Thanks for the info, gonna head back there tomorrow and get the difference.

Ok while the reviews mention the problems on offense, I think the real problems this year are on defense! The change in button layout really pisses me off especially how you have to use the fucking white and black buttons to shift your linemen and your linebackers. And it takes about half an hour to switch defensive players before the snap!

I played a few games last night....I was a 2K player for the past 2-3 years, so I'm trying to get back into Madden. Not sure how I feel about QB Vision...takes some getting used to, but I get sacked a LOT. This is even against the computer.

Also, does anyone have any GOOD rosters? I d/l the new XBOX ones and they still are missing lots of players. I wanted to updated the Lions with a few of the rookies that SHOULD make the team (Swancut/Goddard) I know they left out others on other teams too. I'm may wait a bit to start my franchise until I get some GOOD rosters.

I hate the qb vision...i get sacked a ton...... i dont like this year's madden

Yeah, I usually can bump the difficulty up to the highest level...or at least the level below the highest. Now, I'm staying at the default PRO, at least until I get QB Vision down. It's still a good game.

Is this nationwide for the new 39.99 price? Their website still shows 49.99. What's the confusion in the ad? I don't have one to look at.

The AD should be on the website

The Burnout Demo is pretty good too

Played a couple games last night. Plays MUCH better than 2005. Much better. Movement seems a little slower, which is good so that you can actually focus and see what's going on on the field (and do something about it, if you want to).

The new passing scheme actually makes passing kind of easier (for me). Thought it would be the opposite, but in past games, I could only focus on only one part of the field anyways.

VERY realistic, too! My first game was the Chargers (me) vs. the Raiders. Kicked their ass 35-0.

The confusion over the ad was that the DS version was marked 39.99 and the console versions said 'low price' and alot of people assumed it would be 39.99 as well ('low price' dvds advertised are often the price of the one next to it) I'm pretty sure it is the whole chain, our advertising manager/supervisor circulated the email printout.

$ 39.99 at CC in Hanover, MD - picked it up today

So far so good..my QB has a decent cone. I played the Niners to warm up and their rookie has SUCH a narrow cone. May make the weaker teams even harder to play with.

My concern tho is that I don't think the field of vision is doing what I thouight it was suppose to do. I have Warner look at Larry Fitzgerald until the last second, then change my cone to Boldin expecting the free saftey to have followed Warners eyes. But when I watch the replay, they don't bite. Tried it against various defenses. I thought it was to help the offense too, not just penalize those with smaller cones.

Loving it thus far. Playing against humans tonight. Not ready to hit Live yet!

So to avoid the blitz, do you just throw to the flanker without switching your cone of vision to them and pray that they're open?

Yeah, pretty much....you can throw it away too. It's basically this scenario....

Hike ball with A, use R-trigger+receiver button to lock on (change if you want), then hit receiver button again to throw. Also, move left-thumbstick for "precision passing"

I lock on before I even snap the ball. Makes it way easier. Then again, I'm playing on "Pro" difficulty.

Yeah, I lock on before the snap too, but if they're blitzing, you have to get it out to the flanker fast, and maybe I'm just not used to it yet, but it's hard to switch the cone and get the ball off.

Also, it makes strategy when playing on a single screen much different. So there's no way to turn it off, huh? Haven't experimented much, but I know someone else asked and no answer's been given yet...

To avoid the blitz, I lock on to my TE or my RBs (screen) before the snap and also look at my wideout's route (same side as my TE or RB). If there's no blitz, I can pass to my WR. If there's a blitz, the TE or RB should be wide open.

You can turn off the new passing scheme. Can't remember offhand, but the tutorial told you where and how. (mymadden->gameplay settings?)

I know the answer is probably no, but does anyone think the DS version is worth $29.99 at Target? I'm really wanting some portable sports gaming, but man it just doesn't seem like EA has put out anything worth buying on the Nintendo portables. I was looking for reviews, but no one bothered to review the DS version yet.

It has franchise mode, but if the gameplay blows who will want to play year after year of football.

Do all the teams have the same offensive playbook? Thats something that has always pissed me of with Madden. Each team needs its own unique playbook to give each team a different feel. I remember the 2K series on the dreamcast did this.

Offline I am playing great. played 4 games and won 3, only losing my first. I am playing on all-pro. Online is a completely different story, thanks to the people who like to play a football "simulation" and blitz every play. Having 1.5 seconds to throw the ball, when you have to switch the qb vision cone and release (every QB has a slow release in this game) is awful. It used to be barely tolerable without qb vision. They need to remove qb vision from online play.

Great, I just lost Lee Evans to a season ending injury during a preseason game.

Yeah, the I'm still getting used to QB Vision..of course I haven't played Madden in years. I've noticed you acn throw to other w/o using QB vision and the accuracy is sometimes great. Like you are lokced on Y, but throw to X. I'm going to start my franchise this weekend probably....waiting to update my rosters a bit. Had to add a few people to the Lions and update others.

Play book - I haven't looked on this one, but most of the Madden's I have has a place where you can change the playbook. So..play your team with another's playbook.

And for beating the blitz, another idea is to set the cone/field of vision to straight ahead. I play with my Cardinals and Warner has a pretty wide field. So I go 4 wide from the shotgun and they all converge into my vision. Just gotta see which one is open due to the blitz. YMMV

Anyone notice a lot of fumbles on kick returns? Or maybe the Chargers kick returner just stinks? I notice if I don't control the guy and fair catch, he fumbles the ball. It happened three times in one game, two resulting in touchdowns for the kicking team...

You playing online or vs a friend or vs the computer? If vs a friend or online, they're probably using the hit stick. This will cause more fumbles then normal. If it's the computer, then you suck

Kidding, kidding. I fumbled the ball a couple times as the Chargers KR, so yeah maybe he does suck.