Madden NFL 2001 First Impression

Electronic Arts has been releasing a new version of Madden NFL nearly every year for over a decade. With each successive release, the series gains improvements in graphics, AI, audio, physics, and other technology. The latest iteration, Madden NFL 2001, boasts all these enhancements and more.

The biggest addition to the series is the new Coaches Club license. In developing the game, EA Sports caught up with all the NFL coaches at the owners meeting this spring, and digitized their faces for use in the game. Now, players will be able to see the coach of their team standing on the sideline, offering "encouragement" to his players and "advice" to referees. All this is done using actual sampled audio from the coach's real-life counterpart.

Additionally, in 2001, all the players' weight and height has been factored into the game's physics model to determine how much ground the ball carrier gains as he's tackled. A smaller wide receiver will receiving a crushing blow from a larger defensive back, while a faster halfback will be able to easily outmaneuver a slower linebacker.

As is to be expected, the graphics have been completely revamped, and the player models feature detailed textures and animations. Some of the more famous NFL players will even have their own signature endzone celebration animations, as well as a model that accurately reflects what he'd normally wear on the field, including elbow pads, gloves, and even bandanas.

Madden NFL 2001 will ship just in time for football season this fall.