Superstars Wanted

Xbox 360™ gamers have a special football treat in store for them this fall—an exclusive new way to play Madden NFL 07 that can only be handled by the most powerful console on the planet. Get ready for Superstar mode.

This mode existed in last year's version of Madden, but it bears little in common save the name to this year's magnificently immersive experience.

In Superstar mode, create a player, and try to craft a Hall of Fame-worthy career. You may think you've seen football games that offer this kind of play before, but look again, because Madden NFL 07 brings the pro gridiron experience to vivid life, and it's never the same thing twice.

Impress the scouts with your 40-yard dash times.

Create a player by selecting his heritage (yes, picking your parents!), and that lineage helps sculpt the position your player will play, as well as some of his natural attributes. Enter the game's mini-camp modes while conducting tryouts for interested teams. Run the 40-yard dash well, bench-press a lot of weight, and turn some heads in position-specific drills—you might hear your name early on Draft Day!

Draft Pick
Of course you're going to sign an agent, taking into account each one's impact on you and the benefits they can provide you. Certain agents are skilled at negotiating better contracts, for example, and some are better at getting your player interviews and other media exposure. However, some of them can also hurt your "ego," making you look like a self-centered player to the NFL world. Balance what you want and what you need before selecting your business partner.

Go to your agent and have him stage a press conference
to air out your grievances in the press,
or even demand a trade.

As the draft draws closer, take an IQ test and conduct interviews with the media, both of which can further shape your attributes and your perception in NFL teams' eyes. After one last chance to show your mini-game prowess off at the NFL combine, you get drafted and assigned to a team.

Untested Rookie
Training camp starts soon after, and it's important to make sure you put your time in on the practice field. Besides learning the team's playbook, there are unique camera angles for each position, and different commands, as well. Each different position provides a uniquely different in-game experience. Moreover, successful practices earn Influence points, which play a very valuable role in your player's growth as a professional.

Receiver, cornerback, offensive lineman—it's up to you.

Once a game begins, you're taken to a menu every time your player takes the field. Within that menu, spend your Influence points to temporary improve the attributes of your player—and eventually, even your teammates'—during the game. Add Influence throughout your career and new "roles" open up, increasing the flexibility and power of the Influence system, reflecting your career growth from a rookie to an eventual team captain.

The new over-the-shoulder cameras bring the excitement and controlled chaos of NFL play to the fore, and the intense new gameplay is wildly addicting. For even more realism, let the CPU control the team when you're not on the field—control only your player, just like real-life. You're not the coach, so the CPU calls the plays and zips through the action in fast-forward, allowing you to get back into the fray even faster.

Veteran Leader
Now, experience all of football from a player's eyes. Being a halfback isn't all glamour, for example. Sometimes you need to stay back and dive into blitzing linebackers to save your quarterback, or plow into the engulfing D-line, sacrificing your body to "sell" the play-action pass. Performing these tasks well, even without the ball in your hands, also earns you Influence, as your teammates and coaches grow to respect your commitment to the success of the entire team.

A good agent can help renegotiate your contract.

If you've decided you're not being used properly, go to your agent and have him stage a press conference to air out your grievances in the press, or even demand a trade. You may be placed in a better position, but you may also be labeled a selfish player, so pick your spots—the path your career takes is up to you.

Playing as a superstar brings the emotion of football home in a whole new way, and you'll become a more knowledgeable fan, as you can't help but appreciate the challenges an NFL player faces on the field … and off it.

The only place to become a Superstar this fall is on Xbox 360, so hit the field—your future, and maybe even the Pro Football Hall of Fame, awaits!

Article by Shawn Drotar, Managing Editor, OperationSports.com