Xbox 360

Madden NFL 06

This game, without a shadow of a doubt, is the most impressive sports game at launch for the 360. Take the time to take in the graphics and sounds and the experience will be worthwhile. Think about how you can’t make a replica of yourself and get drafted by the San Francisco 49ers and allow them to relive their glory, and you may want to experience the titles on the older systems with the NFL Superstar mode. This is only the beginning of what will surely be an unbelievable franchise for the next-gen systems, and what a beginning it is. Madden 06 will surely look to impress 360 buyers this holiday season, and after five minutes, Madden 06's impression will be undeniable.

Welcome to a special edition of NLG Sports! Tonight our lead story is Madden '06 finally making it to the first next generation console; the Xbox 360. Before we get started, I'm willing to bet that EA will never get someone to pose for the cover of Madden again! This "Madden Curse" thing may have more legs than anyone wants to admit. Last year Ray Lewis was on the cover and the Ravens stopped short of the playoffs and in all honesty are in total meltdown right now sitting at 2-7 and on the verge of firing our head coach.

Aus all den EA Sports-Spielen, die es auf die Xbox 360 geschafft haben, bleibt Madden NFL 06 noch am ehesten seiner bekannten Qaulität treu – und wurde doch wie alle Kollegen aus dem Sportstall abgespeckt. Der Franchise-Modus bietet nicht den Umfang der bisher erschienenen Fassungen und das Mini-Camp fehlt genauso wie der Karriere-Modus. Dafür können sich Football-Fans aber auf eine gewohnt gute Steuerung freuen, die alle Features enthält, die man auch in den anderen Madden 06-Versionen gesehen hat. Und sie haben die Gewissheit, dass das Tiburon-Studio im Vergleich zu den anderen Sportspielen auf der 360 wirklich NextGen-Optik ohne Qualitätseinbußen bietet. Egal ob Animationen, Texturen oder Bildrate: alles vom Feinsten. Doch letztlich ist es trotz aller immer noch vorhandener spielerischer Qualität nur der Augenschmaus, der den Kauf für Besitzer einer Version für Systeme der „gegenwärtigen Generation“ rechtfertigt.

At the risk of flogging a dead horse I just have to say I’m a huge fan of fair competition, so I was understandably upset when EA snatched up the NFL license for the next five years. After seeing what has become of their exclusive NASCAR license I had little hope for the future of NFL, at least until 2K Sports could rejoin the fight, but this past week spent with Madden NFL 06 on the Xbox 360 might just be the positive sign I needed to regain my faith.

I must say that I'm impressed but slightly disappointed with this Xbox 360 version of Madden 06. After some time, I really like the new playcalling, the on-field controls, and especially the beautiful graphics. However, I'm let down by the lack of gameplay modes. There could have been so much more to do with this game. Hopefully next season EA Sports can throw in some of the gameplay modes that made Madden so different while improving on a few of the annoyances.

So, as EA's leading franchise, what did we hope for? A game built from the bottom up specifically for Xbox 360? Yep. A Madden that looked absolutely gorgeous? Hell, yeah. A game that packed in all the modes we've come to love and expect over the years? Definitely. And what have we got? Well, on the first two things, EA has nailed it. On the third, well... if we're generous, we'll say that the short development time and the requirements of embarking on a new title rather than simply porting the old one across means there's been inevitable changes. The exhaustive options, which have been a staple of the series for so long, have all but disappeared.

Which Madden do you want? A half-arcade football game full of big hits, impossible passes, and some truly outrageous defense? Or the strategic version, featuring team management and planning? If it's the arcade version, then the 360 debut will fully satisfy. But anyone hoping to enjoy some next-generation football strategy will have to wait until next year because on the 360, Madden 06 doesn't have it.

It's somewhat strange to be playing a Madden NFL game and not be hearing its namesake's inanities every play -- it's also a welcome relief. His new role, providing "Ask Madden" playcalling advice is a much better fit. It lets him do his thing: break down the game, drawing on his experience as a coach -- exactly what he's been doing on TV for years. It reflects the game's shift in spirit. Madden 06 on the 360 isn't so much about having it "in the game" as it is about simply being the game.

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.

The camera pans over an immense football stadium, teeming with rabid fans. We're looking at Super Bowl XL, the Eagles versus the Pats, and McNabb is pushing for a touchdown. The Eagles are 4th and 26, with no timeouts left.

When it comes to launching a new console, there are few ways to guarantee that consumers will flock to get it on the day of its release. Although stuffing it with $100 bills would probably do the trick, there's a more fiscally responsible option: launch with a new Madden NFL title. Devotees to EA's powerhouse franchise (and football gamers in general) are notorious graphics whores, always willing to spend a pretty penny to see some pretty pigskin. Although they probably already bought the current-gen iteration of Madden NFL 06 was released earlier this year, Microsoft and EA are undoubtedly counting on superfans to run out and buy the Xbox 360 game, too (as well as the system itself). However, to paraphrase the popular adage, if EA builds it, will fans come?

When I heard I was getting another version of Madden football this year I was thinking to myself great, I have already reviewed it twice this year for two different platforms. What can this game offer to me that I haven’t already played to death yet? Well, once I opened up the game and put it in my Xbox 360 I pretty much had to eat my words as I was really taken back. Unlike some of the other games released for the Xbox 360 this game is just …. well, let me explain it more below so you will know exactly what I mean.

It may sound like I'm being hard on a series that is still finding its way on new hardware, but at a minimum I wanted this game to give me a reason to stop playing the current-gen version of Madden - but it hasn't. At the same time, I have no doubt that the work that has been put into the player models, stadiums, and getting this game on its feet is going to pay off in spades later on down the road.

Owner and Superstar modes are nowhere to be found, pre-snap defense playmaking is greatly simplified, and you can no longer challenge plays or hone your skills in mini-camps. This list goes on and on. Huge thrills can still be garnered through the gameplay basics, but that's all this version really has to offer.

It appears that reports of the birth of next-generation football on consoles have been greatly exaggerated. Yes, Madden NFL 06 has made its debut on the Xbox 360--but not in a form that could really be called next gen. Certainly this is a graphically impressive game that's far better than anything you've seen on the current roster of consoles. Player models, stadiums, tackles, catches, and throws have never looked this good before. But beyond the impressive technology backing EA's newest football game lies a number of holdover issues that stand out all the more blatantly when placed in direct contrast to the game's newest graphical components. Plus, there's really very little about Madden 06's gameplay that you haven't seen before. And for that matter, there's a lot you have seen before that's simply just missing from this edition. So, while the graphics of Madden have eked their way into the next-generation, the rest of the game still has a ways to go.

On the surface, Madden has made a good leap forward from the PS2 and XBox versions of the same game, but scratch the shiny surface and it's a huge disappointment. For now, Madden 06 feels like a taster of what is to come. Expect the full package next year.

Overall, Madden NFL 2006 for the Xbox 360 is really a mixed bag. The general lack of standard features, piss-poor achievements, and graphical hitching ultimately hurt the quality of the title. But playing a quick game of offline football at the all-pro level or jumping out on Xbox Live to compete with a friend can be pretty entertaining. I can't recommend purchasing this title due to reasons mentioned earlier to anyone but diehard Madden junkies. However, I do urge renting the title before purchasing it to anyone interested in professional football on the Xbox 360.

It's a tough start for the series on the first next gen console. The changes to the gameplay may be enough to turn off longtime fans, and casual players will find the lack of presentation to be a sharp downturn. Not surprisingly, it's going to be at least a year before the series can gain its footing. Unless the graphics update is that important, just wait for 07.

Vraiment décevante, cette version Xbox 360 donne clairement l'impression que Madden loupe la marche de la nouvelle génération et perd dans sa chute beaucoup de ce qui faisait le charme de la série. Reste un joli jeu de football US, sans véritable personnalité, ni intérêt. Cette fois-ci, le casque des joueurs sonne bien creux.

At the end of the day, Madden NFL 06 is the best looking football game on the market. It's definitely not the most full-featured football game available. But is it worth a purchase? If you love your football, yes. Otherwise, wait until next year when I'm sure the franchise will hit its full stride on the 360.

As much as we love those menus, though, it bothers us that Madden 06 for the PSP, I mean Xbox 360, is missing so much content. Football games devolving? I hear in Madden NFL 08 we'll be playing Exhibition games with apes, the ball will be the Statue of Liberty's head, and it'll cost $100! Isn't progress great? If we were you, we'd wait until next year to dig into this once and hopefully future king, because Madden 06 for the Xbox 360 has all the trappings of a brand new Madden curse.

Overall Madden NFL 06 is a great game to get if you want to show off the graphics capabilities of the Xbox 360. The gameplay does have a whole lot of potential. The onfield action is enjoyable but it’s tough to recommend when the game is not realistic in the least and so many options are removed from other console versions of the game. Throw in a $60 price tag, and the only winning move here is to wait until next year.

Of course, all this criticism only really counts if you're quite fanatical about American Football, in the same way that, say, Americans might happen to be. If that accurately describes you, then as a Xbox 360 owner, you're a bit starved for choice. Still, you'd be better served waiting a little longer for the inevitable Madden '07. At the casual level you're more likely to be wowed by the visuals and less likely to notice the omissions and gaffes; still, it's hard to overlook the fact that the older Madden games for the Xbox/PS2 actually offer more than this supposedly "next generation" title.

Of course, all this criticism only really counts if you're quite fanatical about American Football, in the same way that, say, Americans might happen to be. If that accurately describes you, then as a Xbox 360 owner, you're a bit starved for choice. Still, you'd be better served waiting a little longer for the inevitable Madden '07. At the casual level you're more likely to be wowed by the visuals and less likely to notice the omissions and gaffes; still, it's hard to overlook the fact that the older Madden games for the Xbox/PS2 actually offer more than this supposedly "next generation" title.