The most notable feature of UEFA Champions League 2006 - 2007 is the "Ultimate Team" mode, which takes the Madden Cards system (from the Madden football series, obviously) and makes them useful.

In Madden, you get points in a game for doing good things like scoring, completing passes and winning games. UEFA does that too, plus you also lose points for getting scored on, losing games, etc. Then, once the game is over, you can use your points to buy a pack of cards containing players and bonuses, things such as better fitness, passing, defence, and offence, among others.

However, in UEFA Champions League 2006 - 2007, instead of just player bonuses amongst the cards, the player cards themselves are players you then use on the pitch. Hence, the players you get in your pack aren't just collectables, they are your team, which leaves a lot to Lady Luck. Still, if she's hard on you and your team isn't very good, the next pack of cards you buy just might contain that single super player who makes all the difference in the world. The sheer randomness of it and the lack of insta-uber-matches of traditional soccer games makes UEFA that much more immersive, involved -- more difficult but more rewarding.

And, if buying pack after pack looking for that superstar or just a solid goaltender to put your team over the top isn't your thing, there's another option. Players can buy and sell cards online over Xbox Live. It's a controlled environments and there are caps, so don't expect to see Ronaldinho out there for some absurd price -- but expect to pay more for him than your average Joe. If you are trying to sell a card and it doesn't move within a two week period, that card will be returned to you and you can then list it again after changing the asking price.

All that aside, you actually play soccer, though on that score its essentially the same old EA soccer gaming in the FIFA vein, complete with realistic venues, ambiance and authentic crowd noise... everything you've come to know and love about EA Sports-style soccer. Nothing new or revolutionary in it, but expectedly appreciable, if not a little on the slow side. Of course, you'd expect some sluggishness in Ultimate Team mode as you don't necessarily have the best or fastest players on the pitch, but when you simply play a one-on-one game with a friend using real teams, it's still slow, which is a bit of a drag.

But slowness and gameplay familiarity are easily offset by UEFA Champions League 2006 - 2007's innovative new card system, a stand-out feature that serious soccer buffs can really sink their teeth into. You can literally play it for hours without kicking a ball and absolutely love it.