Madden NFL 06

Believe it or not, the most strategically complex undertaking in the world isn't keeping Prince Harry out of the tabloids. Not even close. No, if you seek the true test of your tactical talent, try a game of American football.

Consider this: when the first Madden game arrived on the home consoles in 1990, it included a phonebook-sized instruction manual explaining the basics of the sport. And there you were thinking it's just about charging up the pitch, muscles covered in body armour, smashing your way through the similarly protected, similarly huge men coming at you from the opposite direction and scoring a touchdown.

And you'd be right, in as much as saying that the US went to war against Iraq hoping to remove Saddam Hussein from power is correct. It's not technically wrong, but it's not that simple either.

Having established there's a lot more to American football than running up and down a field pretending to be a battering ram, it's worth pointing out that the first time you encounter the full range of offensive and defensive play strategies available can be utterly bewildering. Do you use Quick Slants or go for a Lloyd Option? Why is Parrish Blitz a better defence in this situation than a Zone Man X? Suddenly the offside rule in proper football seems remarkably straightforward.

Realising that no one wants to walk around with a 'US Footie for Dummies' guide around their neck for rapid (and frequent) consultation, the developer has wisely included an 'ask Madden' option. If you're stuck for which move to go try out next, one button press and John 'Famous US Coach Turned Popular TV Commentator' Madden will advise as to which play he'd opt for next. And you'd be wise to listen. Far from being a brainless 'get out of jail free card' this option actually serves as a great way to gain some understanding of the mind-boggling complexity of this sport. It won't happen overnight, but with time you'll eventually begin to venture out on your own, make your own calls. You'll know when to execute a running rather than passing play; realise which plays maximise your team's potential while exploiting your opponent's weaknesses; or learn the need to adapt your strategy depending on the position you find yourself in the field.

If you think this sounds as heavy as being sat on by your average tackle (that's around 150 kilograms, if you don't know your NFL players), you'd be as wrong as the government's apparent decision to dive head first into the sand and wait for a national outbreak of bird flu. Sure, Madden 06 is a full-on simulation – and fans of the sport wouldn't have it any other way, of course – but it's also able to cater for complete beginners. A crucial component is the above-mentioned Madden guidance-on-tap, while the mini-games available act as a fun way of practicing both basic and advanced moves.

Perhaps the most useful beginner friendly feature, however, is that if you want to, you don't have to touch a thing after selecting a play. That's because the game controls all of your players, including the one you've currently selected, and will execute the strategy according to your wishes. In other words, in this mode you're effectively acting as coach, although you can step in at any time and take over control of the highlighted player. It's a clever way of easing you into a game that once in motion can be as perplexing as the playbook; the more familiar and confident you get with it, the earlier you can take control.

In play, everything feels too fast at first and it takes a little while to train your eyes to track the movement of so many characters on even the PSP's generous screen – you may only control one guy at a time but you'll need to be aware of what everyone else is doing on the field. Still, while you're losing your first game you'll at least be able to notice how well animated the players are, and anyone familiar with the console versions of Madden won't help but be impressed by how close everything looks and feels. After a few more attempts things should begin to fall into place, with longer and increasingly successful plays becoming more regular, and soon you'll have the confidence to take on human adversaries in wireless head-to-heads.

Unfortunately, by then you will also have come across the game's main stumbling point. The loading times are horrendous, and even simple tasks such as screen changes suffer a small pause. It may not sound like much but it quickly becomes incredibly frustrating and, crucially, often ruins the flow of the game.

This is inevitably reflected in the score below, which is particularly regrettable because in just about every other respect Madden 06 delivers an experience any US footie fan could wish for. Madden NFL 06 is on sale now.