Madden NFL 09

The most recognizable franchise in video game sports returns for a 20th season of gridiron action in Madden NFL 09. The constant tweaking of the series continues as well, with the "09" entry unveiling an assortment of new features and updated graphics and animation. Chief among the new offline features is the Adaptive Difficulty Engine, which determines players' "Madden IQ" by judging their ability to run, pass, and defend. The game then offers players the chance to compete in the four standard difficulty levels, or the new custom "My Skill" difficulty level specifically tailored to their play style. The My Skill difficulty level adjusts after every game, and players can enter the Tron-esque Virtual Trainer to increase their proficiency in any particular area. Games themselves have been given a new presentation style, featuring pre-game stadium shots that showcase the pomp of player introductions, lively sidelines full of camera crews, and broadcast-style commentary from NFL Network announcers Tom Hammond and Cris Collinsworth. The new Backtrack feature gives Collinsworth the chance to analyze the last play (complete with telestrator) and tell gamers where they may have gone wrong, and players can then use the Rewind feature to try the same play again. The graphics have been tweaked to improve player physiques and create more realistic weather and lighting effects, while new animations include fluid juke move deviations, missed field goal returns, bobbled catches, and user-controlled touchdown celebrations. Madden NFL 09 also provides fans of online play with their most robust set of options yet, featuring trades and statistical tracking for leagues of up to 32 teams, and a new flex-scheduling option that lets two people compete whenever they are both online.

COMPLETE CONTROLS

GENERAL GAMEPLAY

BOTH SIDES OF THE BALL

Left Thumbstick or D-Pad = move player
Right Trigger = sprint
Right Trigger = receiver cam (at the line of scrimmage)
Right Trigger + Right Thumbstick = coach's cam
X Button + X, A, Y Button, Left or Right Bumper = call an audible (before the snap)
X Button + Left Trigger = calls the original play
B Button = cancel audible (before selecting a play)
Back Button = call timeout
Start Button = pause game

OFFENSE

AT THE LINE OF SCRIMMAGE

A Button = snap ball
Right Thumbstick Left or Right = switch direction of a running play
Right Trigger + Receiver Button = lock on to receiver
Y Button + Receiver Button + Left or Right Thumbstick = call a hot route
B Button = highlight eligble player
Left Thumbstick or D-Pad Left or Right = send that player in motion
Left Thumbstick Button = quiet crowd
Right Bumper = fake snap

RUNNING WITH THE BALL

Right Thumbstick Up = power backs lower their shoulders and "truck" over defenderes, agile back dodge defenders
Right Thumbstick Down = back juke
Right Thumbstick Left or Right = big juke left or right
X Button (Tap) = qb slide
X Button (Hold) = qb dive
Y Button = jump, hurdle
Right Bumper = protect ball
B Button = spin
A Button = stiff arm
Left Trigger = pitch ball

PASSING AND RECEVING

X, A, B, Y Button or Left Bumper (Tap) = lob pass
X, A, B, Y Button or Left Bumper (Hold) = bullet pass
Left Thumbstick or D-Pad = lead the receiver
Right Thumbstick Button = throw ball away
Right Bumper = pump fake
Right Trigger (Hold) = qb scramble (behind the line of scrimmage)
Right Trigger + Left Trigger = qb action mode (enables running controls)
Y Button (Tap) = aggressive catch
Y Button (Hold) = possession catch
X Button = diving catch

LEAD BLOCKING CONTROLS

B Button = select player, switch to ballcarrier
Left Bumper = become lead blocker

OTHER BLOCKING CONTROLS

Right Thumbstick Up or Down = impact, cut block
Left Trigger = strafe
Left Bumper = cancel lead blocker controls

WR TOTAL CONTROL

B Button or B Button + D-Pad Left or Right = cycle through players
Left Bumper = activate wr total control mode
Left Bumper = cancel wr total control mode (once activated)
A Button = throw ball to user-controlled receiver
B Button = switch back to controlling the quarterback

AFTER THE PLAY

B Button (Hold) = spike ball (to stop the clock)
Y Button = no huddle, hurry-up offense
Y Button (Hold) = repeat previous play
X Button = ea sports rewind

DEFENSE

PREPLAY

B Button (Tap) = change players one by one
B Button (Hold) + Left Thumbstick or D-Pad = scroll through defenders
Left Bumper + Left Thumbstick Up = spread the defensive ends outside the tackles
Left Bumper + Left Thumbstick Down = move the line in tight between the tackles
Left Bumper + Left Thumbstick Left or Right = shift the line left or right
Left Bumper + Right Thumbstick Up = crash outside
Left Bumper + Right Thumbstick Down = crash inside
Left Bumper + Right Thumbstick Left or Right = crash left or right
X Button + Left Trigger = reset
Right Bumper + Left Thumbstick Up = spread out linebackers
Right Bumper + Left Thumbstick Down = move in tight
Right Bumper + Left Thumbstick Left or Right = shift left or right
Right Bumper + Right Thumbstick Up = put all linebackers in hook zones
Right Bumper + Right Thumbstick Down = blitz all linebackers
Right Bumper + Right Thumbstick Left or Right = blitz left or right linebackers
Y Button + Left Thumbstick Up or Down = put dbs into press, loose coverage
Y Button + Left Thumbstick Left = show blitz
Y Button + Left Thumbstick Right = shift safeties and linebackers into better position to cover their assigned man
Y Button + Right Thumbstick Left, Right, Up or Down = shift safety coverage left, right, out or middle
Right Trigger (Hold) + Receiver Button = receiver spotlight
Left Thumbstick Button = pump up crowd

DEFENSIVE PLAYMAKER

B Button = call for defensive playmaker (before ball is snapped)

DEFENSIVE LINEMEN AND LINEBACKERS

A Button + Right Thumbstick Up = deep 2a, 2b
A Button + Right Thumbstick Down = blitz
A Button + Right Thumbstick Right = flat zone
A Button + Right Thumbstick Left = qb spy
A Button + Left Thumbstick Up = hook zone
A Button + Left Thumbstick Down = qb contain
A Button + Left Thumbstick Right = curl to flat left or right
A Button + Receiver Button + Left Thumbstick Left = man to man

CORNERBACKS AND SAFETIES


A Button + Right Thumbstick Up = deep 2a, 2b
A Button + Right Thumbstick Down = blitz
A Button + Right Thumbstick Right = flat zone
A Button + Right Thumbstick Left = qb spy
A Button + Left Thumbstick Up = hook zone
A Button + Left Thumbstick Down = qb contain
A Button + Left Thumbstick Right = curl to flat left or right
A Button + Receiver Button + Left Thumbstick Left = man to man

AFTER THE SNAP

Right Thumbstick Up or down = hit stick 2.0 high or low
X Button = diving tackle
A Button = swat ball (when ball is in the air)
A Button = strip ballcarrier (when a player is in possession of the ball)
Left Trigger = strafe (in rookie and pro skill levels only)
Left Bumper = finesse move (when engaged)
Right Bumper = power move (when engaged)
Y Button = hands up, bat pass, intercept

KICKING OFF AND PUNTING

Left Thumbstick or D-Pad = aim the kick
Right Thumbstick Down = start the kick meter
Right Thumbstick Up = kick the ball

KICK RETURNING

Y Button = fair catch

SUPERSTAR/MINI-GAME CONTROLS

Left Thumbstick Left or Right = pan camera (quarterback)
Right Thumbstick Left, Right, Up or Down = cut moves Left, Right, Up or Back (when playing as wr, te, hb)
Left Trigger = strafe facing the ball (wr, te, hb)
A Button = call for ball (wr, te. hb)
Left Trigger = strafe facing away from ball (blocker)
Right Thumbstick Up = press coverage pre-snap (defense)
Right Bumper = power move (defense)