Madden 2011: Five Features Football Fans Need to See

Madden has been the king of football video games for over two decades now and shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon. With the release of Madden 2011, the newest edition of the video game giant has officially hit the shelves. There are some new features in this years game that I will discuss, as well as a couple of features that were introduced in last year's game that will continue to play major roles in the newest edition. Almost as soon as one version of the game is released, another is born and the  producers at EA begin work on their newest model. Here are just five features from this year's edition that football fans should be aware of in this year's edition.

GameFlow

GameFlow is the biggest change in this year's game, it was constructed to reduce the time of game play from one hour down to just 30 minutes. GameFlow allows users to create their own offensive and defensive game plans before entering the game, so that once the game begins their plays will be automatically chosen based on the situation that is facing them.

If you choose not to submit your own game plan prior to the game, then GameFlow will call plays that are based on your team's real life tendencies. The plays are called in from the sidelines and if you are wearing your headset a coach will tell you what play you are running next and what to look for during the play.If you don't like the play that is called you still have the option of calling an audible from one of your preset audible plays.You can also turn the GameFlow option off before the game starts and go back to the conventional style of play calling if you prefer. It should be interesting to see how many people use GameFlow and if it sticks.

Online Team Play

Another big change to Madden this year is the addition of online team play. You can now play 3-on-3 online with each person controlling a different aspect of the team. Each person controls one position group on offense and one position group on defense. On offense you can control either the quarterbacks, wide receivers and tight ends, or the running backs. On defense you can control the defensive linemen, linebackers, or defensive backs.

Online team play gives gamers another chance to play online with their friends and for the first time they can actually play with their friends and not just against them. The gameplay is the same as if you were playing 1-on-1 but the key to team play will be playing as a team and making sure none of your friends turns into Keyshawn Johsnon while demanding the ball.

Online Scouting

Online scouting gives you the ability to scout your opponent during the game like a real NFL team would. Online scouting shows you your opponents tendencies in certain situations during the game, such as whether they like to run or prefer to pass the ball in short yardage situations. Online scouting can also tell you what side your opponent is  more likely to run or throw the ball to.

Online scouting is another great feature in this year's game play that adds another dimension of realism to the game. Players can no longer run the same plays over and over again and get away with it, now their opponents will know it is coming. Online scouting also gives you the ability to scout yourself so that you know what your own tendencies are during the game. Scouting will be a major tool that gamers have to defeat their opponents this year while playing online.

Madden Ultimate Team

The Madden ultimate team was new to Madden last year when it showed up online through a new update after the game had already been released. Madden ultimate team allows users to construct their own team full of NFL players, coaches, and stadiums. Gamers construct their team by collecting cards that have players, coaches or stadiums on them. You can also collect different uniforms and team playbooks, and there are nine different types of cards you can collect.

Cards are purchased using coins that you accumulate while playing the game. Coins can be earned various ways, but the best way to earn coins is by the ultimate team mode and winning the games you do play. Users start out with a team full of NFL backups and must purchase new cards that have better players on them. The more you play, and the more you win, the more cards you will have and the better your team will become.

Madden ultimate team also has an auction block that allows users to either buy or sell cards with other gamers. There are also special deals each week that allow players to get specialty cards that do not come in one of the normal card packs. Madden ultimate team is the perfect mix of fantasy football and card collecting is another great feature that has been recently added to the game.

Online Franchise Mode

Online franchise mode is back for the second consecutive year on Madden and it looks like it will be here to stay. Online franchise mode gives users everything they love about regular franchise mode, but with the ability to take on actual people from around the world instead of the computer. Online franchise mode allows up to 32 people to join a league together and play multiple seasons against each other. Each season is played just like a real NFL season, and once the Super Bowl has played it is on to the next season.

Users control the team's every move and are able to trade players to other teams or pick up free agents off the free agency list. Once the season is finished some players retire or leave free agency and a draft is also conducted to pick up the newest college talent. With every season played players get older, so while Peyton Manning and the Colts look good now, you may want to be thinking about your quarterback of the future once Manning retires. Another part of the player progression through the seasons is their ratings increases or decreases, depending on how your players perform during the season their rating will go up or down the following season.

Online franchise mode is a fun way to play against your friends while battling it out for the Super Bowl year after year.