Madden NFL 06

 Xbox 360
Metascore
74

Mixed or average reviews - based on 48 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 27 out of 48
  2. Mixed: 19 out of 48
  3. Negative: 2 out of 48
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  1. IGN
    80
    For the casual Madden players, the football fans playing Madden in barbershops across the country, the guys that just want to play the game and talk trash to one another, Madden NFL 06 for the Xbox 360 is a must-have game.
  2. Next Level Gaming
    82
    There are some things missing from the game. No pre-season camps, a very basic Franchise mode, and the fact that you can't do small and meaningful things like challenge a play on the field! That I still don't get.
  3. 1UP
    80
    There are tweaks and features to look forward to in future versions, but one simple fact tells you all you need to know about this one: once you play Madden on 360, you won't be interested in playing it on anything else.
  5. TeamXbox
    80
    The foundation for what will someday be unbelievable character models and environments, and the building blocks of spot-on football gameplay. If you are expecting more than that then you may want to hold onto that paper until "07."
  6. Kombo
    87
    While the gameplay is out-of-this-world outstanding, there isn’t too much else to the game other than the basic exhibition and franchise modes.
  7. DailyGame
    89
    The graphics are great, the new gameplay mechanics are nice, and the playcalling interface is a fantastic change.
  8. GameSpy
    80
    If you're the type of player who just wants to play the nicest looking football game in history, buying Madden NFL 06 is a no-brainer.
  9. Electronic Gaming Monthly
    78
    The mesmerizing visual details--grass stains on uniforms, a mega variety of tackle animations, awesome stadium re-creations--more than live up to the hype, but the actual gameplay is why I'm planning to upgrade my hardware.
  10. Gaming Horizon
    79
    If you can only pick up one or two of the 360’s launch games, you might want to hold off on dropping $60 on a bare-bones edition of a game you already played.
  11. GamingTrend
    81
    If you already have Madden NFL 06 for the Xbox, PS2, or Gamecube, you are best off waiting for next year's version of Madden for the Xbox 360. If you have the Xbox 360 and want to show off the graphics capabilities of the Xbox 360, then Madden is a fine choice to use.
  12. GameZone
    79
    A real blast to play and some of the most fun I have had playing a Madden game in a while. The bad thing is that in order to ship this game out on time a lot of features that are normally in this game, and in other versions, have been cut.
  13. Game Chronicles
    81
    I'm glad to see that EA isn't taking their NFL exclusivity as a free ride to crank out mediocre sequels without fear of competition, and I really can't wait to see what they can do with the Madden franchise in 2007.
  14. Yahoo!
    80
    Madden is fun, no question. It looks wonderful, and the visual improvements make it a more entertaining game both for players and spectators.
  15. GamePro
    80
    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.
  16. Gaming Target
    85
    HDTV owners will be blown away with every body blow delivered. Everyone that doesn’t expect a handful of new features over previous football seasons should be more than satisfied with the game’s unparalleled presentation.
  17. XGP Gaming
    83
    If Madden NFL 06 is the blueprint of what’s to come from this series, then we as gamers are definitely in for a treat next year and even further down the line.
  18. PGNx Media
    89
    The game does lack a number of modes and gameplay tweaks that were incorporated over the years. If you can live without these modes, you’ll have a good game to showoff your new hardware with.
  19. Xbox Solution
    78
    It looks amazing and shows promise. It can only get better and if they add a few things.
  20. Game Informer
    78
    I wanted this game to give me a reason to stop playing the current-gen version of Madden - but it hasn't. [Jan 2006, p.142]
    All this publication's reviews
  21. Gamers' Temple
    80
    Next-gen football with great graphics that seem to have come at the expense of gameplay options found in current-gen versions of the game.
  22. IncGamers
    89
    A lot of fun to play. It did not blow me away because I was really disappointed with the lack of extras that I have come to expect from the series.
  23. Play.tm
    79
    Remapping of the control system has improved the flow of the game.
  24. Boomtown
    80
    All in all I'd say that EA can do better.
    All this publication's reviews
  25. GamesRadar+
    80
    The gameplay, as ever, is absolutely bang on and they've gone the extra mile in making this far more approachable for American Football rookies. You can select Madden's plays, which are demystified by the legend himself.
  26. MS Xbox World
    80
    I say this time and time again, if you don’t own a previous version of Madden than this game will have everything you want to play football.
  27. Worth Playing
    75
    Those of you who have grown accustomed to the bonus features and covet the additional accoutrements that EA has been delivering for years will be sorely discouraged by the stripped-down feeling you will get from playing through this title's limited modes.
  28. Planet Xbox 360
    76
    It definitely quenches any football thirst you might have, however it might fall short if you really want a good next-gen football game.

Awards & Rankings

22
#22 Best Xbox 360 Game of 2005
11
#11 Most Discussed Xbox 360 Game of 2005
13
#13 Most Shared Xbox 360 Game of 2005

User Reviews

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User Score
4.9

Generally unfavorable reviews- based on 55 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 16 out of 55
  2. Mixed: 11 out of 55
  3. Negative: 28 out of 55
  1. DisneyLover1
    Apr 27, 2021
    3
    The 6th Gen Version is fantastic but this next gen of Madden 06 is filled with full of false advertising & filled with Bugs & Glitches (atThe 6th Gen Version is fantastic but this next gen of Madden 06 is filled with full of false advertising & filled with Bugs & Glitches (at least it's not as buggy as Madden 19-21). The next-gen version starts to get rid of amazing features like owner mode.

    The 6th Gen version is fantastic but this version is disappointing.    … Full Review »
  2. BigBoy11
    Jul 18, 2020
    0
    It is a good thing that this is still the worse madden of all time, but Madden 19 was pretty close. This is strictly the 360 version it was awful
  3. Serotam
    Jan 18, 2017
    2
    The Madden Franchise is arguably the most critiqued sports video game franchise in the industry of sports video gaming considering it's longThe Madden Franchise is arguably the most critiqued sports video game franchise in the industry of sports video gaming considering it's long reputation as the benchmark in comparison to nearly all it's competitors, but sadly, this game is clearly the most obvious fail that has ever hit the market from EA sports or even all of football for console gaming. The true, honest reviews for this game were just as ugly as the graphics were impressive. Quite frankly, EA sports clearly put so much focus into the visual appeal and sound to the game that it lacked even the most basic fundamentals of virtual football that Madden fans have trusted over the many years and been so accustomed to.

    The game-play of this game is clearly what was most rushed and served as the biggest upset of the game or maybe even the franchise as a whole even without comparison to it's much more positive predecessors . Experienced madden gamers shouldn't have any trouble picking up with this years game with the exception of the all new vision cone that allows players to utilize precision passing within their quarterback's unique field of vision. Most, if not all the controls are just the same as last generation's madden games with the exception of a few minor tweaks to not only the aforementioned passing refinement, but also a change in the speed burst as well. On the offensive side of things, the game isn't quite as bad as it's defensive counterpart, considering that it's solely a matter of responsiveness of the controls that enable your player to evade defenders and gain extra yards to make the big play or simply run past the markers for the first down. This serves as quite the setback for any loyal madden fan who has praised the game for what is most important to any video game really, how the game FEELS. Unfortunately, the passing game wasn't so in tact with the flow of things either. Other gamers have pointed out that even the most untrained, inexperienced gamers who hardly know didly squat about reading defenses can throw bombs all game long to even the most mediocre receivers and make big plays to score touchdowns or at least march down the field in less than a hand full of plays.

    What's even worse about the game is rather the DEFENSIVE side of the ball. The gameplay of this version of Madden 06 is so incomplete, gamers could hardly ever make user tackles! (That's awful.) Defenders would laughably flail around with their arms stretched only to wind up flat on their chest and watch the running back or receiver march ALL THE WAY down the field and score the easy touchdown. This in turn is a shameful attempt at emulating the flow of play-by-play football, and this setback is that much more disappointing given Madden's high reputation. These two setbacks serve as the most unrealistic game-play experience of the sport of football yet, and, sadly enough, this game was one of a few launch titles for the new Microsoft Xbox 360 console trying to set a good impression for this brand new generation of madden gaming.

    The most positive changes made to the Xbox 360's version of Madden 06 were geared to the visual aspect of the game, making the player models and the menus of the game seem somewhat more lifelike and easily accessible, respectively. Players now look more real and as close to their real life counterpart than ever before in some regards, and, given that EA sports has finally put some of the real quarterback cadences into the game at the line of scrimmage as well as real life chatter of other players in between plays, it finally sounds like you're actually there on the field with the players. This gives the game a much more different appeal, something the rivaling brand of 2k sports had brought to the table back in 2003 by introducing first person football. Madden may not have this feature exactly, but hearing real life voices of some NFL players in the game is a nice touch to the auditory side of things, but given how horrendously disappointing the game-play feels to even the less familiar gamers out there, this kind of enjoyment doesn't really last all that long.

    Players now have new menus to scroll while selecting plays. Plays are now organized not only by formation, but also play type. Shotgun pass, inside hand-off and fullback run are some examples as to how specific this is for the gamer which is helpful when playing against the computer at least. These minor improvements still don't make up for how incredibly lame the gameplay feels though, and that is arguably the most important part of any sports game period.

    In summary, Madden 06 for Xbox 360 was a small step forward regarding graphics, sound and the play-calling system but tremendously fails with the game-play aspect. EA sports' slogan is, “it's in the game”, but the game itself is not nearly proper enough to truly deserve your $60. EA sports definitely rushed this one and hoped it's loyal fans would trust everything was in tact when, truth be told, it wasn't.    … Full Review »
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