he American football video game series published by EA Sports and developed by EA Tiburon. It is the 19th installment in the Madden NFL video game franchise. The game was confirmed for the Nintendo DS, PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, PlayStation Portable, Wii, Xbox, Xbox 360 consoles. On that note, there will be a PC version of Madden NFL 09 in January.

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Features

• Revamped Franchise Mode: take your team into a 60 year long franchise, make decisions like you're the VP of football operations for the team. Players can make trades, sign players, etc.
• Revamped Superstar Mode: create a player, import a player from NCAA Football 09, or be a rookie from the 2008 draft class and play for the team that drafted the player. Performing well in practices and drills gives the player skill points to apply to his superstar.
• Virtual Trainer: new interactive tutorial mode that allows players train in a holographic environment and go through 12 different drills that grant them a "Madden IQ" based on their success.
• Madden IQ system: a "measuring stick" that calculates while you play on the "My Skills" difficulty level. You can raise your IQ by mastering each of the 4 main facets of the game: passing, running, run defense and pass defense. The game's difficulty adjusts itself to the player's Madden IQ.
• My Skills: Instead of standard difficulty levels, the game will now adapt to your own skill level. As you progress, you have the option to add more difficulty and complexity.
• EA Sports Backtrack: replay learning tool that analyzes & breaks down the player's playing ability and points out mistakes during gameplay à la a television-styled telestrator. For advanced players, an extra segment will give more technical info such as play calls that were made and real life success chances.
• EA Rewind: integrated feature with EA Sports Backtracks that give the player a chance to do the play over.
• Handicapping: 2 players with different skill levels can now have a fun, competitive game by using this new system. This allows each user to set a skill level so they can compete head-to-head on the field.
• In-Game Button Hints: In-game button instructions show up underneath players that you are controlling that allows you to always know what the buttons do and the strengths of the player you are controlling.
• Family Play: Simplified one-button controls for inexperienced Madden players. This option is able to be selected in most game modes. In two player games, one or both players can select this option making it easy for an inexperienced player to compete with advanced players.

Presentation

• New Booth Commentators: Madden 09 will now feature the two man broadcast team of Cris Collinsworth and Tom Hammond.
• Broadcast Plus Presentation Styles/EA Sports Ticker: Starting line-up banners, New coin toss and pre-game introduction, brand new Banner System, Pre-game visuals such as Stadium fly-in and exterior. The game will be branded with EA Sports Broadcast look including new camera angles. Also a new ticker that drives home the new broadcast look.
• Enhanced Play Calling System: Picture-in-Picture play calling system that streamlines important information to the user that includes Instant Replay, Stats and Accessibility hints. Also on demand access and the ability to make substitutions directly on play call gives more flexability to the play call screen.
• New Cameras: New playable cameras keep more of the action on the screen as the screen will make sure you can see all your receivers. It also focuses on big moments such as break-aways & hard hits. Also a variety of new pre-play & post-play cameras
• Improved sidelines: More people on the sideline, including a variety of security, coaches, and players. These Characters have more activity and emotions than previous versions of the game.

Online

• Video Highlights: capture moments and create a highlight clip that can be uploaded to EA Sports World to share with friends.
• Improved online leagues: server-based leagues, supporting up to 32 players, with full schedules including the playoffs and the Super Bowl as well as draft and trade support. Schedules can be played in a round-robin style as well.

Graphics

• Revamped Graphics: Improved stadium models, new weather effects such as snow, rain & "movie weather", new lighting models, new realistic player models, field goal nets, and clear visors.

Supporting features

• Revamped franchise mode: Simulated stats have been improved (e.g. fewer running backs gaining 2,000+ yards in one season)
• Return of Last-Gen Features: Grudge Match, Bluff Play Art, Set Audibles, Slide Protection, Formation Subs on play call.
• Madden Moments: re-play through a number of real-life situations that you will recognize from the 2007 season.
• Rivalries: rivalry games have special value, play-off games have more crowd and television intensity & different presentation elements.

Gameplay features

• Total Control Animation System: this feature gives you the ability to break out of a tackle when a defender has you in his grasp. Use special moves such as Spin or Stiff Arm to break out of the tackle.
• Playbook Renovation: including team specific defensive playbook & new offense playbooks.
• User Celebrations: celebrate how you want with total control of your player (eg. Lambeau Leap, dunk ball over goal post, etc.)
• Gameplay Tuning: lots of tuning items and smaller features aimed at getting gameplay feeling better and more realistic.
• Weather Specific Animations: weather will have visual effect on gameplay with slipping, sliding, and other animations specific to bad weather conditions.
• Other features: return missed field goals, bobble catches, pass tuning, set audibles, slide protection, bluff play art, smart routes, post play continuation, post play help-ups, ball carrier combo moves, live pre-play defense, new wrap-up tackling system, improved foot pinning, new catch system, gameplay slider, realistic fatigue, improved gang tackles, true penalty based animations, new fumble system, new player weapon types, new tackling engine & animations
• New Running/Ball-Carrier Engine: total control system, new transition system, character grounding with foot-plant, new procedural animation system, realistic momentum, new locomotion system, improved visuals and animations, left and right stick moves, directional diving....

Wii exclusive features

• 5 on 5 Mode : A new, faster paced arcade style football mode played on a smaller field. Ironically, one of the main sticking points John Madden demanded in a football video game before he put his name on it was that it had to be "real", 11-on-11 football.
• All New Playcalling: Three unique playbooks are available based on difficulty, ranging from Easy to Advanced.
• Call Your Shots: Call Your Shots allows the player to create his or her own plays on the fly and direct receivers where they should run, using the pointer function of the Wii Remote.
• Celebrate Your Success: Allows the player to use the Wii Remote and Nunchuk to trigger celebrations after a touchdown or sack.
• Improved Tackling System: Swing the Wii Remote to deliver big hits.

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