Strategy Guide - Guide for Madden NFL 2000

Madden 2000 game Faq. For PSX version only.
By Tim  [email protected]

Since no one has written a game faq. For Madden 2000 
I thought I would give it a shot.   If I leave something out that you 
need feel free to contact me, otherwise I will leave a link at the 
bottom of this faq. Where you should be able to get answers to just 
about anything your heart desires.

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Table of content
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1.Preface. 
2.Game Modes.
3.Controls.
4.Play calling and game strategy.
5.Running the ball.
6.Passing the ball and reading the defense.
7.Additional resources.
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_Preface_
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If you thought Madden 99 was a great game, your going to love 
Madden2000.   The game features a revamped Franchise mode, stronger A.I. 
(Artificial Intelligence), and receiver hot routes (the ability to 
change single or multiple receiver routes at the line of scrimmage) and 
much smoother and better graphics.   To beat the new A.I. you will have 
to mix up the pass and run effectively.    The Defense seems to be 
stronger in this version as well.   If you were throwing for 400 yards a 
game in 99, your in for big surprise in 2000.


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_Game Modes_
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Exhibition mode-Pick any team and play against any team.

Season mode- take any team through a regular season.

Practice mode-take your team to the practice field and practice your 
plays and skills.

Franchise mode- take control of a team as coach/owner/player.   Play as 
many seasons as you like provided you dont get fired first!  Make 
trades, sign free agents, scout players and draft them.    If you get 
tired of the team your with you can take another coaching job after 
someone else gets fired.

Situation mode-play from a list of situations to unlock classic teams 
and stadiums.   Or make your own situation.   Like 45 seconds left in 
the game and your down by 2. 

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_Controls_ 
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The controls are very similar to Madden 99 with a few exceptions.   

For menu's ...
D pad left, right, up or down to scroll through choices.
X to select choice.
Triangle to back up.
Square for help.

Game play.
Offensive controls
"X" 
to snap the ball, speed burst/protect ball when running, call up 
receiver icons before passing, switch to receiver after throwing a pass.
After calling up receiver icons, press the icon next to the receiver you 
wish to pass the ball to.   To throw a bullet pass, hold down the 
receiver icon, to lob a pass just tap it.   In other words, the longer 
you hold it down, the harder the pass.

"O" 
fake snap/hard count (can be used to pull defenders off sides), when 
running use it to spin and fake out defenders.

"Square" 
Before the snap, use it to bring up the audible screen, then select O, 
square, X, L1, R1, or L2 to chose between five editable audibles.  When 
running, use for Diving (great for goal line dives).
"Triangle" 
As Quarter back, use it to change any receivers route (hot routes) 
before the snap, or to cancel the audible screen, or throw a pass away 
when you cant find an open receiver (note: must be outside the tackles 
to avoid intentional grounding penalty).   When running, Use to hurdle 
fallen defenders, as receiver use it to jump up and catch a pass.   

When running the ball,
"L1" Juke left
"R1" Juke right.
"L2" Stiff arm.

"R2+receiver icon" 
pump fake when passing.  (Only allowed once pre play).


Defensive controls.
"X" scroll through players on field before the snap (or after for that 
matter).
"O" speed burst.
"Triangle" Jump up to block or intercept a pass.
"Square" Call up audible screen before the snap (then select O,X, 
square, Triangle, L1, L2, R1, for your pre-selected audible), after the 
snap use to make diving tackles (will sometimes knock the ball loose). 

"L1" 
before the snap, shifts linemen formations, after the snap makes lineman 
swim move left (used to slide around offensive lineman).
"R2" 
before the snap shifts defensive back up for bump & run coverage, after 
the snap makes lineman swim move to right (opposite of L1).

Kicking/Punting controls.
"X"
 hikes the ball and initiates the power bar, pressing X again will cause 
the ball to be kicked/punted normally at current strength of power bar.   
Use the D pad or analog controller to aim the ball left or right before 
the kick.
"Triangle" 
pressing this will cause a pooch kick (high).
"Square" 
will cause a squib kick on kickoffs. 
NOTE: for all kicks you must start the kick with X and then choose the 
type of kick you want trying to get the strength meter to desired 
strength.
 
"Start" pause game/return to game setup screen
"Select" call a time out after the whistle.
"D pad or analog controller" 
moves man you have current control of in the direction you push it.

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_Play calling and game strategy_
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Now for the meat of the game.   If you've never played Madden football 
before, I suggest you start out on ALL PRO mode as Madden mode is 
extremely difficult.     In order to succeed at Madden 2000, you've got 
to call the right plays.    If you cant pass the ball, your not running 
enough, if you cant run the ball, your not passing enough.     As 
Quarter Back/Coach, its your job to get the right play in for the right 
situation.  Before each play, you'll have 35 seconds to select a play 
provided the last play was either a completed pass or a run that stayed 
in bounds.   If not, you only get 25 seconds to get the play off.   At 
the beginning of the down, your play book will pop up on the screen 
(offense on the bottom, defense on the top).    Select the formation you 
want by moving the d-pad up or down.  Once you have the formation you 
like, (on some play books) you may be able to change it to a three 
receiver set, or a big (two tight ends) set or normal set by moving the 
d-pad left or right.   Pressing X will select the formation currently 
on-screen.   Now you will see the plays in this formation. You can 
reverse the direction of the play by pressing the R1 button.    The 
plays that show routes in Yellow will be pass plays, the plays that show 
the Running back with WHITE lines will be run plays.   
Mix up your plays!   If  your passing on every down, the AI is going to 
adjust and stop you.    If you run in passing situations and pass in 
running situations, you'll keep the AI guessing as to what you might do 
next.
 
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Running the ball.
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You have to run the ball in Madden 2000!   Unlike the earlier versions 
where you could just lob bombs all day, you wont be able to do this in 
M2K.    Running the ball keeps the other teams offense off the field and 
tires out their defense.  Run the ball early and as often as possible.  
Try to run the ball where the play shows it should go or you wont get 
far.    Take your time and wait for the holes to open up, save all the 
fancy moves for after you get into the secondary.   If the play shows 
you following the Full back, do just that.     Make sure you mix up your 
plays well too.   If your always calling a run play on first down, the 
AI (Artificial Intelligence), will start to crowd the line on first 
down.   This is a great time to line up in a big or I-Formation to make 
it look like a run, then hit the wide out racing down the sideline for 
an easy six.   If you cant run it up the middle, try a couple runs 
outside to soften it up some, or even a pass to the Full back or Hind 
back in the flats.      If your running game is non-existent, you may 
need to complete some passes to open things up, or vise-versa.

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Passing the ball.
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Again, to pass the ball well your going to need to run the ball a lot.     
In real football, chances are slim that your going to find a receiver 
wide open.   What this means is, you need to find the guy that has one 
on one coverage.    Make quick reads on the defense to see who is going 
to be in one-on-one coverage.   At the line of scrimmage, before the 
snap of the ball, check to see if there's any line-backers creeping up 
to the line of scrimmage.  If you see this, its almost always a blitz, 
which means you need to get rid of the ball quick.   I usually will 
throw the ball to the receiver where the blitzer is coming from.  If a 
defender is leaving that area of the field to blitz, that means there's 
going to be a hole there to get the ball to your receiver.    If you 
dont read that there will be a blitz, after you hike the ball and are 
dropping back in the pocket, watch the flow of defenders.   Who you 
watch depends on the routes your receivers are going to run.     For 
example.  The wide receiver on the right, is going to run a slant out 
towards the sideline.     The wide receiver on the left is going to run 
up 10 yards and cut across the middle, and the running back is going to 
drift out of the back field to the left flat.
Now,   I want to hit that receiver on the right going long.   I can see 
before the snap that the Corner Back covering him is playing up close, 
probably a bump and run coverage, which means if my receiver gets around 
him, he may get some separation.    So after the snap, Im going to watch 
the deep safety on the right.    If he starts floating towards the 
middle of the field I know that my number one receiver is going to in be 
one on one coverage so I'll just lob the ball over the Corner backs head 
for an easy gain and possibly a score.    Now, if the same safety on the 
right moves up or over to help out the Corner back, I immediately forget 
that receiver and look for my other Wide receiver.    If the middle 
line-backer is dropping back then I know the middle is covered as well 
and he is in double coverage also. So I start looking for the running 
back drifting out to the flats (a safety valve).     Its very important 
to make accurate reads as Quarter back, because if you throw a pass into 
double coverage, nine times out of ten, its going to get picked off.    

It takes a lot of practice to make good reads but in time you will get 
the hang of it.     Try to watch the flow of defenders in the back 
field, and throw to the receiver who's away from where they are going.    
If  your not sure, you can always throw the ball away by pressing the 
green triangle.  Its better to take a loss of downs then give the other 
team the ball, just make sure your outside of the tackles or it will be 
an intentional grounding penalty.

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Defensive play calling.
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4-3 plays offer good basic coverage against the run and pass.
3-4 plays have a variety of blitz packages.
Nickel plays are great for when the offense it using more than two wide 
receivers.
Dime plays for when you KNOW its going to be a pass, like near the end 
of the game when the other team HAS to score. 


You really have to become a student of the game in order to win.   
Madden 2000 is probably as close as you will ever get to playing real 
football (unless your a free agent or something ?

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Additonal resources
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The best site I have found on the internet for help is "Thinking Mans 
Guide" to Madden 2000.   They have a running guide, a passing guide, and 
a message forum that you will be sure to find answers you need to help 
you in the game.    Some of the info I have provided here was learned by 
friends I have on this site.
Heres the address,

http://www.insidetheweb.com/mbs.cgi/mb159139

Just copy and paste this line in your browser.

Good luck, and remember, ITS IN THE GAME!