May 30, 2007 was a red-letter day for race fans with an Xbox 360. Forza Motorsport 2, probably the most anticipated driving game of the year, hits this day. But the type of road rage found in that game appeals more to gearheads and purists; not to mention those with fairly deep pockets. If you want a lighter, cheaper driving fix on this day of all things fast and motorized, look no further than this weeks Live Arcade offering: Mad Tracks. Mad Tracks is less a racer and more a mix of ...
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Nov 12, 2009

Madagascar Kartz

360 Review

360 - Madagascar Kartz - Madagascar Kartz

Hello, and welcome to the Automated Game Tie-In Development Program. Please obey the following instructions to the letter and your game will be produced within the hour. If you would like to make a 3D platform game with hundreds of collectible fruit, please press ‘1’ now. If you would like to make a kart-based racing title, please press ‘2’ now. ...

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Aug 13, 2009

Madballs in Babo: Invasion

360 Review

360 - Madballs in Babo: Invasion - Madballs in Babo: Invasion

Back in the mid-80s, someone thought it would be a great idea to create a series of toys that looked like a cross between baseballs and shrunken heads that looked like they’d been violently mauled by a rabid animal or a runaway semi-truck. Madballs were gross. Kids loved them. But a Madball-themed XBLA shooter released about 25 years after the fact just seems inherently wrong. ...

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Feb 15, 2006

Madden NFL 06

360 Review

Madden games have always been the market leader for digital translations of America's most popular sport and nothing seems set to change as we enter the next gen. Admittedly, there's not much competition. Or, in fact, any at the moment. So, as EA's leading franchise, what did we hope for? A game built from the bottom up specifically for Xbox 360? Yep. A Madden that looked absolutely gorgeous? Hell, yeah. A game that packed in all the modes we've come to love and expect over the years? ...
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Aug 23, 2006

Madden NFL 07

360 Review

Last year, Madden glitzed its way onto next-gen platforms with sparkling graphics - lifelike stadiums, impeccable players models, feckless animations and solid gameplay. But the extras that current-gen users took for granted were missing. This year, that's all changed - but not for the better. The gameplay is better than ever, but the Superstar mode isn't properly executed and the minigames don't have the same oomph. In fact, one of the game's greatest improvements spans all generations of ...
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Aug 17, 2007

Madden NFL 08

360 Review

Those of us who love pro football games are tired of having scorn heaped upon us, and we're not going to take it anymore. While the rest of the video gaming world makes fun of us for blindly buying Madden every year (and often nothing else), we're quite content to ignore them and restart our NFL fantasies each summer. Sure, the first couple of games for the next-generation consoles have been kinda middling, but the promise of a true event horizon has been building with each release. Happily, ...
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Aug 12, 2008

Madden NFL 09

360 Review

Like the career arcs of many promising first-round draft picks, Madden’s next-generation games have steadily improved from unwatchable embarrassment to veteran excellence. Perhaps, then, we were expecting too much - or (more likely) the short development cycle allotted to Madden 09’s crew didn’t allow enough time for all their ideas to get fully implemented. ...

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Oct 8, 2008

Madden NFL 09 En Espanol

360 Review

360 - Madden NFL 09 En Espanol - Madden NFL 09 En Espanol

Cómo ocurre a veces en las carreras de algunos novatos meritorios, los juegos nuevo-generacion de Madden han mejorado calladamente desde una basura inaguantable a una veterania excelente. Quizás esperabamos demasiado, o (mas probable) el corto ciclo de desarrollo asignado a la pandilla del Madden 09 no les dio tiempo suficiente para poner en orden todas sus ideas. No importa. ...

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Aug 18, 2009

Madden NFL 10

360 Review

The NFL has long prided itself on parity. Each new season has little, if anything, to do with the year that preceded it; players come and go with astonishing speed as 5-11 teams become Super Bowl competitors and champions fall apart. In many ways, the Madden games of the PS360 generation mirror this erratic arc. ...

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Aug 17, 2009

Magic The Gathering: Duels of the Planeswalkers

360 Review

360 - Magic The Gathering: Duels of the Planeswalkers - Magic: The Gathering - Duels of the Planeswalkers

Countless hours spent tapping mana, summoning minions, strategically incanting spells, and trading cards with friends during study hall all came flooding back this month. Having once abandoned such pursuits long ago, the release of Magic: The Gathering – Duels of the Planeswalkers has once again opened Pandora’s Box. The faithful will be pleased, for the most part.

Playing the role of dueling wizards, Magic: The Gathering ...

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