Okay, so, I’ve been messing around with Madden 23 lately, and I wanted to share my experience figuring out the whole “Competitive” versus “Simulation” mode thing. It’s a bit of a head-scratcher at first, but once you get it, it makes a big difference in how you play the game.
First off, I started by jumping right into the game, you know, just picking up the controller and going. Didn’t really think about the settings too much. I played a few games and noticed some weird stuff happening. Like, my players weren’t always doing what I expected, and the games felt a little… off. That’s when I decided to dig into the settings.
I found this option called “Game Style” and saw three choices: Arcade, Competitive, and Simulation. Arcade is obviously just for fun, crazy stuff, not really my thing. So, it was down to Competitive and Simulation.
I flipped it to “Simulation” first. The description said something about “authentic NFL rules and gameplay” and “true to player and team ratings.” Sounds good, right? I played a few games in this mode, and it definitely felt different. It seemed like the players’ actual stats mattered more. Like, a star receiver would consistently make tough catches, and a lousy quarterback would throw some real ducks.
- Simulation Mode:
- Feels more realistic.
- Player ratings really matter.
- Follows NFL rules closely.
Then, I switched over to “Competitive.” The description here talked about “user stick skills” being important. Basically, it means how good YOU are with the controller. In this mode, I noticed that I could pull off some crazy moves, spins, jukes, you name it. It felt more like I was directly controlling the players, rather than just suggesting what they should do. But, I noticed that weaker players were basically useless in this mode.
- Competitive Mode:
- More about your skills with the controller.
- Crazy moves are easier to pull off.
- Player ratings seem less important.
So, after playing a bunch of games in both modes, here’s my take: Simulation is for you if you want a more realistic football experience, where the players’ abilities really shine through. It’s more strategic, more about making the right play calls and relying on your team’s strengths.
Competitive is more about your own skills with the controller. If you’re good at making quick moves and reacting fast, you’ll probably do well in this mode. But, it can also feel a bit cheesy at times, because some moves are just too powerful. The other thing is that the overall rating of players becomes less important and the game is more determined by how good you are at using the controller.
The Verdict
Personally, I prefer Simulation mode. It just feels more like real football to me. But I can see why some people would like Competitive mode, especially if they’re really good at the game. It’s all about what kind of experience you’re looking for. Just remember to pick the one that suits your play style before you start a franchise, or you will be stuck with it. So, I switched back to Simulation in the franchise mode settings just to be safe, and that seemed to fix everything.
Anyways I hope that helps some of you folks out there. It took me a while to figure this stuff out, so maybe this will save you some time. Let me know in the comments which mode you prefer and why! Happy gaming!
