Madden NFL 06

Madden NFL 06 for Xbox 360 has formidable looks and it plays pretty tough, too.

Part of the fun in playing Madden NFL 06 on Xbox 360 is trying to figure out where it fits in the lineage of Madden NFL football games. What's clear is that for all its glitz and glamour it doesn't earn a spot at the front of the line.

Looks like A Winner
Make no mistake, this is clearly the best-looking Madden football game ever. Player models, stadium detail, and crowd scenes are great examples of the 360's impressive graphics technology, and even the coaches actually look like their real selves.

What makes the gameplay hum, however, is the animation. Overall, it's better than ever, and there are a ton of new animations at every position on the field. Oh, you can still find bunches of linemen banging into each other like bumper cars or running backs who seem to rotate on a spindle when they pivot, but these are fewer and a little more far between than before. Overall, Madden 06 shows fine visual intricacies in its action, and displays graphics that will please fans of the sport and make the game look good for casual players.

Missing in Action
On the field, the game's controls spin on a dime, but like all the EA Sports titles for the 360 launch window, they have a little less to manage. That's because entire aspects of the gameplay that you normally find in versions of Madden for PS2 or Xbox have been given this 360 season off. On the defensive side of the ball, for instance, there are no Playmaker calls and you can't set up individual defensive players. And you can't swing the camera to all of the wideouts at the line of scrimmage. Of course, you can shift coverages or call blitzes, and if you haven't played Madden before, you'd probably never notice the loss of nuance.

The offense fares a little better. The Vision and Precision passing cone is "off" as the default, which is a concession to players who didn't' like having one more thing to think about after the snap. Probably the most notable addition is a new playcalling screen. Plays are organized by formation or type (runs or passes) so you don't have to scroll through a playbook. Or you can ask Madden or the coach for advice. The Coach option is cool because you hear the coach call out the play using full-blown football jargon (but without the cursing) like you would if you had a helmet headset on.

NFL 06 shows great promise for next generation Madden football games to come--it just might be your starter this year. If you're a hardcore Madden fan, then you're already playing the best versions out there-PS2 and Xbox. Madden 360, then, is basically a nice addition to your collection. If the Xbox 360 represents your first foray into pro football...it's time to kick off.

KEY MOMENT: The first time you look into Ray Lewis's cage and see him glaring back at you

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