The demo is available as of yesterday.  It features the Colts vs Jets, and for the first time it is a demo with 5 minute quarters.  So, you can really get some quality time with it without feeling like you're just running a 2-minute drill.

I played 6 full games on All-Pro in the past 24 hours, and here are some thoughts.

- The run game is just as good, if not better than NCAA.  At least, it is with the Jets, a team that had a damn fine run game last season.

- Offensive player control is tight.  In previous versions, given the choice of turning a run up field for a 2-4 yard gain or turning my run outside, parallel to the line of scrimmage, I would turn up field 95% of the time.  This was because runners seemed to have 2 speeds, fast and turbo.  If you turned, and you were running fast, your turn radius just got wider.  Now, it if you turn, it slows you down, but it turns you where you want to go.  If you want to maintain top speed through a turn, you have make the turn radius wide on your own, as it should be.

- I don't know if this was in last year or not, but I hadn't noticed it.  Players seem to be aware of the ball if they are in a position to look it.  Here is an example.  In previous versions, as soon as the ball left the QBs hands, regardless of where they were, some defenders would break off a route and converge on the marker.  Even if this was hitch on the right side, I would see CBs break off a streaking WR on the left side of the field.

I was on the 25 yard line, and I ran a play with 3 WR, a TE, and the RB all having routes.  The WR on the left ran a streak. The RB, from the backfield, ran an out to the left.  The TE, from the right side, ran a corner. The 2nd WR ran a medium-in from the right, and the 3rd WR ran a quick-in from the far right.

The moment the tight-end made his break to the corner, and tossed the ball.  In the replay, I saw three players react and turn as I threw the ball.  The lone safety in deep-middle zone, the LB already covering the TE in man-2-man, and the CB covering the 3rd WR.

Now, the CB was out of position to make a play, but it just happened to be that he was looking at the QB when I threw the ball because of the route the 3rd WR was running.  He had to make a 120 turn to his right to converge on the ball, and this slowed him down a lot. 

Also, the safety was naturally looking at the QB, so he was expected to make a move.  But, since he was in a deep-middle zone, he wasn't fast enough to cover the outside corner route.  In previous years, I could take a central safety and cover all three deep zones AND be prepared to make a user-pick on any deep ball. 

The LB and CB on the left side of the field stayed with the the RB and WR for their entire routes for the rest of the play because they never looked back at the QB.

- The only time I would ever complete a deep post route is when the safeties were in man coverage and there was no deep zone coverage at all.  Yesterday, I twice completed a deep post route dead center in the middle of the field between safeties in Cover 2.

- The issues with Robo defenders in NCAA running the WR's route is non-existent here.  Also, I'm not having issues with DL and LB  jumping up like world class high jumpers and knocking everything down.

- The Tiger Woods-style kicking meter is gone, replaced by an old-school 3-press button combo you'll find in other golf games.  Press to start the meter, press to stop the meter for power, and press to stop the meter on the way down for accuracy.

- The Strategy Pad is getting ripped, but I'm not sure if this because it sucks or because people aren't used to it.  The d-pad on the 360 is horrible, so this likely has a lot to do with it.  As for making changes to the d-line, LBs, and coverage, I can get used to it.  Making player specific changes on defense is going to be a nightmare though. 

On the other side, calling out for route changes and o-line blocking changes should be fairly quick once I get used to the new layout.

- Play calling has been redone.  You don't scroll for your specific play left or right any more.  They've gone back to the vertical scroll from the days of the PS2.   An excellent decision.

- I spent 5 of the 6 games I played using their new Gameflow feature.  Basically, it chooses the ask-madden play every time.  However, you can give priority to specific plays given the situation (1st and 10, 2nd and long, inside the 5, etc).  I won all 5 games, so it isn't completely horrible.  At any time, you can choose to call a play of your own if you want, so you're not locked in.  You can also audible at the line.

- I don't know if this feature is only available if you use the Gameflow play calling, but if you have your mic plugged in the offensive coordinator will yap at you in your headset after the play is called.  After 6 games I started to hear some redundant stuff, but mainly it's just good advice.  For example, on a sweep to the outside he tells you to wait for your pulling blockers to get into position before blasting through the hole.  On pass plays he points out the route your main option is running and when you should throw it to him.  Overall, I think it's a good use of the headset, even if it will become repetitive after awhile.

Anyway, I'm enjoying the game.  I haven't decided how I'm going to get it, though.

My options:

-Buy it launch day (or earlier if I can find it) ($60)
-Rent it from Gamefly ($10 per month plus a one-time $10 fee to play online)
-Rent it from Gamefly and choose the buy now option once it arrives. ($45, but have to wait a week to play online until the case is shipped to me with the online code inside).

IMPORTANT UPDATE:

I pre-ordered the 360 version at Gamestop today, NOT the PS3 version.  I played a pair of game online on the PS3 with NCAA 11, and there were moments of hesitation.  Not a lot of lag, but there were times I noticed it.  Guess I'm just going to stick with the 360 this generation.  hmph.

well, you never turn your PS3 on, and when you do you complain about the headset.  so, i figured:

360 online (mic, friends list, stability, lag) > PS3 controller for sports

I'll tolerate the janky the d-pad on the 360 if it means you'll actually play more.