Madden NFL 06

"They Look Like Little Twigs With Helmets"

"Boom!", "Touchdown!", "The Kick Is Good!", cheers and phrases that will never die. Madden NFL has become the longest-lasting sports-oriented video game franchise in all history. It's games provide football fans with a buffer system to stave off the edgy anticipation of the approaching football season, but more importantly than that, it has sparked intense competition between friends around the television set. However, the hand-held versions of this sports game giant have been average at best, and this edition for the Nintendo DS is no exception.

Gameplay:(7 out of 10)
The overall composition of the game hasn't changed much. You pick a team from the professional league and go all-out in a regular season in an attempt to take the championship. What makes this particular version of Madden NFL different from the other hand-held renditions is that it is the first time that the Madden gaming franchise incorporates a "Franchise Mode" on a hand-held console, allowing you to customize your own team and form an NFL dynasty of your own. Also, you can choose between using the stylus all the way, or follow the traditional D-pad route. Something that makes the game a little bit more interesting is the various Madden cards that you can collect, which are basically little power-ups that can increase the overall ability of the team, or an individual player. You are also able to go into training camp, which allows you to practice various plays, customize your own, or try to beat the computer's best scores. Other classic features, such as the "Great Games Mode" make a big return, allowing you to to rewrite NFL history by playing the most well-known near-misses in football history.

Sound Quality:(6.75 out of 10)
John Madden makes his inevitable return as the suggestion-shooting "assistant coach", and Al Michaels makes his first appearance on the Madden games as the play-by-play commentator. Crowd noises have been improved to sound almost entirely organic. Fan taunts and the typical command shouts from the quarterback still sound entirely mechanical, another flaw to the overall game composition. For DS quality sound, it isn't all that bad, but the sound isn't good enough to merit higher praises, a curse which seems to follow through all the hand-held versions of this game.

Graphics:(6 out of 10)
The players look unrealistic as ever, and half the time, you can't even see the ball. On occasion, you'll notice two of the biggest glitches of the game, the player's body will sometimes become invisible, making it difficult to pass the ball to any available receiver, another allows defenders who are a few (5-10) yards away from you to still make tackles. Now, mind you, these glitches only appear on occasion, but when they do happen, it can be very frustrating.

Multiplayer:(N/A)
This category will not be reviewed, as the reviewer has yet to use the multi-play feature.

Replay Value:(7.25 out of 10)
The one reason I think that the Madden franchise has lasted as long as it has, aside from the competitive play of course, is the irresistible pull that it has on those who play it. You never can get enough of John Madden football. Personally, I can't leave this game to rot in my collection. I always find my self picking it up again to play another season with my customized team. No matter how many complaints I may make about the overall structure of it, I can never put it down. After you beat your first season, the only thing left to do is to try and unlock all of the Madden Cards, which isn't as easy as you would think, but it is possible to collect all of them, and once you learn how to use them properly, there's no stopping you. It's real easy to start playing the game, and it's even easier to continue playing it for months after you've bought it.

Overall:(7 out of 10)
Typically the Madden NFL games, when mixed with hand-held consoles have had a bad track record, and this next installment does little to nothing to pull it out of that trend. The competitive element remains the only real reason to purchase it. Unless you're a fan of the game, and you enjoy playing it despite it's obvious setbacks then, by all means, do whatever you can to obtain it. I myself find it very easy to get back into the game, again, because of the competition involved in it. I wouldn't go so far as to call this the worst game for the DS this year, but it wouldn't be in the "top ten best" category.

Reviewer's Score: 7/10, Originally Posted: 08/04/06