"I want to love this game. I really do..."

Let me start off this review by saying that I love football. So when Madden came out for the DS, I just had to buy it. I popped in the cartridge and turned my DS on, ready to be immersed into a deep Madden experience. Sadly, it all went downhill from there.

Graphics:
The graphics in this game remind me of old Madden games for the Nintendo 64. Although EA tried, the players just don't look realistic. All the players look extremely blocky. Not really much else to say. I know that it was a launch title and the game was rushed to make the launch, but I think the graphics deserve a 6/10.

Sound:
This game has a total of one song. Yeah. And that one song is only played in the menu. I guess that song isn't really too bad, but it can get annoying after a while. EA kinda failed on that one. Anyways, the in-game sound is quite realistic, actually. The constant drone of the crowd and the grunts of the players aptly reflect real life. I think sound should get a 8/10.

Gameplay:
Both good and bad. Playing the games themselves is pretty fun. The only problem is the computers inability to stop the run. I had Tatum Bell (Yes, I'm a Broncos fan) rush for 500+ yards in a single game against the Patriot's defense. That's how much the run dominates this game. Absolutely hilarious to watch, but not that fun to play. Once you can get over this little hump and choose to only throw the rock around, it gets even more interesting. Wide receivers catching balls with their backs and diving to catch the ball with their feet are just some of the treats you'll be in for. The game has a couple of glitches, too. Once, Donovan McNabb became my kicker, and there was nothing I could do to change it. Obviously, I never made a field goal. However, however, the gameplay is fun, if a tad humorous, and gets a 7/10.

Dual Screen Use:
EA finally did something right with this one. Using the bottom screen as an on-field display was a great idea. Finally, a way to see how far away the cornerback is from my receiver without having to guess. EA gets points from me for that one. The other useful feature the touch screen has is for calling audibles. Instead of pressing the audible button, then calling the play you want solely from memory, when pressing the audible button on the touch screen, a screen pops up with the preselected audibles. Pick one, and it'll be your new play. Quite handy. EA Sports really showed some innovation for this one, and gets a 9/10 from me.

Replayability:
Honestly, I only played it for a couple weeks. It was my best friend while I was flying across the country for camp, but that's about it. You might get more life out of this game then I did, I don't know. Replayability gets a 5/10.

Recap:

Graphics: 6/10
Sound: 8/10
Gameplay: 7/10
Dual Screen Use: 9/10
Replayability: 5/10
Final Score: 35/50 x2 = 70/100

For the limited time I played this game, it was pretty fun. However, the novelty of walking around playing Madden all the time wore off quickly. To anybody who has been looking at this game and wants a recommendation, wait until Madden 2006.

Final Score: 7/10

Reviewer's Score: 7/10, Originally Posted: 08/04/05