Earlier this week, EA released Madden 07 for the Xbox, PS2, Xbox 360, and a bunch of other platforms.

I initially picked up the Xbox 360 version, only to end up replacing it with the plain ol' Xbox version.

What’s the difference? Well, they’re basically different games. The 360 version is very disappointing, while the Xbox version (while not as pretty) plays much better.

The flaws with the 360 game are numerous. First, the game has a terrible default camera angle, which is way too low and makes it unnecessarily difficult to see  the sidelines or downfield (and judge distances). Next, the control is highly inferior to the Xbox game. You have much more precise control over your players on the Xbox. MUCH more precise. Furthermore, passing control is shoddy on the 360, lacking the exact pass placement ability of the Xbox. Some minor bugs and glitches on the 360 version add a thin layer of crap to the foundation that just doesn’t hold up to scrutiny when compared to the other version of the game bearing the same name.

If you want to play Madden, get it for the Xbox or PS2. It’s not just the better version, but it’s a GREAT football game - the first one since NFL2K5. It lacks the more “realistic” graphics and the presentation isn’t as shiny, but it’s such a great game to play. Best Madden since the Super NES.