It all starts with the fantastic new Playmaker Control feature-with a quick flick of the right analog stick, you can move receivers to open spots in the defensive coverage or, on running plays, you can redirect the blocks of your lineman. The king of the gridiron returns with several small but oh-so-effective gameplay improvements that once again cement Madden's superiority in the football genre. Madden's inane ramblings and somewhat delusional on-the-field observations? Expect the same timeless football anecdotes for which John is (in)famous. Of course, what would a football game be without Mr. All we can ascertain about the latter is that it will attempt to give you a better chance of making the proper play after the snap of the ball. All current versions (sorry, PS1 owners) will be treated to a new Owner mode and something EA is calling Playmaker Control, but again, the company is being hush-hush on specifics. EA, however, is currently tight-lipped about how it will enhance gameplay. We've learned that the GameCube version will utilize the Game Boy Advance connectivity feature. This season, added voice chat through the SOCOM headset (again, just for PS2 players) lets you truly talk the talk as you try to walk the walk in online tournaments. There was one small hiccup, though: Typing text messages to your gridiron adversary after you lit up the scoreboard with another touchdown pass was pretty annoying. Last year, Madden took yet another step in the direction of videogame greatness with the addition of online play (only for PS2). Like a fine wine, this pigskin franchise only improves with age.

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