the stadiums appear as exact replicas of the true NFL stadiums, the team names, logos and uniforms are conspicuously absent. Sure, each team is named by the city, and all the players appear by name, but there is something to be said for player photos, real uniforms, the Super Bowl, etc. We found it easy to overlook this deficiency, focusing solely on the excellent play mechanics.
We can also say that Madden 64 is the smoothest football game we've ever seen. There are no jumpy camera glitches that distract from gameplay, and running is very instinctive. Players should be sure to experiment and decide whether they like the Blitz Mode on or off. The Blitz Mode is basically a game speed toggle. When in fast mode, there is a problem with running that forces players to make wide circles when changing direction. In the slower mode, players can cut much quicker, and the sidestep and backtrack animations are much clearer.
The Draft Mode is an excellent feature, and works in the same way as the PlayStation version. The ability to role-play is also a nice feature where players can choose to control any player in the offense. Although it's fun to be a lineman and block for runners, we like picking a receiver, running our routes, and coming down with the big grab.
Acclaim's NFL Quarterback Club `98 is Madden 64's only competition, and brags of a much better front end. Since we don't have a review copy of Quarterback Club, it's hard to compare the two in terms of play mechanics. Certainly, Quarterback Club has killer options (see pg. 26), but no one can deny that Madden is still the one to beat.
Our final word about this, the first polygon Madden in history, is that you always know why something happened. If the ball is intercepted, you know why. If the run gets stuffed, you know why. In a sport as complex as football, this is enough for most people. The Madden developers have without a doubt accomplished what they set out to do. Madden 64 breaks new ground in playability, entertainment and graphics. Plus, anyone who's played Madden before can pick up the controller, and within minutes be comfortable within the game's structure. When Madden 64 finally reaches the stores, the N64 will officially become a sports machine. The good news for gamers is, it can only get better from here.
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