Madden NFL 2006 Xbox 360

The most successful sports series on all of gaming helps kick off another new console with this launch title. While following the updated gameplay design of the preceding console and PC versions of Madden 06, this Xbox 360 edition of the game was designed to make use of the more powerful platform with more realistic player models, new graphical effects, and three times the number of animations. Aside from the presentational improvements, the game is designed to offer the solid gameplay that has already made Madden a fan favorite for over a decade.

The game's "Vision Cone" feature simulates the QB's field of view with a highlighted cone that fans out in the direction of the current intended receiver, to encourage the player on offense to commit earlier in the play, and to telegraph his passes much more realistically than in earlier versions of Madden. The new "Precision Passing" system allows quarterbacks some direct control over the accuracy of their passes. By bumping the left analog stick or Dpad in the desired direction as the ball is passed, QBs can aim high, low, in front, or behind their receivers

A new playcalling interface is introduced in this Xbox 360 version of Madden 06, and the game uses pictureinpicture displays for televisionstyle staging. The game's franchise mode has been refined as well, for efficiency and depth. As usual, this edition of Madden includes all the teams, stadiums, and players of the reallife NFL (thanks to an exclusive license that takes effect for the first time this year). Multiplayer modes are supported for Internetconnected 360 gamers, though the Xbox Live subscription service. ~ T.J. Deci, All Game Guide