In a little over a week, we'll pass, tackle and run hundreds of plays with Madden NFL 09. To get fans hyped up, EA Sports provided PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 owners a small taste of the game with a downloadable demo. We recently spent some time with it, trying two of this year's newest features – Madden Test and Madden Moments.

When you begin the demo, a virtual John Madden pops up to greet you. He briefly explains how the new Madden Test system works. It's a virtual simulation that gauges your skills in multiple areas, thereby adjusting the difficulty based on your expertise. These four areas are Passing Offense, Rushing Offense, Passing Defense and Rushing Defense. They all tie together into the My Skill system.

Rushing Offense is a simple exercise of hitting analog stick motions and buttons with precise timing. If you perform the moves correctly, your runner successively makes his way into the end zone. Fail, and he'll eat virtual turf. Rushing Defense has a clearly marked button icon over your player's head. Again, it's a matter of timing. You need to hit the action button perfectly or risk letting the offensive man slip through your fingers.

Passing Offense sets you up with receivers on a pass play. You need to wait for your receiver to get open before launching the ball, while also keeping an eye out for the defense. Conversely, passing Defense puts you in control of a defensive end, standing between the quarterback and the receiver on a route. You need to position yourself in order to bat down the pass or, if you're savvy, score a crucial interception.

This virtual program looks like something out of the movie Tron. Players are highlighted in neon orange and blue colors, as sideline and end zone markers light up on a black playfield. It's simple, stylish and gets the job done.

Favre's still got a few Moments left in him. Click to see more images from the game...

Upon completion of these drills, your skill levels are rounded up and then applied into the game. This is where the second portion of the demo, Madden Moments, kicks in. You're automatically thrust into a historic football moment, in this case the New York Giants' last-second victory against the New England Patriots at this year's Super Bowl XLII. You take control of quarterback Eli Manning and his fellow Giants with a 90 seconds on the clock. Where you guide this moment is up to you. Do you go for a quick running play to get past the fourth-and-one scenario, or go for a split-second pass down the middle? The choice is yours. Just remember that with Madden moments, history is easily rewritten. If you screw up and fail to reach the end zone, the Patriots are 19-0.

Although the demo only features the University of Phoenix stadium, it's a true representation of the real thing. The turf is impressive, with individual attention paid to every blade. The player animation is fluid and life-like, right down to the jukes and dives. Even the crowd gets into the game, jumping around when you score and with booing when you screw up.

As for gameplay, EA Tiburon maintains the tradition of Madden excellence. Both offensive and defensive plays are easy to select and execute, whether you're going for a 60-yard "hail Mary" in the end zone or sneaking a runner up the middle. (If you're unsure which way to go, you're able to "ask Madden" for advice.) There are slightly odd moments with specific plays, such as how defensive players mysteriously "home in" on an offensive lineman so quickly. Overall, though, it's a smooth playing experience. The fact that the Madden Test adjusts it to your level makes it better, at least from what we played.

Madden NFL 09 ships next Tuesday, August 12th. As expected, GameDaily will return with full play-by-play, letting you know if it scores a touchdown or a fumble.

Related Links

Madden NFL 09 Xbox 360 Game Guide

Madden NFL 09 PlayStation 3 Game Guide

EA Sports