Madden NFL 06 (Xbox 360)

Madden NFL 06 (Xbox 360)
Don't rush games for next-gen systems' launch if you can't include some important features!
Genre(s): Sports Platform(s): Xbox 360 Release: Xbox 360 NA: November 16, 2005 EU: December 2, 2005 Developer(s): EA Tiburon Exient Entertainment Publisher(s): EA Sports Country: United States United Kingdom Series: Madden NFL

Madden NFL 06 is a football video game developed and published by EA Sports released in 2005.

It is one of the launch titles for Xbox 360. On all other platforms, the game is consider as being about as high quality as Madden NFL 2005, however, the Xbox 360 release is very poorly received. This page will only cover the Xbox 360 version of the game.

Why It's Not All-Madden

1. The engine was rebuilt from the ground up, and the development of this version was almost completely entirely focused on graphics. This causes a great number of problems with the game which are explained below.
2. It was heavily rushed for release in time for the launch of the Xbox 360, another factor resulting in many of the game's problems. It should have been released in 2006.
3. A lock at 30 frames per second.
4. There are only three modes to play. Play Now, an obviously now defunct online play, and an incredibly bland franchise mode. See point 9 below.
5. Despite how much of a visual upgrade was made over the previous generation, there is still a lot of issues with stiff and jerky animations.
6. Slow, clunky, and watered down on the field gameplay (you can't even challenge plays)!
7. False advertising: A great number of features EA promised at E3 2005 are absent.
8. A great number of features present in the PlayStation 2, Xbox, Nintendo GameCube, and Microsoft Windows versions of the game are missing.
9. Franchise mode is extremely paper-thin, on par with the Madden NFL games on the original PlayStation, with no owner mode, player editing, mini-camp, or even an ability to scout rookies prior to the draft.
10. No Create-a-player, practice, or Superstar modes or even mini-games. It doesn't help that the Xbox 360 is more powerful than PS2, Xbox, GCN, or PC.
11. No AI Michaels or John Madden for commentary. It doesn't make sense since the other versions have it.
12. The engine introduced in this version of the game would obviously go on to be used in the future installments on this generation, which have felt similarly terrible to play. This means this port essentially doomed the Madden NFL franchise forever.

The Only Redeeming Quality

1. It has several songs not found in other consoles' versions.

Reception

This version has a Metacritic score of 74, the lowest of all the versions of the game on Metacritic, with reviewers heavily critiquing the removal of gameplay features.

External links

'We're Totally F--ked': Inside The Making of 'Madden NFL 06' (archived)

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