Digital Sportspage Blog

I commented on this a while back but in recent months I feel as though it needs commenting on again. EA Sports, the once infamously lackadaisical video game sports company has now become something of a refreshing and innovative sports game developer. Considering how progressively bad some of EA’s sports franchises had become by 2005-2006 it is quite a turn around. That isn’t too say that EA’s current lineup doesn’t have some stinkers (For whatever reason they struggle mightily with basketball: NBA Live or March Madness anyone?) but for the most part they have done a fantastic job getting their NFL, and especially their FIFA and NHL licenses back on the right track. This year’s Madden 10 is promising to be yet another example of innovation in a franchise that receives little if any direct competition from any other football game on the market. Do they need to innovate with Madden? No. We’ll all still buy it eventually. Even so it appears (and I say appears because I’ve only read other hands-on reviews with Madden 10) that Madden is getting a much needed total game play overhaul.

My current score card for EA looks like this…

Two thumbs up:
Madden 09 - while mind numbingly boring, it plays a solid game of football.
FIFA 09 - awesome with a side of awesome.
NHL 09 - see above.
Fight Night Round 4 - Just plain fun. Online is cheese central however.
NASCAR 09 - Oldie now but still a goodie.
Tiger Woods 10 - Is borderline innovation versus innostationary.
Grand Slam Tennis - Wii motion plus a Wii motion must.

One thumb with the second thumb still indecisive:
Head Coach 09 - I want to love it but needs work.
NCAA series - still one step behind it’s bigger bro, will this always be the case?
NHL 3 on 3 - I can only play this on mute

Two thumbs down:
EA Basketball - pick your poison

Bring Back!
MVP - MLB 09 is great but an EA MVP title on XBL would be even greater!
College Baseball on the next gen systems!

That’s my two cents on EA Sports. Hopefully the future brings more greatness to this once much lamented sports game developer.