EA brings Madden to Revolution

taken from: Gamespot

EA Canada QB details popular pigskin franchise's debut for Nintendo's new console; with new controller, popular football series won't be just about pushing buttons. Exec says EA Rev games won't be straight ports.

Electronic Arts hasn't unveiled its full lineup of games for next month's Electronic Entertainment Expo yet, but one title that the publisher has confirmed will make its debut at the show in playable demo form is that of it flagship franchise on a new console. The ever-popular Madden franchise gets the call for Nintendo's next-gen console and is tentatively titled Madden Revolution. It's important to note that the game isn't simply titled Madden NFL 2007 for the Revolution--that's because no gamer has seen a Madden quite like this one.

For the first time in years, development on a major console version of EA's marquee franchise football series is being taken outside the doors of the company's Orlando, Florida-based EA Tiburon studio. The game is instead being handled north of the border, by a special Revolution-focused development group within EA's Burnaby, British Columbia studio.

Given that EA has dedicated a specific group to Revolution development, it stands to reason that the game will take advantage of the console's unique capabilities. While many details will have to wait until E3 kicks off, GameSpot was given an advanced scouting report that said that the gameplay will make extensive use of the Revolution controller's motion-sensing capabilities.

Players will hike the ball by mimicking a quarterback receiving the ball from the center, and then pass it to a receiver by making a throwing gesture with the free-hand controller. The faster the passing motion, the more of a bullet pass it becomes (in previous Madden editions, bullet passes were made by holding the passing button down longer).

Kicking the ball will be accomplished by sweeping the controller up as if it were a kicker's leg striking the ball. A fast, level swing will make for a hard, straight kick.

The Revolution controller will also come into play when running the ball, as jerking the controller left or right will make the ball-carrier juke to either side, while shoving it straight ahead will make him stiff-arm the opposition.

continues at Gamespot

Madden 2007 for Wii is going to fucking rock!!!

Andrew