Last year, Madden trudged to the PSP and offered a decent, though technically flawed, experience. Though a clunky interface and a few bugs made their mark felt, load times proved to be the game’s biggest adversary. This year, EA has gone back and reworked the game, making it a leaner, more technically sound game.

Madden NFL 07 is as visually impressive as any PSP game to date. Stadiums look fantastic and player models show off a little more variety. A few players look the same, but it doesn’t look like one or two stock models were used for every player. Some players, namely your backs, have their own sets of animations which are showcased while using the Highlight Stick. I noticed a slight bit of slowdown which, when combined with the laggy input, caused a few minor frustrations.

Music is a mix of rap, rock and punk and features several licensed artists. The selections are okay, but if for some reason you don’t like certain songs, you can block them using a filter. Commentary is present but can become repetitive.

The focus in Madden NFL 07 this year is the running game and the introduction of the Highlight Stick and lead blockers. Using the Highlight Stick allows your runners to pull of a variety of moves to try and get away from blockers. Depending on who you’re using, you’ll see different results. A finesse back will have quicker, more elegant moves while a bruiser will have slower, more powerful ones. This offers some variety to gameplay.

Lead blocking is this year’s big innovation to the series. These controls let you take over one of your blockers for a few seconds after the snap in order to try and make a little extra breathing room for your backs.

Since all of the focus has gone to the running game, passing has seen very few changes. Last year’s passing cone has been removed (due, again, to the lack of a second analog stick), though its absence isn’t all that missed. Generally, the passing game feels as good as last year’s version, though there is a noticeable sync problem with the camera. During passing games, the camera has a hard time keeping up with your quarterback and receiver, producing something of a blind spot that can lead to a few bad passes or surprise sacks.

With the exception of Superstar mode, Madden NFL 07 includes all of the standard play modes you’d expect out of the series. To make up for the missing mode, EA has instead included new mini-games, including the PSP exclusive End 2 End. This new game requires you to turn your PSP on the side and run the field while avoiding defenders by pressing the D-pad at the correct time. The further you get in the mode, the larger the number of defenders you’ll have to face.

Both ad-hoc and Infrastructure multiplayer modes have been included and face the same pros and cons of the single-player experience.

Madden NFL 07 is only as difficult as you make it. Every adjustment slider, from A.I. to penalties, is present in the Options menu and can be adjusted to fit what you’re looking for in a game. On the normal settings, the game is pretty tough, but rarely becomes cheap. You’ll always run into a questionable play or see a player pull off a feat that defies physics, but those are issues most players have already come to accept.

Talking about the Highlight Stick is easier than using it, or at least that’s the case on the PSP. Once again, the fault lies on the system’s design – namely the lack of a second analog stick. In order to use the Highlight Stick, you must first hold down the Triangle button and then push the analog stick in the direction you want. There’s also a slight delay between inputting the move and it actually happening on screen, so the moves don’t feel as smooth as you might want. Both the control setup and delay feel awkward at first, thought the system becomes a little easier after some play time.

Overall, Madden NFL 07 is a solid handheld game of football. It still has a number of issues to contend with, but compared to last year’s game, it is a real improvement.