To run down every feature in the game would take forever. And it would require significant research, as I don't know everything you can do with this game, nor do I care do.

Everything I do — play a bunch of exhibitions against the CPU and visiting friends, run a couple of full seasons with the Giants, and tool around a bit in the mini-camps — I did last year. And the year before that.

To me and many others, the game is a $50 roster update. And, of course, a new sked to sim your favorite team's 2006 season.

Does that mean there's nothing new in the game? No. But this year's main addition, the pretentiously titled "Run to Daylight" lead-blocking feature, is as inspiring to me as last year's passing cone, which was so badly received that the 07 version comes with it defaulted to "off."

Other new features are highlighted here, but I'd file 'em all under "clutter," just more stuff we don't need. Examples:

• An opportunity to guide a player's career all the way to the Hall of Fame. I don't even want to know how many months of playing time that requires.

• A new Highlight Stick to "evade defenders with new jukes, cutbacks, and power moves." As if stiff arms, "old" jukes and spin moves weren't enough.

• The ability to scout college all-star games for your franchise's upcoming drafts. God bless anyone whose life is so empty.

These things don't actually detract from the game, of course. Like the Madden Cards I never use, they're just there taking up disk space. No harm, no foul.

So what should be there instead?

• We can start with updated commentary from John Madden. It's inconceivable that his advice to "Tell your line to protect here. Tell your line to protect every play, not just here," made it into any game, let alone multiple versions.

• More arcade features. The gameplay is perfect enough; another juke-move capability isn't going to significant impact the majority of users' enjoyment. But some sort of NFL superstars competition might be cool. The mini-camps are fun, in that sense, but they're exactly the same again, except for — you guessed it — roster updates.

• Video tips from the top Madden ballas in the country. They could do a little film-room breakdown, with their top strategies, to both educate more casual gamers and promote the Madden tournaments held nationwide.

Critics claim that EA Sports stop trying to advance the Madden franchise after it acquired exclusive rights to use real NFL players in its game, that lack of competition has made the company complacent. I don't think that's the case, but it might be directing its efforts too much toward placating the loons who would actually sit on their couch and scout a virtual college football all-star game. These new features don't sound fun. They sound depressing.

In Five Words or Less: Should be Titled Madden 05+1+1

Previously: Hella Madden NFL 07 Links Fo Yo Ass