3 cert, EA, PS3 (also Xbox 360, Wii, PS2, PSP, mobile) ***

The Madden series has been around long enough to have established itself as a reliable crowd pleaser. Madden NFL 12is no exception. While last year's offering added some new features, NFL 12is less of a leap. The improvements are less compelling than before. The pre-game presentation is slicker, but that's a cosmetic tweak, like the improvements to the overall graphics and environments. More interesting is the change to the AI. As in other EA sports games, more effort has been put into realistic reactions and behaviour from the players. The collision system has also been given a bit of a spruce. In Franchise mode, you'll really notice a difference. Play as All-Pro if you dare – it's hard. Madden NFL 12isn't revolutionary but if you skipped the last version, it might be time to make the investment.