Ready for more Madden

He won the Super Bowl as a coach, ruled the broadcast booth for three decades, and even dabbled in the culinary arts, popularizing the Thanksgiving "turducken" - a chicken stuffed in a duck stuffed in a turkey.

But there's another reason why football fans won't soon forget John Madden, who retired from announcing in April.

Friday marks the release of Madden NFL 10 ($59.99 for Xbox 360 and PS3), the 21st installment of his vastly popular video game. Founded in 1989 as John Madden Football, the game has netted more than $2 billion in revenue and sold more than 80 million units since its inception, steadily cementing its status as the industry's signature sports offering.

EA Sports, which produces Madden, promises that the 2010 version will offer unprecedented player control through the use of Pro-Tak animation technology.

For example, gamers now will be able to send a swarm of up to nine defenders to gang-tackle a runner. In years past, no more than three players (the ball-carrier and two defenders) could come into contact on a given play.

"Game play is really the bread and butter of the Madden franchise," senior producer Phil Frazier said. "When you're playing a game, you feel like it's alive."

Madden himself, who graced the game's cover every year until 2001, won't be nearly as visible in this year's version. He'll still suggest plays for those who choose the "Ask Madden" option, but for the second straight year, Cris Collinsworth will be doing the game commentary, just as he will on NBC's Sunday night NFL telecast, Madden's former gig.

(Pittsburgh Steelers strong safety Troy Polamalu and Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald appear on the cover of Madden 10.)

Still, Madden remains intimately involved with the game that bears his name, according to EA Sports brass.

"He's got more time on his hands now, which is great," said senior product manager Anthony Stevenson. "He's real excited to get involved with the game and really spend more time with it than he has in years past."

For this year's version, specifically, Madden met with game producers to ensure that recent league developments, like additional shotgun formations for many teams and new rules on kickoff returns, were rendered accurately.

"He sees trends in the NFL before they even happen," Stevenson said, citing Madden's prophecy years back that the quirky "Wildcat" offensive formation would work its way into team playbooks. "He's got a knowledge of the game that is unparalleled, and that's really what has made Madden what it is."

Buoyed by its improvements, Madden picked up a slew of honors at the prestigious E3 convention in June, including best sports game (according to 1up.com) and best technical achievement (as decided by G4's X-Play).

"It's just got a really nice feel to it," said Matthew Kato, senior associate editor at Game Informer magazine. In recent years, Kato says, hard-core gamers have lent only tepid support to the franchise, viewing its year-to-year advancements as too incremental. With the latest version, though, Kato believes that EA has fashioned "the best Madden in the Xbox 360-PlayStation era."

Specifically, he credits the development team with creating more realistic action between plays, not just during them. Fans celebrate in vivid detail; coaches berate players on the sidelines; even referees are increasingly visible - sifting through a post-fumble scrum, measuring for a potential first down, convening to discuss a questionable call.

"We were joking with each other saying, 'What do they really add? They're refs,' " Frazier said. "But we have a lot more suspense in the game."

An online franchise feature, long clamored for across Madden Nation's cyber-ranks, will also be unveiled this year. Gamers will have the opportunity to navigate a team through 10 NFL seasons, taking on friends and strangers as they control every aspect of game play and personnel management. Users can even set rosters from their mobile devices.

"You have God-like powers, basically," Frazier said.

Harold Pearson, 18, from West Philadelphia, is delighted to see an expansion of the title's Internet presence. A Madden disciple since 1995, when he was all of 4, Pearson has played against online competitors since EA introduced the feature in 2003.

"They're talking their trash; you're talking your trash," said Pearson, who dons a Bluetooth earpiece during games to communicate with opponents. "Sometimes, I'll invite some people over, make a party out of it - if my mom allows."

Penn students Ferrell Townsend and Brandon Alcorn intend to pool resources once the game hits stores.

"I'm going to buy it," Townsend said, "and come play it on his Xbox."

Alcorn, fresh off a 21-0 drubbing in Madden 03 at the hands of Townsend's Eagles, wasn't quite feeling the collaborative spirit.

"I'm going to remember this when the Eagles go 5-11 this season," he said.

Alcorn's not the only one holding a grudge. Seattle Seahawks wideout T.J. Houshmandzadeh says he's boycotting this year's Madden because his player rating - a 91 out of 100, good for sixth-best among all NFL receivers - doesn't adequately reflect his contributions.

"Until they do me right, I'm not playing," he told ESPN Radio's Colin Cowherd.

Despite one peeved pass-catcher - and, more important, one retired broadcaster - Madden is fully expected to land with both feet inbounds this year.

"They have a lock on the sports industry," Kato said, "five to six million copies per year."

That's a lot of turducken.