OVERALL RATING		4.5
Presentation		4.5
Control		4.5
Gameplay		4.5
Fun factor		4.5
User Rating		3.0

Anomaly – (noun) 1. Deviation or departure from the normal or common order, form, or rule.  2. One that is peculiar, irregular, abnormal or difficult to classify. 

Yep, that definition pretty much sums up Madden NFL 07, last year’s mobile version of the usually solid football game.  There were a number of different versions floating around out there made by different developers, and this no doubt led to the issues with the game.  This year however, it seems things are back on track again.  To put it plainly, Madden NFL 08 is what we’ve come to expect from the franchise.

Included are real teams, real players, real plays, blah blah blah, real everything…you get the picture.  There’s no point in restating the obvious.  As always though, there is some tinkering and adjustments that have taken place and while they seem minor, it is surprising how effective they are. 

The main upgrade is to the passing game where EA has implemented Field Vision Passing.  No longer is each receiver mapped to a button on the keypad.  Instead, the passing game is entirely handled by the D-pad.  Simply choose your passing play and when the action starts, hit the OK button to highlight all receivers on the field with an arrow.  To select a specific receiver to pass to, all you need to do is choose the direction of the arrow that is positioned above the desired receiver.  This provides greater efficiency.  Of course, to have a successful completion you should still be aware of the three-colored coding system used, which means that you should make sure the arrow is green before you pass. 

The game also possesses greater management capabilities.  Not only can you tweak rosters and substitute players, but you can trade players between teams as well.  You can essentially create your very own All-Star team and cruise through the opposition.  Oh ya, and one more inclusion is the ability to skin the game with your favorite team’s colors.  (Only on high-end handsets though.)

Actual game play remains highly competitive and very enjoyable.  The game is as solid as they come with great animations, including replays and celebrations, and excellent atmospheric audio such as audience participation, hits, and voice-over commentary.

Madden NFL 08 is undoubtedly the best Madden we’ve yet to play on a wireless handset not just because of the improvements, but because the core essentials have not been forgotten.  It’s an excellent choice through and through if you’re at all thinking about football this season.