This year’s Madden looks better than ever, with a number of pivotal changes to presentation and gameplay that will consume an untold number of hours. One of the more noteworthy revamps is with the Ultimate Team, a mode where piece together your dream team by collecting cards through wins and other activities.
There are plenty of player cards to chase after, as well as sets to collect and trades to make with other users, should you have one Peyton Manning too many. However, there’s more to Ultimate Team than you might expect, so let’s review what changes went into this year’s edition.
First off, Best Line-Up is somewhat different. Before, you were limited to players on active duty, as you couldn’t set up those who were on the reserve roster. This time around, however, the sky’s the limit, as you can now view your entire list of players, including active and reserves, to set up your essential list.
Of course, competing head-to-head is always a fun part of Ultimate Team, as you can see how your set of players compares against others. You can set your roster active at any time and watch them storm the field, but that’s not all.
Head-to-Head seasons lets you compete across 10 games, with an eight team play-off for those who are left standing by the end. As you work your way through these games, you’ll earn additional XP and the chance to unlock extra Madden cards, which you can add to your deck or trade amongst others. The rewards get even better as you proceed through the playoffs, and you might make it to the eighth round with your Ultimate squad. That is, if you can survive the onslaught of Madden pros waiting to eat you alive.
It’s vital that your team works together in a cohesive way. You’ll want to fill every position and achieve impressive team Chemistry. This feature enables you to choose between four offensive and defensive styles, setting up players in certain spots to make sure they can execute properly. If something doesn’t work, you’ll need to shuffle your cards until you get them up and running again. Experimentation can go a long way – especially in Head-to-Head.
Want a good running game? Set up a line of good offensive backs, but make sure you have the defensive line to set them up. If passing is what you prefer, make sure you have a good QB at the helm, like Peyton Manning or Tom Brady. It’s not rocket science, it’s football.
While it’s nice to have a collection of cards in Ultimate Team, the main goal is to put together Sets. While it appears that a card leaves your active collection once you put it into a Set, don’t worry – it’s preserved and ready to serve its position on the team.
Before you work on preparing Sets, make sure you check out the stats of each player to assure you have the best one for the job. A Compare feature allows you to balance out players and see who’s right for you. That doesn’t necessarily mean you should go with the top choice, though. Sometimes, an underdog favorite can easily work his way up the ranks into a superstar – particularly if you promote him well enough.
Once you’re ready to prepare your set, follow the on-screen instructions, but make sure you keep a steady eye on Progress. You’ll want to see how well your team is doing, as well as any rewards you unlock along the way. It’s easy to keep track of this with Madden 15’s interface, although that should never stop you from tinkering with your current Set, or maybe even creating a new one.
Get all the Madden NFL 15 plays, tips, and tactics from the Madden Pros with theOfficial Madden NFL 15 Strategy Guide + All 32 Teams Video Bundle (Includes 6 MUT Pro Packs!). 
- Includes 6 FREE Ultimate Team Pro Packs (1 per week for 5 weeks. User receives 2 packs at time of redemption).
- Tutorial videos for all 32 teams– Watch the best plays on offense and defense for your favorite team.
- Mobile friendly – Digital strategy content optimized for a second screen experience.
- Dominate in Madden Ultimate Team – Discover the best players by position and how to build a winning team.
- Best plays for YOUR favorite team – Take advantage of popular play call diagrams, scouting reports, NFL schedules, Connected Franchise Mode data, key players, depth charts, and more!
If you prefer the print version, we’ve got that for you too!
Published: Aug 25, 2014 05:41 pm