Another year, another Madden. Of course, a number of tweaks to the game have been made per usual, but this time with Madden NFL 27, EA is giving Switch 2 owners some new features when it comes to visuals. Namely, the ability to choose between two graphics settings - Visual Pro for better graphics and Performance Pro for gameplay that can “reach 60 fps.” Just how well does this work and is the Switch 2 version a viable option if you’re looking for some gridiron action? Let’s get into it.
Gameplay
Gameplay in Madden 27 remains largely unchanged year over year, but is still very solid. Offense feels good as does the defense, though the kick meter may take some getting used to. The run game felt very good and rewarding when you punch through a hole and make your way into the secondary. The AI might be a bit dopey sometimes, but overall, playing the game on both sides of the ball is fun.
One new addition to the game this year is the “Tush Push” which can be used by select teams. If selected, this will bring up a horizontal meter on the screen with a moving cursor. If you snap the ball when the cursor is near the center, green section, you will have a higher probability of converting the play. Of course, this is a very situational kind of play, so it’s not something you’ll be using a whole lot, but I’m really glad that it is included.
Modes
The Switch 2 version of Madden 27 features all of the modes found in the game on other platforms. Of course, you have Ultimate Team, Franchise, Superstar, Online Head to Head, Quick Play and Practice options. I’ve said this in many of my sports reviews, but I’m not really a huge fan of modes like Ultimate Team, but if you’re looking to build up a dream team of players for your team of choice via in-game collectible cards, this is an option.
Online Connectivity
Just as with past iterations of the game, several of the modes in Madden 27 require online connectivity. This is relegated to Ultimate Team, Superstar and online connected Franchises. If you’re looking to play the game offline, you can do this with Franchise, Quick Play and Training Camp. Basically, modes that offer gameplay with others online (obviously) or purchasable doodads prevent the game from being played offline.
Online Play
Online head to head matchups are also included in the Switch 2 version of Madden 27. Unlike the game on other platforms, the Switch 2 version does not allow for cross platform play, so you’ll be limited to playing against others on the same platform. I’m not usually one for competitive online play, but I took it for a spin here. One particular game I played was horrendous and plagued with abysmal input lag of five seconds or more at times. That made it almost impossible to play. Granted, I was playing in a very spotty room in my house with weak wifi, so I can understand that. When I tried out the game in another room with a strong signal, issues were minimal, though the timing for kicking is very touchy when playing online. Overall, yeah, things work here, but it’s going to really depend on connectivity of you and the person you’re playing against. If you’re solely looking to play online competitively, you will be disappointed.
Franchise
Just like in years past, Franchise is one of the deepest modes that Madden has to offer. You can control as much about your team of choice as you like, including roster moves, signings, your coaching staff and more. Also new for this year is the Coach Mode, which lets you call the plays as well as adjustments pre-snap, and then let the players do their thing. I’m more into controlling the action myself, but for those that are looking to live out their dreams as an NFL coach, you can do that. Additionally, if you don’t want to play full games, you could always opt to go to key moments, offense only or defense only. Online connected franchises are also an option here, but if you’re looking to play on your own, a completely offline option is also available.
Superstar
Superstar mode is back for Madden 27 allowing you to create a player and build your legacy in the NFL. You’ll start off by working your way to the NFL Combine, Draft and then try your best to earn a starting spot on a roster. You’ll also interact with the media, coaches, your agent and more throughout the experience. These interactions and your play on the field build up relationships with people in what is called your sphere of influence. You’ll need to work on these to get brand sponsorships, build trust with your coaches and more.
Just as with the mode last year, you can also play online against others if you like, though this is something that doesn’t really interest me. Outside of the online multiplayer, you can simply just enjoy this mode by yourself if you like. However, the addition of purchasable equipment has been thrown into the mix here as well. Personally, I don’t really care about tricking out my player in a crazy helmet or shoes, so I just ignore this aspect of the game. At the same time, things like, this in addition to the online play component, make it so this mode can only be played while connected online. For those of us looking for a single player experience, what’s on offer is really cool, but restricting it to online only will obviously prevent you from being able to play this mode on the go or when you simply don’t have access to the internet. It’s stupid and I don’t like it, but I understand it.
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To put things quite simply, the modes available in Madden 27 don’t differ too much from what was found in last year’s game. Sure, there are some slight tweaks here and there, but nothing that stands out as something you need to try out if you’re a Madden fan. Even with that said, what’s on offer is still solid and fun, so be sure to keep that in mind.
Visuals, Audio & Performance
I didn’t have high hopes going in, but EA surprised me with visuals and performance. As many of you know, Madden 26 on the Switch 2 last year started out a bit rough with framerate issues plaguing the game. Well, EA tackled these issues with Madden 27. The game looks great and can also perform at near 60 frames per second without sacrificing much visual detail. The Switch 2 version this year offers two graphic modes - Visual Pro for sharping looking graphics and Performance Pro that focuses on delivering the game at 60 frames per second. I spent the majority of my time playing in Performance and was pretty happy with the framerate and visuals. The Visual Pro mode offers slightly better visuals, but the framerate suffers for it. Honestly, at a quick glance, you’ll be hard pressed to notice a difference visually which is why I stuck with the performance mode. The only drawback I’ve found is that, generally speaking, the game has somewhat of a grainy look on Switch 2. If you can overlook this, you will have a good time with the game.
Handheld mode is admirable, but still doesn’t see the same stability with the performance that you’ll find while playing in docked mode. With that being said, the game still runs better than it did last year and runs (by my estimation) maybe somewhere between 40-50 frames per second during gameplay. Obviously, Visual Pro on handheld will kick that down some, but I’m still pretty pleased with how things turned out this year in terms of framerate in handheld and (more so) in docked mode.
Outside of this, the broadcast elements, including the three commentary teams, are great. I’m still not a huge fan of Kate Scott and Brock Huard, but the duos of Mike Tirico & Greg Olsen and Brandon Gaudin & Charles Davis are awesome. Halftime shows are also here, and while not perfect, EA did a pretty good job with these.
Dynamic weather is also included in the game this year, which is great in concept, but unfortunately when I tried this out, it seemed to be busted. The idea here is cool. Let’s say you start a game with Dynamic Snow. The conditions will change throughout the game, maybe starting out with flurries, and then continuing on with heavy, accumulating snow throughout the game. In my experience playing up until now, though, this resulted in cloudy games with no precipitation at all. Either it’s a bug, or the game is dynamically not allowing for precipitation, but it’s probably the former. Hopefully this is something that can be addressed in a patch.
Conclusion
Madden NFL 27 on the Nintendo Switch 2 is a good version of the game that offers sharp visuals, consistent performance, great gameplay and fun modes. If you’re coming to the title from Madden 26 on the Switch 2, outside of the enhanced, smoother framerate, there’s really not too much here to be excited about in terms of modes. Sure, the halftime shows, the (idea of) dynamic weather and the Coach Mode in Franchise are great ideas, but this may still be a hard sell for some. If you held off last year or just want your yearly fix of American football on Nintendo’s platform, Madden 27 on the Switch 2 is a competent version of the game that you should consider, perhaps on a sale if you’re not completely sold.
But let’s turn things over to you guys. Are you enjoying Madden on Switch 2? Do you plan on picking it up on a sale? Who’s your favorite cover star for the game? Being a Bears fan, I’m really happy to see Caleb Williams getting some love this year. Anyway, sound off with any and all comments down below. We’d love to hear from you.
Final Score: 8.0
by Danny Bivens
Originally posted on Friday, August 14, 2026, 12:39 a.m.
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