We're still a few months away from the actual release of Madden 10, but that doesn't mean the hype can't start now. Peter Moore has gotten things started this morning by posting the first screenshot of the next installment of EA's gazillion selling franchise, challenging viewers to spot the improvements. Like the Adult Photo Hunt all-star I am, I took the challenge.

At first glance, there may not appear to be much different about this year's game. Of course, with my trained eye, I was able to spot five things that Madden 10 does better than Madden 09.

1. As you can see, I've circled the ref on the right hand side of the pic. Refs weren't on the field at all in last year's game, and they only showed up for cutscenes when penalties needed to be called. Whether or not the full umpire team will be on the field is another matter entirely,  but as it stands right now, you can expect at least one ref to be on the turf.

2. I've circled Max Starks, the offensive lineman on the left hand side of the picture to show just how improved the character models will be. There is a clear difference in build between Starks and everyone else in the pic. While last year's game had improved player models over previous versions, Madden 10 looks to be taking it one step further. It really appears as if Starks has girth, and isn't just a skinny character model blown up proportionately.

3. Big Ben has the most circles as there are a few slight improvements most apparent with his character. The first is the even more highly reflective helmets. Improved lighting has been something EA has taken steps forward with each and every incarnation of Madden, and it appears they've really outdone themselves with this upcoming version.

4. You'll also notice I've circled the football. For years, the football has been slightly disproportinate to player hands, but now it seems like EA got it right. I'm curious to see more shots of the ball in action to get a better idea of how they've improved ball physics.

5. This is really nitpicky, but they've added player towels to the character models. It's a small detail, but everything is in the details, or so I've heard.

As you can see, there's actually plenty new in this pic. I'm excited to see what other improvements the developers are making, especially since Peter Moore claims that this year will be about "fighting for every yard." Just be sure to stay tuned for more on Madden 10 as it develops.

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