Madden 13 Top 13 Gameplay Changes
Hey Guys, this info is from a post by Designer Larry Richart posted on the EA Sports Blog last week. We have taken the news and digested it, here are the top 13 changes that really stuck out in our mind.
13. Post Snap Controls –
Once you snap the ball in both EA Sports Football titles this season, you will feel comfortable. Both games now have the same post snap controls from pitching the ball to using the same WR icons. Now, you will no longer pump fake when trying to throw the ball away under pressure. This is a great update for us hardcore guys who play both games religiously!
12. Special Teams –
By adding a third man to the wedge, gamers will now have the opportunity for extra yards in the punt return game. Punt gunners will now stick to better lanes when running downfield and attempting to take down the returner. This will make the field position battle more important than ever and give a boost to elite talents at the returner position.
11. New QB Dropbacks
Madden NFL 13 will also contain new QB dropbacks depending on the type of play you run. If you are throwing a one step flanker screen, your QB will now pivot and look to get the ball out into space. Certain plays will have built in pump fakes if the route calls for it. This is a great way to help gamers with the timing of their routes and adds more strategy to the game. After you drop back, you will also have easier control of moving in the pocket. You can shuffle easier, rather than sprinting around. The RS has been updated with some new QB Avoidance moves too that will give your QB a chance to escape sacks in the pocket.
10. Play Action Mechanic
My favorite play in Madden NFL series is PA TE Leak from 06. This is the year it could make its glorious return. With a sped up PA and the ability to break out of the handoff if you sense trouble, this will add a new option to offenses. Your HB will pick up the biggest threat to your QB and while you don’t gain the fake out, you will avoid taking sacks!
This was New Bears DE Shea McClellin’s favorite part of the game at the NCAA 13 Draft Premiere party. Make sure to try it out.
9. New Offensive Formation
One of our favorite new formations in the game, is the Gun Heavy Panther. This was added to reflect Cam Newton’s tremendous success in the red zone last season. Madden always has the hot new plays from last season, so we are also eager to see what the Patriots and their record breaking TE’s will be adding this year.
8. Total Control Passing –
Total Control Passing will allow gamers to throw their WR’s open into space. This means that if the coverage is playing inside, you can lead a throw to the outside and run underneath. Think of Mario Manningham in SB 46, he got an outside release against Cover 2 with the safety inside. Manning threw the ball to the sideline away from the safety and allowed Manningham to be the only player with a chance at the ball. Often times, that would have been a streak in Madden 12 that allowed the safety a chance to recover.
7. Icon Passing –
Icon Passing in Madden NFL 13 means that the days of snap and throw the ball to a TE right off the line are over. Receivers will now have to look for the ball and this will be based off what route they are running and when they would do so in real life. Screens and flats will look quicker than deep outs and post patterns over the middle of the field. This will be a subtle addition visually, but should really help out some players.
6. Read and React Defensive AI System –
Proving that EA Sports listens to the community, gone are the physic DB’s. Now a defender must look for the ball before being able to go for the swat. This should add a new element to the defensive side of the ball. Another cool thing is that you will actually see the defender turn their head and physically look for the ball.
5. 25 New Pass Trajectories –
This will tweak how ball speed and trajectory is played out when you press the icon. Before a deep pass and a flat pass lob were very similar, but know you have more control and can hit a quick dump off to the RB that gets him moving up field. Once again, on the Manningham throw in SB46, look at how that ball dropped into the sideline. It came from a very unique angle and now gamers will have more control of dropping the ball in behind defenders.
4. 14 New Defensive Sets (ex. Nascar, Wide 9)
There will be plenty of new sets and defensive packages that get players into the right spaces on the field. Now Clay Matthews and Demarcus Ware will play differently depending on their teams schemes and packages. One great example is the Giants “Nascar” package that gets 4 DE’s on the field in long yardage passing situations. This won’t work early against the run, but now you can get to it in the right situation and unleash the rush!
3. 430 New Catch Animations
The control in Madden NFL 13 has been slowed down when clicking onto WR’s to make user catches and it feels great. You can trigger so many new animations that it seems like you get something you have never seen before every time. If you were a player who let the CPU make catches, this is a great game to try and learn the new system. You will have more control and be able to unlock some sweet grabs!
2. No Slant Outs
The removal of the slant out for a new whip/zig route is one of the quietest additions to the game. No longer will lazy players be able to just add a quick hot route in, but now they will have to use real tactics to get guys free. Along with the new route is all new routes for HB’s out of the backfield. You can now place your HB on a “block and release” blue route which can add extra protection to any formation. This will give you new options when looking to get the ball out quick from under center formations. This is something you want to practice and check out on day 1!
1. Defensive Alignment - No Man Vs Zone Reads
Learning how to read the coverage in Madden NFL Series was always one of the best ways to get better quickly. If you had a good idea of what the defense was doing before the snap, you were more likely to win your games. Now, the defense is back on an even playing field. With the new alignments and zone switching, gone is the easy motion the WR to get a read on the defense. Now, you will have to use ALL of your clues before the snap and then continue to stay alert after the ball is snapped. This will allow defenses to play more mind games with the QB and give them even more control before the snap. Game ON!
What will be the biggest factor for you? I think the quick passes and slant outs are gonna be huge along with not being able to easily read coverages pre snap.
