Last week, The Yard: Underground was announced for Madden 21 Mobile, which is the companion app to go along with the release of Madden 21 later this month for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC. While the new mode drew quick comparisons to NFL Street, it turns out that The Yard will be so much more, especially for the main console/PC version of the game.

TheGamer was invited to check out the inner workings of the new mode in a Madden 21: The Yard Online Press Event featuring JP Kellams, The Yard Producer; Clint Oldenburg, Gameplay Producer; and Frank DiPinto, Brand Creative Director, who provided a detailed look into everything that players can expect from the new mode that might make them long for the good ol’ days of playing backyard football as a kid.

Playground Rules

The Yard isn’t your typical game of Madden. Instead of the typical 11-on-11 player gameplay with standard NFL rules, The Yard features 6-on-6 ironman football where each player plays on both sides of the ball (offense/defense), utilizing a smaller field and a faster pace of play. What this means is that the football is (or at least, it should be) moving constantly through the use of double passes and laterals, as well as a multi-snap mechanic that allows players to snap the ball to any player on the offensive side of the ball.

Because there isn’t really an offensive line, defensive players will be beholden to the “Pass Rush Timer,” which is essentially the time between when the ball is snapped and when a defender is allowed to rush the quarterback (some may remember this as the “Mississippi Rule”).

Finally, another major difference from a typical NFL game is that there are more opportunities to score additional points based on what happens during the game. For instance, bonus points are awarded for double passes, long touchdowns, and interceptions. Additionally, players will be able to choose from extra point conversions that will award one, two, or three points per attempt, as there is no kicking in The Yard.

Peyton Manning-Level Details

This may all sound well and good, but how does the idea of backyard football actually translate to a video game without becoming over-the-top like NFL Street or NFL Blitz?

For starters, besides the player’s custom character (which I’ll touch on a bit later), only select NFL stars are available in The Yard. That said, players don’t necessarily need to line up in the position that they might in a normal NFL game. For instance, players could line up Lamar Jackson as a running back, and it’s probably safe to say that he’ll likely excel in that position. Or, if you prefer trucking over elusiveness, maybe you’ll want to put Ray Lewis in that position to bowl down defenders on his way to the endzone. The choice is truly up to you, depending on your own style of play.

Each game will have players selecting their avatar’s position and prototype. Prototypes can be adjusted and leveled up (to a level cap of 15) as players progress through The Yard in an RPG-like progression system where points can be awarded to specific skills and unlocking abilities. (Rep for these points - along with Cred - can be earned through The Yard’s Challenges and Prototype Progression, both of which will increase players’ Madden Rank, which unlocks new gear and rewards.)

Players will then assemble their team of NFL superstars through an auto-assigned system or player draft. While you will be able to control your team in single-player mode, don’t expect to be able to play as every player on your team while playing multiplayer.

The Yard is avatar-focused, which means instead of being able to control all six players on your team at any given moment, you’ll really only be able to control the crew that is assigned to your avatar. For instance, if you have another friend playing on your team, you’ll both have control of your own avatar as well as two of the other players (denoted by colored dot indicators). In 3v3 matches, players can control their character and one other player.

There is no ability to have six human players taking on another team of six human players, and this was an intentional decision. It was the goal to have every player involved on every play, which would be a difficult thing to pull off if six different players are jockeying for the ball at the same time.

Dress For (On-Field) Success

Historically, Madden games have featured the ability for players to create their own custom teams. However, The Yard will take player customizations to the next level with custom avatars and gear. In fact, creating your own avatar will be one of the first things that players will do upon first starting up Madden 21. Avatar customizations seem very in-depth, finally appearing to be on the same customization level as the NBA 2K series.

From there, players will get to enter the Gear Library where they will be able to select from a plethora of uniform and gear designs. The designs are pretty slick and far from anything that would be seen in a typical NFL game (and I’m pretty sure players would be fined for wearing any of the gear that can be worn in The Yard). Gear collections can be mixed and matched for a unique look, with new vanity items being released throughout the year. All of the gear can be purchased using Cred, which is the in-game currency that can be used both in the regular game as well as on Madden 21 Mobile.

Old-School Ball, New-School Feel

As complex as it may sound, The Yard is an absolute blast, based on an early access demo provided to TheGamer. The fast-paced, chaotic nature stands out immediately, but after spending some time and learning the ins-and-outs of what kind of crazy plays are available, things start to click. That said, for many Madden gameplay traditionalists, The Yard might be a pretty steep hurdle to overcome, especially for those who subscribe to the tried-and-true mechanics of sound football fundamentals. Conversely, don’t expect to throw caution to the wind, as The Yard still requires quite a bit of strategy to be successful.

However, for those willing to give it a chance, The Yard could be just the thing that the Madden franchise needs for maintaining its longevity after so many years of improved, yet ultimately stale content. With the mode being more or less integrated with other game modes anyways, it will at least be worth checking out when Madden 21 releases on August 25th.

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