The All Play tag is right on target. EA did a good job on making Madden 09 fun for everyone. Now every gamer can enjoy a game of football on the Wii. Madden 09 has a simpler control and user friendly interface that casual gamers would like. Hardcore gamers would be thrilled to know that Madden 09 is fully customizable just like the previous versions.

All Play is an improved version of last year’s Family Play. There’s still the only Wii Remote All Play mode that feels like an interactive manager mode. All you have to worry about is passing and kicking. The rest of the game is computer controlled.

If you want more control of the game, plug in the Nunchuk to control your players. This might sound complicated but surprisingly it’s not. Open receivers and running backs are automatically selected once you’ve chosen the target area of your pass.

What I like about the game is its 5-on-5 mode. This is Madden 09’s arcade mode where the players have big-heads, literally. Now this game mode is fun and is best played with another player. This mode doesn’t have online play though.

There’s also the party mode that contains mini-games for up to four players. Games include passing and running drills. For beginners, there’s the Learn Madden mode for tutorials about the game and a Practice mode to try what you’ve learn.

Hardcore gamers could immerse themselves in the Franchise mode, where they control the on- and off-season activities of their team. Then there’s the Superstar mode where you control the fate of a NFL player with regards with his career.

The Wii version is still a notch below the PS3 and Xbox 360 version. There’s still no picture in picture or replay options. Madden and Al Michaels do the running commentary. I like the EA trax in this version with songs from Disturbed, Gym Class heroes, The Offspring, and a song by Busta Rhymes featuring Linkin Park and Young Dre.

Madden 09 All Play for the Nintendo might lack some complexity of its Xbox 360 and PS3 siblings but still it is something that is worth playing. This will be a long football season for me.