PlayStation 3 | Madden NFL Arcade kicks off in December

Downloadable PS3 and Xbox 360 game offers penalty-free 5-on-5 action with all 32 teams for $15.

In an August Electronic Arts earnings call, EA Sports president Peter Moore revealed that the company was working on a downloadable pick-up-and-play version of its Madden NFL series, something along the lines of this year's 3-on-3 NHL Arcade. Today the publisher provided additional details on the project, saying it would arrive in December on the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 online stores, priced at $15 (1,200 Microsoft points).

The Raiders are so tired of missing tackles they prefer to spend most of their time on the field break dancing.

Developed by EA Tiburon, Madden NFL Arcade will include some enhancements over its rink-bound predecessor. Where NHL Arcade included 40 of the league's best hockey players, it included zero actual licensed teams, forcing players to form makeshift three-man squads with generic red-and-blue jerseys. Madden NFL Arcade will feature all 32 teams in the league along with their stadiums and just enough stars from either side of the ball to allow for 5-on-5 gameplay.

Other nods to the game's arcade emphasis include "Game Changer" power-ups, a lack of penalties and field goals, and a shortened 60-yard field that players must traverse in a single set of four downs. And with no clock, the first team to score a preset number of points wins the game. Madden NFL Arcade will also support four-player local cooperative play, as well as online head-to-head games.

For more on EA's first foray into downloadable arcade-style sports games, check out GameSpot's review of 3-on-3 NHL Arcade.

Madden NFL 10 Review

Source: http://www.gamespot.com/ps3/sports/maddennflarcade/news.html?sid=6233017