Power Plays
Sixteen years: that's how long Electronic Arts' Madden franchise has been squatting atop the best-seller charts. Competitors come and go every year but it alone remains constant, looming above lesser offerings like a 300-pound linebacker. The exclusive NFL license now guarantees many more seasons with everyone's favorite color man.
Of course, the series hasn't sold more than 40 million copies by sitting idly on its butt pads, either. As proof, see Madden NFL 06, which not only introduces a host of new additions and upgrades but, for the first time in 10 years, also makes major revisions to the passing game. Here are some of the fresh surprises gridiron gladiators will find waiting:
View to a thrill.
Quarterback Vision Control
Completely reinventing the title's offensive action, this enhancement revolves around a cone of vision indicating the area of the field your quarterback's watching. While it is possible to throw to receivers outside the indicator's boundaries, passes made to these players suffer severe accuracy penalties. On the flip side, chuck the ball at a teammate within its confines, and your chances of successfully completing the play increase exponentially.
Hold the right trigger before the snap and choose an appropriate button to select the receiver to focus on from the start. Alternately, hold the trigger and press A to look straight ahead. Once the action's underway, shift the view by manipulating the right thumbstick or lock onto a specific receiver. But be swift about it: You only have the same limited amount of time to make decisions after the ball is snapped.
Peek-a-boo! Pressure's on.
Precision Placement
I know … if not for a superhuman increase in hand-eye coordination, all you have to show for your years of gaming are atrophied muscles and a lack of female companionship. Apart from pit fights, here's where those skills come in handy, as you have the option of lobbing expertly aimed tosses at any receiver within your quarterback's field of vision.
Press the D-pad or left thumbstick in the appropriate direction as you let loose to aim accordingly. Place the pass above a player's head, behind him, in front of his position, or at his knees. Of course, targeting the groin area can only end in disaster.
X? Solid. Y? Good choice. B? Not so much.
It's amazing what a little targeting can do.
NFL Superstar Mode
Want to know how the other half—and by that, I mean the physically fit, grossly overpaid, and prone to releasing vanity rap albums—lives? Just ask C.C. "Crazy Legs" Johnson, the loudmouthed egomaniac of a wide receiver I created.
His father was a plant operator with a flair for juggling and an IQ of 107; his mother, a dimwitted fry cook who absolutely adored bowling. But their offspring—who could've easily come from sharper stock or favored a different position if I'd hit the Y button—well … you'd think he was a different breed entirely. Rather than adopt my Heisman homeboy from NCAA® Football 06, C.C.'s appearance (including height, proportions, and even thigh fat) was totally customized using the built-in character design utilities.
Color me bad. No … seriously.
After copping a swank apartment, I hired a superstar agent, signed every endorsement deal possible (cha-ching!), and cast my protégé as a movie star in the making. On the other hand, you can always take a more Elway-esque route by mingling with the media, angling for MVP status, and vying for a Hall of Fame nomination. From draft day to retirement, your alter-ego's future is literally in your hands.
I'll stick with the flat-top, please.
The Trick Stick
Nope—it isn't an accessory you'd find the Bishop Don "Magic" Juan carrying, but that's a good guess. Try a control scheme that's the defensive equivalent of the Hit Stick feature introduced in Madden NFL™ 2005 instead. Use it to rip off situation-specific maneuvers—stiff-arms, jukes, spins—that leave the competition reeling. Couple this with additional touches like new smart routes, line- and formation-specific audibles, and the ability to manually double-team opponents, and you can crush anyone's dreams of Super Bowl stardom.
From Man Lock commands (defenders intelligently follow offensive players in motion, filling in holes to hide zone coverage) to Playmaker commands (you dynamically second-guess rivals) be aware … it's a brand new ballgame. Improved online matchmaking features, a revamped broadcast presentation, more fightin' words from radio host Tony Bruno … I've barely scratched the surface.
So put on a helmet and snag yourself a copy of Madden NFL 06 today and see why it has even the most jaded pigskin purist doing a touchdown dance.
Article by Steve Richter
