You can do touch passes as a receiver, throw the ball behind your back and complete unlimited forward passes behind the line of scrimmage. It’s not “pay to win,” per se, but sinking extra cash into the game will allow you to unlock and buy swag for your avatar.Īs for the gameplay itself, it feels familiar to a regular game in Madden 21 but with a slight arcade touch. Customization is always a nice feature in sports games, but it’s unfortunate that The Yard is bogged down by microtransactions. You can wear a cropped jersey with a hoodie underneath, rock no-show socks and combine a Rams helmet with a 49ers jersey *gasp*. You’ll play as him in this game mode, earning points to buy gear – everything from jerseys and socks to visors, mouthguards and arm sleeves. Immediately upon starting Madden 21, you’re tasked with creating your own player, which will be used in The Yard and can be developed and customized.

It’s 6-on-6 backyard football with your own created player and NFL stars.

No game will match the arcade-style beauty of the old NFL Street games from EA Big, but The Yard is definitely a welcome addition to Madden 21.