So trying an experimental art style means they don't care about the Wii? So not doing the safe and expected is not respecting. Bull.

"I really expected a solid graphics engine build from the ground for the Wii"

Is that the only think that's used to measure respect for the Wii now?

It does not work that way. You cannot read how much a company supposedly loves a system by what you think the graphics should be. EA is still making games for the Wii. They made a deal to get an EARLIER release of Motion+.

But graphics on one game suddenly makes you forget all that?

Well i usually do not care for the graphics, these are actually cool, animations are fluid(and i wrote that in a previous post). Its just the artstyle that i personally do not like in this game that's it. I like arcade-y games, stylised graphics in most of games, its just games like FIFA, Madden etc. etc. for me should look simple without much stylistation. Maybe after i'll see more from this game i will change my mind, but it really puzzles me why did EA go this way with madden on the Wii .

Oh and its obvious that EA does care for the Wii, TW looks great Grand Slam Tennis also seems very interesting. They definately are putting loads of effort into those titles. Im not questioning that.

oh well now back to writing my essay...

I dunno know about this ... are they just changing the art style?

What about the game play?

I think they should've just added a "Wii Play Madden" mode with really super deformed characters and really easy pick up and play game play and then had a separate regular Madden mode. 

Because this seems like a weird compromise ... the characters are more cartoony ... but not really super-cartoony either. If that's what they think will get Madden to sell a ton more on the Wii, I think they're wrong. 

I think instead maybe they should have approached Nintendo to let them making Madden NFL Mario Football, with a mode that has Mario characters and Mii support on top of the NFL Madden stuff. Nintendo has let EA use Mario characters in the past. 

Sorry. That comment made me think you were graphics whoring. Glad to see you are not.

Link is broken...

wow

This is pathetic, and like others have mentioned, this should have just been left to an alternate mode. Having this art style as default with no ability to change it is not going to get people to buy the game. This decision seems worse than the All-Play idea, and I didn't think that was possible.

Believe it or not, there's more than just the "young" sports gamer demographic in the Wii userbase, and this will absolutely not attract anyone, and I mean ANYONE who considers themselves hardcore Madden players. Sure, most who consider themselves in that group probably have an HD console already, but there are some out there that would take a Wii version over other versions of the series if the graphics weren't so arcadey (which doesn't even include the Madden fans with just a Wii). You see, like I stated in my NCAA Football review, combining a realistic experience with an arcade feel just doesn't work. People don't play these games for an arcade experience, and Wii owners shouldn't have to either. It's almost like combining Gran Turismo with Cruisin' - ugly.

Obviously, these games aren't ALL about visuals, and just like 09 All-Play for Wii, I'm sure this year's Madden will completely exceed on the gameplay front, there's no doubt in my mind there. But a realistic atmosphere goes hand in hand with great gameplay in the series, which again, will be shot in this game.

The best way to tackle this issue, as I've stated before, is to go with a realistic experience (that not only has nice visuals, but all of the game modes you'd expect) that at the same time provides an All-Play-like mode for newcomers. But you just can't abandon your core audience for these newcomers, let alone only "young" newcomers or "arcade" football fans.

This current setup is a complete joke and further gives the notion that EA(Sports) feels the Wii console is comprised of gamers that just started gaming last year. If you really want to do something like this, you don't call it Madden, go all out and make a spin-off series. Madden is not and will never supposed to be like this. Ever.

WTF.

It's not just for the Wii, people.

Yeah, but wasn't it the lead platform this time?