Tonight at midnight, I will be outside of my closest Ebgames with around one hundred other Madden geeks waiting for the midnight release of Madden 08 for Xbox 360, and I don’t remember being this excited for a game release in a long time.  This Madden is being heralded by critics as being THE Madden for the next generation after combining a robust feature set with stunning visuals and animations.  If media reviews are any indication, something monumental will happen tonight at around 12:30am when I fire this game up and run with the 2008 Philadelphia Eagles for the first time.

Madden 08 has a feature set that sports video gamers have craved since the release of next generation systems.  The game runs at 60 frames per second which results in smoother and more responsive gameplay, both huge complaints that hampered last years version.  (Madden 07 ran at 30 frames per second)  Defensive playmaker has returned which allows you to change an individual defenders assignment without changing the entire play.  08 also marks the return of super defensive backs, who make plays you would only expect natives of the planet Krypton wearing pajama suits and capes to make.  

The biggest feature is the new “weapon” system similar to the Superstar feature in the NBA Live series that differentiates players.  For example, Brian Westbrook has an “elusive back” weapon and Larry Johnson has a “power back” weapon.  In essence, when using the highlight stick with an elusive back, they will attempt a move to evade the defender, while a power back will lower his shoulder and attempt to run through a defender.  Each weapon has a counter, thus trying to run a power back through a “brick wall” defender e.g., Ray Lewis, wouldn’t be an easy task.   As a result the weapons system and counters turns Madden into a much more strategic affair, to the chagrin of sports video game fans.

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The Madden community is one of the most competitive gaming communities in the world.   The Madden Challenge, a national tournament involving the world’s best Madden players, has gained national recognition and a TV spot on MTV.  On a lower level, everyone who plays Madden online or with friends is highly competitive.  Trash talking is more prevalent between friends than with any other game.  Players will hunt down that “friend of a friend” who is rumored to be the best for monumental battles.  I’ve had friends of mine bring people I’ve never seen or heard of before to my house in the middle of the night accompanied only with, “he’s nice in Madden you two should play.”  Indeed, no one wants to lose as most players consider their skill in Madden as an indicator of coaching ability.