Madden- PS2 Xbox Wii talk

Time to get some posts up here, time to ramble about crap I like to do and feel I'm an expert at. One thing I am an expert at is Madden (06 and 07, 2k5 is still the best, fuck you EA and NFL licensing, fuck you) Madden 06 and 07 on the ps2 and xbox were near perfect games. Of course you have minor problems, but the bottom line is that when playing your friends, the game almost never ever ever screwed you by being a bad game. Offense, defense, special teams, presnap audibles, they even added QB vision which was amazing (if you don't like the QB vision, you're not an expert, and yes, any challengers are welcome) After countless whoopings on my friends on the box, it was time to take the next step to the Wii and see how Madden could adapt.

Well, it did pretty damn well for a first game. There are glaring problems with the game (PASS DEFENSE) ok, so there's one glaring problem. but it's a huge one. unless you are champ bailey or someone almost as good, you cannot bat a ball out of the air. sometimes, you try to catch it, even though you only moved the Wiimote. sometimes, your guy doesn't move, and it says "swat failed" and other times, you go right up and just whiff (this would be OK if you actually hit it sometimes too.) Unlike the ps2 and xbox 06 and 07, where the pass defense was extremely well done, the Wii is lacking. What this leads to is no reason not to throw it deep every play. Add in that the computer on your team (i play on all-pro) will not stop a guy in quad coverage on an out, a comeback, a deep ball, a post, anything, and you have to play the defense yourself, which is fine, if it worked. Incase you couldn't tell, I play the safety, so pass defense WAS a huge part of how i won. Now i'm just back there to run away and tackle the guy after he makes another crazy catch.

Now for the POSITIVES

Highlight stick, less gay due to the motion needed (push wiimote and nunchuck forward at the same time) so if you pull it off, you earned it instead of just hitting up on the thumbstick
stiff arms- nothing better than actually making the stiff arm motion right next to your friend while he can't tackle you on screen (adding mocking words like "i waved my arm, and you weren't tackling me, how does that work?" add extra fun)
double jukes- move nunchuck and wiimote left or right together, SICK SICK double jukes
mini games- 2v2 or a 4 player passing skeleton mini-game, crazy fun in addition to rushing attack and 2 minute drill already there
taunting- now when streaking to the endzone, wave your controller, you wave to the crowd, swing the motes like you're double juking back and forth, the guy does that on the screen, taunting taken to a whole new level
passing- no more of this "pressure sensitive buttons" you want a bullet, snap it hard, you want a lob, lay it out there lightly

now for a few NEGATIVES

presnap adjustments- you have to click your guy/group that you want to adjust with the pointer. especially crappy for hot routing receivers, gee, who am i adjusting? the guy i highlighted and the big fuckin menu popped up? probably him
PASS DEFENSE- had to be mentioned again
catching- lift both remotes up like you're catching, but sometimes, on offense, you'll swat the ball. sometimes, on defense, you'll try to make a big hit (leading to PI, and hilarity sometimes) this way of catching also feels very weird trying to jump for the ball, cause you have to lift the remotes at the same time you'd time your Y button to leap in the xbox version, just feels strange not catching when the ball would hit your hands
not a pick up and play game- this is another huge disappointment. the learning curve is so steep, you can't just play anybody who has ever played a football game. if you play anybody who isn't extremely familiar with all aspects of the Wii controls, you will kill them with a Europe team

I'm done ranting now, can't wait for Tiger Woods on the Wii, waiting on MC to get that hopefully. Anyone gamers reading this, if you know where Ambler is and wanna meet up to play any games, let us know. Just hopefully not Madden, cause you will lose and hate us forever.