Madden NFL Makes a Touchdown on Facebook

If you have ever wanted to assemble a fantasy football team to compete against your Facebook friends, the time has come. Earlier this fall, EA launched Madden NFL Superstars for the hugely popular social networking platform.

Madden NFL Superstars joins the ranks of other Facebook hits including Farmville and Mafia Wars, where users friends can get involved in the action. Like these other games, gameplay is free, however, for a fee the game does include perks such as the inclusion of particular football players and more. Known in the industry as micro-transactions, these small payments by gameplayers have made games in the genre into mega-hits.

Having Madden visible to the Facebook audience also provides an overall benefit to the franchise. Users of the social network who haven't yet played one of the highly successful Madden games for consoles or PCs now have exposure to perhaps a taste that will have them wanting more.

What is the game all about? Although actual play is much different than the traditional Madden titles, enjoyment and some heated competition is certain to be had. Gamers are required to assemble teams by recruiting available players, and once a team is put together games are played to increase a team's standings. The real excitement starts when gamers use their team challenge Facebook friends.

Currently there are over 1,500 NFL players for gamers to choose from when creating a team, and exclusive players and other game content are available by spending (real) money in the game. Players become available when users acquire packs of digital cards which are purchased with virtual or real money, with virtual money being gained by playing and winning games. The great thing about Madden NFL Superstars is that even though there is exclusive content available, and in-game fees can help move things along, a complete gaming experience can be had for free.

The actual football games themselves are for the most part automatic and based only on simulation (there is no live action). Gamers can ultimately influence the outcome of a game by applying "Game Changers" to a game, such as a Hail Mary Pass. Additionally, playing an actual game isn't the only important aspect of the overall gameplay. Training plays a big part; it takes time, betters the team, and adds an additional layer of enjoyment and challenge.

Madden NFL is the second game in the EA Sports line to arrive at Facebook. FIFA Superstars is playable in similar fashion, and currently has a reported user base of over 4 million players.Sources/Resources:

Madden NFL Superstars on Facebook
Just So You Know: 'Madden NFL Superstars' Launches as a Free App on Facebook