Electronic Arts is the largest third party software publisher in the world. Year after year, the company sells more games than any other third party in the industry. Every mainstream console launch over the past decade has seen a flurry of EA products, with many of the games becoming top sellers among the launch lineup. EA also kicked off the next generation by showcasing an artist's rendition of what the next Madden (at that point Madden NFL 06) would look like when it came to next generation consoles later that year. While it's arguable whether or not the Xbox 360 version of Madden 06 looked better or worse than that infamous NFL Draft commercial, one thing is certain, many found the title disappointing compared to the PlayStation 2 and Xbox versions.

Madden NFL 06 for the Xbox 360 was rebuilt from the ground up to take advantage of the power of the next generation console. However, in doing so, the team at EA Tiburon was left with a choice. Do they release the best looking Madden game to date with fewer features, or do they include all of the features and skimp out on the graphics. The answer has been the same every generation, go with the graphics. And while EA took quite a bit of flak for the move, if you go back to the launch of the PS2, you'll find that Madden NFL 2000 also lacked features found in the PS1 version.

No matter what the reasoning was, fans were not pleased that features had been left out. Thankfully, with Madden NFL 07, Electronic Arts is starting the cycle all over again with new features that will be hitting every year. This year the current generation versions of Madden will be getting an upgrade to the running game and a few nice Hall of Fame options. Meanwhile, the next generation versions of the title (both the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions) will be getting the most realistic version of Madden to date.

With the emphasis on the running game this year, many of the running backs in the next generation versions of Madden will have their own unique running style. You'll be able to tell who's got the ball not by the number or the name on the jersey, but by how they're running. In fact, when we saw the game running at roughly 65%, the difference was already quite noticeable.

Another new addition to Madden is the training camp full of mini-games. When you decide to create your own player, you'll no longer be given a series of bars and numbers to determine the strength of your attributes. Instead, you'll have to take your player through a series of mini-games, including: 40 yard dash, bench press, QB vs. defense, RB vs. defense, WR vs. DB, and OL vs. DL. You'll use the left and right analog sticks as you play through each of the mini-games.

We tested out the bench press and 40 yard dash, and had to move the left and right analog sticks in conjunction with the player's legs or arms depending on the exercise. You'll also find the face of your player will appear in the corner of the screen. You'll need to watch it because the emotion expressed on the player's face will determine if you're pushing him too hard. Push too hard and you may end up injuring him. In addition, when a player is injured, you'll have to go through these same exercises during rehab.

Getting back to the gameplay, there are several new additions that Madden fans can look forward to. The defensive line will play a bigger role this time around. That means that all of the defensive minded Madden players will finally be rewarded for taking the time to enhance those defensive skills. The replay challenge is also back, complete with the new NFL rules. However, one of the biggest new features in Madden 07 is the ability to hop on Xbox Live and challenge a friend to play against you in a franchise mode game. That's right, if you're playing through franchise mode as the Cowboys and your next match-up is against the Cardinals, send an invite out to your friend in Phoenix and ask him to man up and take you down in your franchise game.

The last thing we discussed with the guys at EA Tiburon was the new Madden Gamer Level. This feature will rate players by awarding gold, silver and bronze based on various things the player does while playing through the game. We'll have more details on this feature in the coming weeks, but by earning these awards you'll be able to unlock rewards such as classic players and other little perks.

We would be lying if we told you that Madden NFL 06 didn't disappoint us. From the first video at the NFL Draft to the final product that launched with the Xbox 360, we just didn't get the game we expected from the folks at EA Tiburon. The standard was set so high, that it was tough to see features taken away. However, after spending some time with Madden NFL 07, things are looking up for the next generation of EA Sports titles. We'll have more on Madden as we approach the August 22 release date.