EA Sports gives us a preview of two new updates that Madden NFL 09 will feature when it’s released this August 12th.

First you will take the ‘Madden IQ Test’ where you can build up your gridiron skills with the virtual trainer that calculates your “Madden IQ” based on your practice in 12 different drills.

The game’s difficulty adjusts itself to the player’s Madden IQ rating.

Another new feature for Madden NFL 09 is EA Sports Backtrack that analyzes the player’s playing ability and points out mistakes during gameplay.

Check it out:

EA SPORTS™Fight Night Round 4 is in development at EA Canada in Vancouver and will be available next year for PlayStation 3 & Xbox 360.

“The EA SPORTS Fight Night franchise has always been synonymous with quality and innovation that raised the bar for the sports videogame genre”, said Kevin Wilkinson, Executive Producer, EA SPORTS. “EA SPORTS Fight Night Round 3 was a platform defining game as the industry transitioned to next generation consoles. EA SPORTS Fight Night Round 4 will change how boxing games are played and measured in the future.”

Featuring a re-written gameplay engine, EA SPORTS Fight Night Round 4 will add a variety of fighting styles and boxer differentiation to authentically emulate the greatest fighters of all time. Pressure your opponent with the brawling inside style of young Mike Tyson, bobbing and weaving to set up powerful hooks and uppercuts. Capitalize on Muhammad Ali’s reach, hand speed and fleetness of foot to bewilder your opponent with lightning fast jabs and straights from the outside. For the first time in history, EA SPORTS Fight Night Round 4 gives you the opportunity to pit these legendary heavyweights against one another and name a true champ.

No fight will be the same with an all-new physics-based animation system that recreates the full spectrum of true-to-life punch impacts, giving boxers a devastating arsenal of punches, blocks and ring movement. The new physics system allows for missed punches, glancing punches, knockout blows and for the first time ever, rough and tumble inside fighting. Fatigue, adrenaline, footwork and timing all come into play as you hammer away at your opponents.
[source]

For those looking for more information on NCAA Football 08 may find the following early Xbox 360 reviews from GamesDaily & 1up of interest.

GamesDaily gave an 80 (out of 100) with this to say:

NCAA Football 08 does for EA’s vaunted franchise what Carson Palmer did for USC a few years ago — it ushers in a return to glory. Forget about the new “Lead By Example” feature on the back of the box. NCAA 08 is all about a reworked gameplay engine that finally looks and feels right on next-gen consoles. Throw in a deeper Dynasty mode, the superb Campus Legend mode — good enough to be on its own disc — and even a partnership with the Weather Channel, and you have one of the most enjoyable football games to play over the past few years.

1up’s review rated NCAA Football 08 an 85 (out of 100) and here is what they said:

From the very first snap, you’ll notice this game runs a whole lot faster and smoother than last year’s edition, thanks to the necessary bump to 60 frames per second. This improved framerate also has another interesting effect — you’re able to see many more of the subtle-yet-sweet animations, such as ball carriers putting their hand on the ground to regain balance or juking under a defender who’s suddenly left hugging air. Aside from speeding things up, developer EA Tiburon has smartly retooled many key facets of gameplay. Run blocking is vastly improved, as it’s finally possible to get some positive yardage on sweeps — plus, those fatties on the offensive line now open some actual running holes between the tackles. The defensive A.I. also steps it up, especially in the secondary. In years past, the deep ball was always a defensive back’s Achilles’ heel. That’s not the case anymore — unless you spot a breakdown in coverage or catch them offguard with a pump fake, these defensive speed demons will stick to wideouts like stink on s***. Defenders are pretty smart between the hash marks, too; toss an errant pass over the middle, and more often than not, someone will step in to intercept it. But you won’t always want to rely on the A.I. for making plays, simply because the refined hit stick makes it much more fun to knock the snot out of the opposition. Seriously, it’s supremely satisfying sending a receiver head over feet with a perfectly timed flick of the right analog stick. And now that 08 lets you save highlights, you can continually relive these thrilling, heavy-hitting moments and even send the clips to your fellow sportos.

08 also excels away from the gridiron. The new recruiting system (which gives you 10 simulated hours a week to call prospects, feel out their likes and dislikes, and then pitch them on stuff like campus life and playing time) even had this documented Dynasty hater completely hooked. Unlike in previous installments, the recruiting here never feels overwhelming, and 08’s simple-yet-effective feedback system (a smiling/frowning football — yes, I know it sounds corny, but it works) lets you know right away whether you should keep pursuing a blue-chipper or invest your time elsewhere. The ego-driven Campus Legend mode finally finds its way into the 360 version, and unlike Madden NFL 07’s horrific Superstar mode, you can actually play using these position-specific camera angles. This year’s mode also comes with another neat twist, as you start your career competing in your home state’s high school playoffs (hmm, seems like some folks at EA are fans of Friday Night Lights). Obviously, the better you perform, the more schools will be beating down your door with scholarship offers. While those two modes thrive in 08, it’s somewhat disappointing that the developers didn’t add any new minigames (Bowling, Option Dash, and Tug-O-War return) to the mix.

So does anything taint this revitalized gridiron? Yep, and it starts online. Once again, the NCAA series (along with EA’s Madden 08, which we’ll review next month) are severely slackin’ in this area. Sure, the online matchups run pretty much without a hitch — but, man, what do we gotta do for an online Dynasty mode across the Internet? C’mon, EA: It’s about time you made it possible for a bunch of online friends to join up and battle it out for the BCS crown and recruits. 08 sports some other head-scratchers, including a play-call screen that covers up instant replays (lame) and an utter lack of alternate uniforms (even lamer, especially since EA has said that it won’t be offering them via download). These are small gripes for sure, but two that EA really needs to address in next year’s game.

Before we wrap things up, you may have noticed that I’m only talking about the 360 version here. Well, that’s because EA refused to send us the PS3 edition, which I’ve confirmed only runs at 30 frames per second (so expect this one to move a bit slower). With that being said, if you own both systems, you’d be a fool not to choose the Microsoft route when picking up a copy of 08.

With just weeks to go before the season kicks off, here is a look at the teams EA Sports rates as the best in the nation. Agree or disagree (where the hell is Oregon or Oregon State!?!) the following are the Top 25 teams in EA Sports’ NCAA Football 08.

#25 Boston College Eagles (10-3)

Senior quarterback Matt Ryan battled ankle and foot problems last season, yet still managed to throw for nearly 3,000 yards and 15 touchdowns. The first half of the schedule is fairly friendly, with only one road game (against Georgia Tech). Unfortunately, it could mean a rough second half for Boston College, with difficult road games against the likes of Virginia Tech, Notre Dame, and Clemson.

#24 Texas A&M Aggies (9-4)

Heartbreaking late-season losses to Nebraska and Oklahoma (both by one point), the Aggies will face the Cornhuskers and Sooners on the road (along with making the trip to Miami to face the Hurricanes), all before winding up the season against arch-rival Texas in College Station.

#23 Boise State Broncos (13-0)

Last years undefeated Boise State will go into this season minus their starting quarterback and four of their top receivers. The schedule includes tough out-of-conference away games against Washington and Hawaii.

#22 TCU Horned Frogs (11-2)

The defense, built around players like defensive end Tommy Blake and safety Brian Bonner, could be the best in the conference, with nine starters returning to the team.

#21 Florida State Seminoles (7-6)

This year’s team has the advantage of bringing back 14 starters from last year, making it one of the most experienced Florida State teams in the past decade. They’ll need all of that experience and talent to find success in a tough schedule that features games against Alabama, Wake Forest, Virginia Tech, Florida, and Boston College.

#20 Rutgers Scarlet Knights (11-2)

Junior quarterback Mike Teel will lead an offense that will see seven returning starters. A favorable schedule that will have West Virginia playing in New Brunswick also works to the Knights’ favor.

#19 UCLA Bruins (7-6)

With an experienced team that features 10 returning starters on offense, and home games against Washington, Notre Dame, Cal, and Oregon form the heart of the home schedule, and then there’s that season-ending rivalry game against USC, where the Trojans will be looking for payback.

#18 Georgia Bulldogs (9-4)

After struggling last season, sophomore quarterback Matthew Stafford has won the starting job, with senior running back Kregg Lumpkin looking to give the Bulldogs just their second 1,000-yard rusher since 1992.

#17 Penn State Nittany Lions (9-4)

This year, the Nittany Lions could take a big step towards securing at least 10 of those needed wins thanks to a favorable home schedule and a talent base that includes eight returning starters on offense. The defense will be younger this time around, with six starters returning.

#16 California Golden Bears (10-3)

Coach Jeff Tedford led his team to a share of the Pac-10 title last year, thanks in part to UCLA’s late-season defeat of USC; it’s just another chapter in the team’s revival of fortunes, one that has seen the team go from an also-ran in the conference to a yearly contender.

#15 Tennessee Volunteers (9-4)

It was announced that Erik Ainge would assume starting duties for the Vols, but surgery for a torn meniscus leaves the athlete’s 2007 status a bit uncertain at this point.

#14 Nebraska Cornhuskers (9-5)

The challenges will come early and often for the Huskers, as they’ll travel to Wake Forest on September 8, only to play host to the USC Trojans the following week. The Huskers are playing one of the toughest schedules in the nation this season, with tough road games at Texas and Colorado late in the season.

#13 Auburn Tigers (11-2)

2007 will be another tough schedule in conference, as well as some difficult contests in the out-of-conference schedule (watch out for that USF game on September 8).

#12 Ohio State Buckeyes (12-1)

After replacing all three 2005 starting linebackers last season, standout middle linebacker (and Nagurski Award-winner) James Laurinaitis looks to take control of a defensive team that will surely have big hits and turnovers on the collective brain.

#11 Louisville Cardinals (12-1)

Along with Big East challengers like West Virginia and Rutgers, Louisville is helping lead the Big East back into respect in the NCAA. Its final three games against West Virginia, USF (who upset the Cardinals in 2005), and Rutgers will be the trio that fully tests the team’s mettle.

#10 Arkansas Razorbacks (10-4)

If junior quarterback Casey Dick can help the Razorbacks mix up their offense, the team will be in good shape for a typically rough SEC schedule that includes away games against Alabama, Tennessee, and LSU.

#9 Virginia Tech Hokies (10-3)

An outstanding linebacking duo of Vince Hall and Xavier Adibi will form the backbone of a tough Hokie defense will be returning as seniors leading this years linebacking corps that be significantly short on experience.

#8 Oklahoma Sooners (11-3)

A freshman quarterback, Sam Bradford, will find his mettle tested early and often, so the Sooners will be counting on the experienced duo of safeties in Reggie Smith and halfback Allen Patrick to pull their weight.

#7 Wisconsin Badgers (12-1)

Two tough games on the road (Penn State and Ohio State), plus a showdown with Michigan on November 10, will define Wisconsin’s success in 2007, and the team will need stellar performances from the likes of quarterback Tyler Donovan and corner Jack Ikegwuonu if they hope to top the success of last year.

#6 West Virginia Mountaineers (11-2)

The team will need to ride the talent of juniors Pat White (QB) and Steve Slaton (RB) in hopes of matching that same kind of success in 2007. Tough games on the road against teams like Rutgers, USF, and Maryland will stand in the way of the Mountaineers earning its fourth Big East title (or share of) in the last five years.

#5 Texas Longhorns (10-3)

The Longhorns face TCU, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Texas Tech at home—their toughest road game should prove to be the Aggies and, after last year’s defeat, the Longhorns will be looking to travel to College Station with revenge on their minds.

#4 Florida Gators (13-1)

One of the biggest question marks for the team is how fleet-footed Tim Tebow will fill in for the departed Chris Leak in the quarterback position. Should Tebow find his stride early, Gator Nation will chomp its way through 2007.

#3 LSU Tigers (11-2)

The loss of #1 overall pick JaMarcus Russell will be one of the most difficult hurdles the Tigers will need to overcome in their 2007 season, but senior Matt Flynn has a good deal of experience behind center. The other obstacle, of course, is the brutal heart of the SEC schedule, which will see the Tigers facing South Carolina, Florida, Auburn, and Arkansas, all within the cacophonous confines of Death Valley.

#2 Michigan Wolverines (11-2)

Two players will consistently strike fear into the hearts of Michigan’s Big 10 opponents: seniors Chad Henne and Mike Hart. Hart, a fifth-place finisher in last year’s Heisman race, looks to top his stellar 2006 with an even stronger ground performance in 2007. Should the receiving corps come into their own, Michigan faces a favorable home schedule that could once again vault them into BCS contention.

#1 USC Trojans (11-2)

Losing big-name talent like Dwayne Jarrett and Steve Smith will mean quarterback John David Booty will be searching for a few new go-to receivers. While there won’t be any shortage of touchdowns scored by the offense, the Trojans’ most potent weapon might be its defense—with 10 returning starters and a defensively minded head coach in Carroll who takes pride in stopping his opponents cold. The Trojans will need that defense at optimum strength when playing some tough games on the road, including their September 15 contest against Nebraska. Later in the season, the showdown with Cal could prove—as it has in the past—to be a game with multiple implications—Pac 10, Rose Bowl, perhaps even the national title too.

[source]

Recently EA released a new recruiting video to show off EA’s NCAA 08 Football’s new and improved system for recruiting players. Not only will you be able to schedule campus visits, make sweet offers, track which schools each player favors and set a lunch date, with details even including giving a call to the parents. It’s nice to see EA finally including more depth to the next gen versions of the recruitment process. Check out the following 4 minute video detailing the new system.

If you were featured in a sports video game, what rating would you give yourself in terms of power, speed, and ability? East Carolina University football players react to their digital counterparts in EA’s NCAA Football 07 as reported by the Rocky Mount Telegram:

• “I like the rating of 97 in speed. I feel like I could have been a little bit better overall though.”
• “I wish my rating would have been a little bit higher, but it’s whatever they want to do.”
• “Kasey Ross [who is apparently known for his speed on the team] should not be no 70-something… He should be high 80s, low 90s.”

Who are the ECU Pirates? That question probably refutes the above concerns.

• Read

[via Joystiq]

EA has announced that it will release Madden NFL 07 Hall of Fame for Xbox 360 and PS2. This special version will also release on August 22nd alongside the regular versions, and feature over two hours of bonus DVD content.

The PS2 version’s content will include:

• PlayStation 3 Unveiled - G4TV provides a sneak peek at the making of Madden NFL 07 for PlayStation 3 with exclusive gameplay footage, content previews, and more.
• Hall of Famer: John Madden - A career retrospective highlighting Coach Madden’s days as Oakland Raiders head coach and award-winning calls from the broadcast booth.
• Inside Madden Studios - ESPN’s Trey Wingo delivers game production insights and exclusive interviews with the team behind the game.
• Exclusive Music Interviews - The hottest acts featured in Madden NFL 07 reveal the inspiration behind their music.

The Xbox 360 version will replace the PlayStation 3 feature with Madden Nation, Season One (a look at the program that aired on ESPN), but will otherwise be the same.

Madden NFL 07 Hall of Fame will retail for $59.99 on PlayStation 2 and $69.99 on Xbox 360.