How to Play Madden 08 on the PlayStation3

Pick your play. Whether you pick a play by type, formation or asking John Madden himself, your play selection is the most important element of Madden 08 apart from your manual dexterity. Mix up your plays. Call some run plays, then some pass plays and throw in some play action passes. On defense, call plays and be aggressive with blitzes when necessary.

Pass the ball. Pick a pass play from your offensive plays. Hike the ball with the "X" button and use the left analog stick to drop back. Watch for pressure coming at your quarterback and wait for the coverage to open up so you have a free receiver. Throw to your open receiver by pressing the button designated above his head. Tapping the button will give you a standard pass while pressing the button and holding it will give you a bullet pass.

Run the ball. Once the quarterback hands off the ball to the runner, you take over the controls. The left analog stick moves your player, and you can use the "R2" button to sprint. Spin by pressing the circle button and dive forward by pressing the square button.

Learn some defensive skills. Defense is the key to being a truly successful Madden player. Before the play begins, choose which player you want to control. Use the circle button before the snap to pick a lineman, linebacker or defensive back and wait for the snap. Once the ball is snapped, use the left analog stick to move, the triangle button to attempt an interception, the square button to make a diving tackle and the "L2" button to strafe. You can also use the right analog stick to tackle via the hit stick.

Choose your game mode. In franchise mode, you can control your team on the field and control things like personnel and finance decisions. You can create your own player and work to the Hall of Fame in superstar mode. You can also play quick games, mini-games and more. You can even play online against other people.