The Best Madden? A Look Back at Madden NFL 10

Feature Article

Submitted on: 11/12/2013 by Matthew Coe

Considered by some to be the best entry in the Madden NFL series on the XBOX 360 and PlayStation 3, Madden NFL 10 brought a sense that things were finally changing for the better at EA Sports. As a gamer, I felt like the Creative Director at that time, Ian Cummings, was listening to us. We were finally getting the NFL game that we deserved. Chain gangs were back, stadiums were more accurate than ever, and we had a new movement system called 'Pro-Tak.'

Now, four years later, we have Madden NFL 25, a new Creative Director, and a new direction for the series. The game has undergone tremendous change since Madden NFL 10 released in 2009. So how well does Madden NFL 10 really hold up when revisited? I set out to find out the answers without rose colored nostalgia and without going off of memory. I sat down and played hours of Madden NFL 10, I really dug into the game. What I found was a very interesting game that presented me with some conflicting views of a game I personally hold in pretty high regard.

WHAT HOLDS UP

The Running Game

The running game in Madden NFL 10 held up surprisingly well. With the locomotion movement system and the gang tackling Pro-Tak mechanic introduced in 2009, the running game, even without the infinity physics engine, is very fun and responsive. Smaller backs feel quick and bigger backs feel like the big lumbering bulldozers that they are. While it lacks the special moves of Madden NFL 25, Madden NFL 10's running feels nuanced and fluid to be honest. The jukes and spin moves feel fine without the precision modifiers. It feels pretty good even after having played every iteration of Madden since.

Gang tackles were actually a big deal in Madden NFL 10.

Gang Tackling and Pro-Tak

Gang tackles were truly introduced to Madden for the first time in Madden NFL 10 with Pro-Tak. While I'll admit to fits of frustration when Adrian Peterson or Michael Turner broke out of my five- and six-man gang tackles, I felt like this part of the defensive game was well done. Again, without the infinity engine, the game looks dated in it's tackling animations. However, somewhat to my surprise, it actually controls a little bit tighter on defense then Madden NFL 25. In fact, defense in general felt responsive and I felt like I could dominate with a great defensive team. That feeling is lacking in Madden NFL 25 in my opinion as of this writing. I hope a title update comes out to tighten up defense and allow for more balanced games in Madden NFL 25.

Madden NFL 10 did one thing very well: NFL feel.

NFL Looks and NFL Network Integration

The Halftime Show and The Extra Point in Franchise mode may have been technically small additions, but the integration of Fran Charles and Alex Flanagan, while limited, was well done. Madden NFL 10 feels and sounds and looks like an NFL game more than a Madden game that has an NFL license, if that makes sense. One of my heavy criticisms of Madden NFL 25 is that it feels like an EA Sports game first, and an NFL game second. Madden NFL 10 oozes NFL out of it's every pore. It's got the NFL shield everywhere, the NFL Network integration is great, and the commentary team of Tom Hammond and Chris Collinsworth wasn't nearly as bad as I remembered. It wasn't great by any means, but I can't say that it's any worse than the commentary from Jim Nantz and Phil Simms in Madden NFL 25. What's there holds up better than expected.

WHAT DOESN'T HOLD UP

Animation Driven Results

This one is hard to explain, as it's more of a feeling. There were certain routes in Madden NFL 10, for example, that I knew I could call and get a certain canned animation every time for a completion. Now I'm not saying that these things are completely absent from Madden NFL 25, but the infinity physics engine makes it much easier to influence the result of any given offensive play if I time my hit or swat just right. Likewise on defense, there are many situations where I could force the game into certain tackle animations whenever I wanted to in Madden NFL 10. Again, while Madden NFL 25 doesn't truly deliver on it's promise of no two plays ever being the exact same, it does an amazing job here when compared with Madden NFL 10.

It is clear now: Franchise mode really was secondary to what Connected Franchise has brought us.

Franchise Mode

After playing with Owner Mode in Madden NFL 25 and being given the taste of the expanded features and other small additions that add to immersion, it's a little tough to go back to a franchise mode that feels similar to many of the franchise modes that preceded it. I will give Madden NFL 10 some props for this, simulated statistics are far better than the horrible QB numbers in Madden NFL 25. That said, roster management is still fairly brain dead unless you control every franchise, which has been a given for me in every Madden released in this generation. I really hope that area is vastly improved on in the next-gen platforms. The Extra Point is a really nice weekly wrap-up show, but other than that, the franchise mode in Madden NFL 10 feels aimless and a little lifeless.

Neither Madden IQ nor Fight for the Fumble really materialized as good features.

Madden IQ and Fight for the Fumble

Two additions to the Madden franchise that I feel like had a lot of potential, but both ultimately fell short of greatness. Madden IQ was never an idea that I felt was implemented well. In theory it should have done away with the need for advanced slider sets and constant tweaking by giving you an appropriate challenge every time you played. After playing several games and getting your IQ more or less settled, it should have worked. The problem is that the system just didn't work. It overreacted to the results of each game and never really gave an even keeled experience.

Fight for the Fumble was perhaps one of my favorite features at the time when Madden NFL 10 released. If you watch the NFL, even casually, you'll see that on almost every fumble there is a pile-up and a fight for the ball. Fight for the Fumble is a great idea that needs to be revisited, but it just didn't work well in Madden NFL 10. First of all, it was frustrating to button mash your way to the fumble recovery and it never felt right. I eventually just turned it to auto and let the CPU randomly determine who got the ball. That's no good. It's a great idea with poor implementation.

FINAL RECOMMENDATION

If you still have your old copy of Madden NFL 10 around, pop it in and play a few games. You'll be amazed at how well the game has held up minus the animation determined results. It's very possible to play with 15 minute quarters and an accelerated clock and have yourself a good 17-13 slug-fest or a 34-31 shootout. It's still a really good game. That said, I can't recommend re-purchasing the game unless you can get it for $1-$2 range.

Madden NFL 10 Videos

Member Comments

# 21 Bryzine21 @ 11/13/13 05:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gr18


	I liked '10 when it came out because it was the biggest upgrade between years for Madden.Every previous one this Gen was crap IMO.It turned the corner to playable at least. A couple of years ago there was a thread that was started saying that they liked' 10 better than '12.It was a fairly even sided debate so I decided to pick it up again for around $4 at the time and compare.I was stunned at just how much better '12 looked and played. "10 didn't have anything going for it except the foot planting that was taken away in '11 with the locomotion which in turn took away the suction that was so prevalent in "10.Zone coverage was bad in '10 and there was the funny looking hitch step when running.When you went to sack the qb he'd throw the flutter ball quite often.The Schwarzenegger-like breaking 8 man gang tackles by running backs and receivers still lacked some sideline awareness.The refs often made the wrong call along sideline catches also. Anyway '12 wins for me hands down.25 would also get a close second but needs cleaned up a bit still.After that it's a drop off.

Yeah '12 was definitely the best. Especially in 1 player mode. The CPU a had actually had a running game.

# 22 Armor and Sword @ 11/13/13 08:34 AM

It was a solid title. However the stale and brain dead franchise mode killed it for me long term.

Also there were some serious exploit plays which...I love calling. Screen passes became money for me...and that is an essential play...there were too many instances against the CPU and a human where the flats can easily be an exploit.

And the QB fumble bug returned for a TD was just awful and aggravating.

But M10 did a bunch of cool things....and then they just went in another direction after that.

But I rank it high on the all time madden games list. But no way is it the best Madden ever.

# 23 PGaither84 @ 11/13/13 12:28 PM

I was doing this while waiting for Madden 25 to come in the mail [I live in Peru, so couldn't get it at launch]. I pretty much came to the same conclusions. I shelved Madden 10 for most of it's cycle though because until the final update, pursuit was broken. Defenders would chase a point BEHIND the ball carrier and that would let short runs turn into big runs, and big runs into TDs. It was pathetic for most of it's normal life cycle. People forget that. I have a video on my YouTube about it, showing it.

Best Madden ever? TO me it is hat we have right now. Is Madden 25 perfect? No. Not by a long shot. Why is it the best for me though? A deep franchise mode, game play that works, and custom playbooks. Prior ot Madden 13, franchise mode on the 360 as garbage and it took from Madden 06-13 until they finally got on par with Madden 06/07 on the PS2. Madden 12 had custom playbooks, so that was a huge plus for me, but Madden 13 got rid of them. It was really a hard choice between 13 and 12 because one had a deep franchise but the other had terriblel play books that you couldn't change. Now 25 gives us both!

Oh, and protack was horrid in Madden. NCAA 11 fine tuned protack and it works like a dream for those who still have their copy, pop it in and see for yourself. In Madden 10, it was a bunch of guys hugging, and waiting to be hugged... and you would see Chris Johnson go blasting out of a pile of guys like he was Frank Gore. You KNEW when protack moment was going to happen. In NCAA 11, it happened MUCH more fluidly. You would be in a tackle animation and then someone could just hit the pile, or add on. You wouldn't know until it happened. It was comical in Madden 10.

# 24 lsip @ 11/13/13 01:24 PM

Yes, Madden 10 was terrible with flats coverage for screens. You had to put DE in contain almost every single down. That and the TD runs after dudes would breakout of the gang tackling was annoying. That was online though, single player/franchise was pretty good. I have to say since 2005 though this year is my favorite Madden though I'm sure I'm in the minority.

# 25 Armor and Sword @ 11/13/13 01:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lsip


	Yes, Madden 10 was terrible with flats coverage for screens. You had to put DE in contain almost every single down. That and the TD runs after dudes would breakout of the gang tackling was annoying. That was online though, single player/franchise was pretty good. I have to say since 2005 though this year is my favorite Madden though I'm sure I'm in the minority.

M25 by a pretty wide margin is the best this gen.

# 26 hyacinth1 @ 11/13/13 02:40 PM

10 was great. Loved the running game. Gameplay was basic at times, but that's what made it so good. Also it had great grass textures, lighting, and halftime show. Nice overlays and looked just right.

I thought 12 was really good too and 10 and 12 were the best this gen. They had a good foundation to keep going but they scrapped it all and started over with the glitch ridden 13 and uninspiring 25. Typical EA.

# 27 Gman 18 @ 11/13/13 06:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by glitch3d


	The draft classes were the best for me. Wish they'd bring those players back.

They did bring em back

Sent from my Kindle Fire using Tapatalk 2

# 28 woody2goody @ 11/13/13 06:46 PM

Madden 10 was a really solid game. The games played out realistically, and it was the first Madden for a while, as mentioned in the article that felt like it was heading in the right direction.

I might get it again if I can find it for under a fiver.

# 29 OhMrHanky @ 11/13/13 09:19 PM

It is interesting how different people see things differently. For all the bugs/glitches 13 may have had (no more than any other madden IMO), THIS is the game to grow from. THIS is the foundation. 13 is the first madden I've played that finally felt like TRIED to get physics right. 10 was one of the better versions of the game, but it didn't play realistically at all IMO. And contrary to others on this thread, I actually enjoyed seeing Michael turner swallowed up by 6 defenders only to break out and reach pay dirt. He's really done that before. I didn't do sliders back then, so that might've given that game more appeal to me. But, after awhile, I got sick of the vacu-suck blocks/tackles/auto-triggered animations. Every game felt the same. 13 is the first game that actually felt different every time. And, with a good set of sliders, THIS is the game to play. And legitimately, the infinity engine produced an infinite amount of tackle animations and overall gameplay. Sadly, 25 has followed up with a dumbed down version of that engine and they've gone back to too many static animations that u see again and again. It's not as flexible and variable as 13, which is sad. For me, last year was 1 step forward, this year is 2 steps back. Classic madden programming. I'm hoping next gen wows me like 13. But really, I do find it hard to understand how anyone likes 10 over 13, in terms of realism, anyways. To each his own.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

# 30 zonadrk @ 11/14/13 10:23 AM

Madden 12 hands down is the best. Why in the world would anyone think watchinf animated Chris Simms and the other guy over STADIUM TEAM ENTRANCES! Stadiums themselves are also good, and the game play I like also.

# 31 Armor and Sword @ 11/14/13 12:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zonadrk


	Madden 12 hands down is the best. Why in the world would anyone think watchinf animated Chris Simms and the other guy over STADIUM TEAM ENTRANCES! Stadiums themselves are also good, and the game play I like also.

Maybe because instead of team entrances which you do not see on TV...except in the post season?

I like the entrances too....and now they are in the post season where on a TV broadcast you see them.

Regular season games....the play by play and color guy are seen talking in the press box before kick off.

When Madden get's something right....I will say it. They got that right.

Now if they had M12's replays, and cut's and fly overs M25's presentation would be even better (it is decent but not as good as M12's camera work).

Different strokes for different folks.

# 32 TreyzAllDayz @ 11/14/13 01:41 PM

Madden 2004-06 on the ps2 were the series' glory years!!

# 33 DJ @ 11/14/13 05:34 PM

Madden 10 was the first Madden on the PS3/360 that I actually enjoyed, and this was on the heels of me playing All-Pro Football 2K8 for two solid years.

I don't think M10 is the best Madden of this generation, though. M25 is the best because the career mode is more engrossing and the gameplay on the field is more balanced, although there are still some exploits.

# 34 sheredia @ 11/17/13 11:34 PM

i agree with this article...madden 10 had the halftime show, limited, but it was something. it had hall of fame players (last time in the series). it had create-a-team (why take this out?). it had the afl mode, which was a nice touch. it even had the nfl music (which i love). the gameplay holds up...not perfect, but it holds up.

# 35 GisherJohn24 @ 11/21/13 10:20 AM

I've always been a Madden 10 junkie. To this day, it's still my favorite Madden ever. I hope my 360 never dies.

# 36 Broncos86 @ 11/21/13 06:51 PM

Madden 10 was the entry that saved last gen for Madden gamers. Madden 09 was a horrendous game on so many levels, and Madden 10 really fixed a lot that was wrong. The problem with last-gen Madden was that so many entries were spent trying to fix and iterate on top of a bad foundation. The Madden series easily lost 4 years of iteration, and then the remaining versions were stuck with the garbage that was left over.

Compare that to the PS2 version, which was solid from the get-go. It was simply a matter of building on and tweaking, which led us to some great years of Madden. Madden 10 was essentially that game that made me feel like the franchise was worth playing for a bit longer. Seeing guys pile on was a stunning moment, especially since I had been bitten by kick returns where everyone falls down around the tackle, only to see the return man break free and run it the rest of the way while my team picks itself up.

I can't say Madden 10 was the best Madden, but it was the Madden that was needed at that time.

# 37 josefrees @ 11/21/13 07:14 PM

You know what the best madden is? Whatever one they released on PS2 last. Seriously, I bought 11 for Ps2 when it came out and it was literally better than any current gen? Madden there is especially in franchise mode. Coaches are still unique with their own stats, you have control over how your offense is balanced, etc. seriously the simplest things are so hard for then to do. And if I remember correctly, madden 10's progression system was completely broken

# 38 GisherJohn24 @ 11/21/13 07:29 PM

Playing with Legends was very nice too

# 39 sheredia @ 11/23/13 10:58 AM

revisited madden 10 due to this article.....added some hall of fame players to teams payton/bears, montana/49ers, etc. (as many as possible without going over the salary cap). also added players who played on teams before such as gonzalez/chiefs, etc. i was able to balance out all teams to ratings 82 and over. played some good games so far.

# 40 m1ke_nyc @ 11/27/13 08:42 PM

The thing I liked about Madden 10 was the game was balanced. Madden has been nothing more than a shoot out as of late. Madden 10 was balanced on both sides of the ball.

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