Video game outlets across America are ready for the annual barrage of video-gaming football fans and football video-gaming fans, as the newest installment of Electronic Arts’ Madden NFL franchise becomes available in stores midnight tonight. The new game features updated rosters and…well, the colors on the screen sure look nice.

Some of you might be stuck with the so-called “current gen” consoles, like my PS2. That version of the new game is $39.99. And it looks depressingly uncurrent. And to be honest, I’m enjoying the extra 10-plus hours I’ve had in my week since I sold my copy of Madden 07 back about 5 months ago. I still have a PC version of Madden 2003, and short of not having Owner Mode, it holds up very well, both in terms of gameplay and visual brilliance.

I’ve read that there were a handful of bloggers that received advanced copies of the game and to those good people I say Rock On. But I’m not sure what I would do with it if I had it, since it’s still the same game that I’ve been playing since high school. I won’t be making the trip to the store tonight. It’s just too hard to get worked up for the release date of something that’s never really been un-released.

…maybe I’ll get it next week. vid.