It doesn't have the depth of a sim, nor does it engage players fully as a standard arcade styled football game, but Madden NFL Arcade provides some amusing football action in spurts – provided that you're willing to overlook some shortcomings. The controls could be tighter, the game changers could be harder to acquire and disperse and there could be a season or franchise mode to play. The price would also be a large stumbling block for many people. However, if you're looking for a diversionary match and aren't expecting a ton from your cartoonish football, NFL Arcade will have what you're looking for.
Presentation - 7.0
Graphics - 7.0
Sound - 6.5
Gameplay - 6.5
Lasting Appeal - 6.5
Overall -
Mike Deneen from Yet Another Gaming Show gets a chance to interview David Ross (Producer) and Yuri Bialoskursky (Designer), both from the EA NFL Blitz development team.
Avault writes: "It's Sunday. It's halftime and the Bears are down by 24. Cutler has already thrown three interceptions, but you still have hope for a strong second half. Your phone rings. It's your fiancé. She wants you to pick her up at the airport. You have to leave in 15 minutes, but you need to know how the game is going to end. You think to yourself, "I need a simulation. I'll play Madden and see what happens." You don't have time for a full game of Madden so you decide to play Madden NFL Arcade instead. You win by a landslide, and your hopes for a Bears comeback soar. Unfortunately, in real life you can't turn your opponent into a block of ice or make your receivers fast as lightning. You get home from the airport and find the Bears have lost by 40."
GamePlayBook writes: "While we're appreciative of how far the Madden NFL franchise has come over the years, there's still something inside of us yearning for a quick, vicious game of football. The last time we got a game along those lines was back when Midway produced its NFL Blitz series, with its over-the-top violence (we're talking WWE level here) and wild gameplay. Well, EA Sports may never reach that level of play (especially with the strictness of the NFL nowadays – it yanked its license from Blitz for a reason), but Madden NFL Arcade for Xbox Live and the PlayStation Network is the next best thing."
