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Madden '09 Celebrates 20 Years Of Madden Games

It's summer, and that means that your countdown to the next installment of the preeminent football franchise is gaming is almost over. August 12, 2008, is when Madden 09 hits consoles, and this 20th installment of the series is shaping up to be one of the best.

More than previous installments, Madden 09 is prepared to train players in the basics of the game, perhaps based on the positive response to the simplified Madden games on the Wii (which itself has led to the Wii-exclusive All-Play line of sports games). Some of the innovations in Madden 09 include:

• Madden IQ system: trains players with a dozen different practice drills.
• An in-game telestrator that points out mistakes during gameplay.
• Improvements to smart routes, player fatigue and fumbles, including weather-related effects
• Improved graphics
• Improved engines for ball-carrying and running and tackling that provide total control
• Picture in Picture interface to see player info and call plays without leaving the action
• Sync with NFL Head Coach 09

And, of course, online play on the applicable systems, featuring full schedules and a draft.

Although the conventional wisdom on Madden is that it's a viable purchase about every other year, the improvements to the user experience might mean that the frustrated armchair quarterback should give Madden 09 a look, even if they visited the football well in 2008.

Your local game store is going to be swamped with crazed football fans this August, so stay safe by ordering Madden 09 from GameQuestDirect.com, where you'll get a sealed, factory new copy of the game – not a gutted, scratched copy that you have to settle for because it's the last one in stock.