EA has shipped out the college version of hoops early this year giving fans a chance to get their fix a bit earlier. I enjoy the final tournaments and the excitement that surrounds it. The young men pour their talents out on the court for a chance to the big dance every year. NCAA basketball is a huge business and not just a sport anymore. With the war of TV networks bidding on the rights to air the finals, it has grown over the years and now seems as popular as any collegiate sport out there.

I can’t follow the sport as much as I would like but can appreciate the fans that faithfully watch every game. There is a certain excitement that builds up as the season grows closer to the losing games and the action is intense. In college ball the emphasis is more on defense than offense as in the NBA. For example, although there is plenty of action on both ends, the war is more focused on defensive line-ups and plays. NCAA 06 March Madness tries to capture that part of the game but how does it hold up overall? Read the full review and find out.

Gameplay

If you want to release a college-themed game, you need to capture that look and feel right away and EA manages to do this. The game has that college look and feel to it more so than last year and shows that the game series has been tweaked. Since the NCAA and EA struck a deal, I expected the game to have more of the feel it was meant to in the past and I was right. The modes are impressive and the new features and controls all focus on the college style of play. Defense is the main focus and they new LockDown Stick makes covering a player easier and more realistic. The game shows off some impressive things for fans of the sport and the new coaching plays are an added bonus.

I liked the fact in the Dynasty has factors that really mean something in college ball since now if a player breaks a rule, you need to deal with it. This adds more of a realistic feeling to this mode. I have never been shy to say this is my least favorite mode of any sports game and that’s not a knock. I know many enjoy it but does seem while they added some new challenges and situations, this mode is not as complete as past versions. It just seems a bit lacking and not as put together or solid as past versions this may be due to the new changes with the rules, challenges you need to deal with and the revamping of the controls. It is a well made mode and still will offer plenty for fans, just seems in need of a bit more revamping before next years version is released.

I enjoyed the new emphasis on the defensive side of the game and here is where the game shines the most. The play and control is top notch and really outstanding while not leaving the offensive plays to suffer in the process, another reason this impressed me. At times it is a bit hard to remember to use the Lockdown Stick and press the D-Pad to bring up the plays, but that will become easier even for those new to the series. They even put in a tutorial that shows the new features and how to use it. I suggest watching this more than once since the LockDown Stick can create some great breakaway plays and add the excitement to the game that was really needed. All the modes are back including the Mascot mode where the mascots get to play against each other and it’s not a novelty this mode plays as well as any of the others and offers a change of pace from the other modes. Overall, the developers made the game look and feel college-like and not a mix of the pro games with just a swap of names and jerseys. Anyone who plays NCAA will feel like they are in the college ranks and that says a lot for the overall production and quality of the game itself.

For the most part, the game is very solid. I mentioned the Dynasty mode feels like it’s not really complete but still decent. At times there are a few rebound issues that seem to pop-up then go away. Let me explain this. When you go for the rebound, it looks like you grab the ball but then it shows the other team having it, then bam 2-points and your scratching your head in wonder. It does not happen that often and may be a graphical glitch that just happens at random but a bit frustrating never the less. Now the game overall reacts better and has less of the skating elements where a player looks like he is gliding on the floor like in the past. So many of the issues of the past were fixed and they also managed to throw in more realistic control over the players than before. This also helps make the game more enjoyable.

The Dynasty mode has a few other issues that die-hard players will pick up on faster than the regular gamers out there. You need to discipline players to make the NCAA happy, but you have 12 players and not enough points to deal with certain problems or infractions. In real life almost every big name college has 12+ scholarship players and a few walk-ons. In every other mode you won’t even notice this mistake but in the Dynasty mode it can become frustrating. The best way to deal with it is to deal with the most sever infractions first and try and reserve the right to deal with more later on. If I had not pointed this out, most would not even realize it but it is something EA needs to address for the next one. The gameplay is solid and it really does not hurt the game overall just gives a new challenge for those who are into that mode. EA added many new tweaks and touches that were needed and tried to bring a complete college game to the Xbox and for the most part succeeded. You add in the new features and the online mode and this title will satisfy any college fan for a long time.

Control / Playability

Of course the LockDown Stick is the most impressive new change in the over all controls. It will remind you of the Freestyle or Hit Stick found in this year’s other EA sports games. To master this you need to read the instruction manual and watch the tutorial to master it. I also suggest a few games in exhibition mode to get a real feel for all the controls. The new controls are not complicated to use just different since you know can use both analog stick when covering a man and it takes time to adjust. The new defense sets by hitting the D-pad again, just a matter of reading and practice. The rest of the controls are set-up well within reach and respond very well. The learning curve is about 25-30 minutes for those familiar with the series and about 45 for those brand new to the game.

Xbox Live

EA has again created a great online mode and lobbies, which include text chat and voice chat. Very much like NHL 06 and NBA live 06. You have the EA sports ticker keeping you up to date with the scores in real time and a room for every level of experience. Lag free and easy play games make the online mode stand out. You can also create a private room adjust the rules and play with friends and even join a 4-man or 8-man tournament. They gave plenty of options and as well as including stats and how many games a player dropped out of. Easy to navigate and to join and no complaints or issues I came across.

Graphics / Presentation

While they did a good job with the gameplay, the graphics engine needs to be tweaked a bit. They added some new animations of charging and other fouls etc. The game just looks a bit older than it should and now graphics are as important as the gameplay. Perhaps they worked too hard on all the new defensive areas and other parts of the game and decided the graphics were good enough. They look good but based on other games look a bit dull and are starting to look a bit overused. The lighting and players look good and they captured the feeling. Some new graphics would have made NCAA 06 tough to beat by anyone. They managed to show the replays in a great way and not overuse it this year which helps add more of a realistic presentation. This shows they did add a few things but just needed to add a few more in the graphic department.

Audio

The music is all band music from the top colleges which sets the mood of the game and is pretty cool sounding. They also made the sounds on the actual floor sound realistic and really a top-notch job. The commentary is well done and features Dick Vital, the man that is famous with College ball and he and his crew dies a great job. Really, the commentary is pretty deep this year and is great if you’re a fan of Dick’s voice. Personally the guy just gets to me but I can appreciate his talents and enjoy the game anyhow. All around audio-wise a job well done.

Replay Value

They added teams of the past to unlock and special past tournaments games to replay which adds a lot of replay value. There are plenty of extras in the way of jerseys, shoes and other things to unlock as well. Throw in all the modes and the great online mode and the game is certainly worth a lot of replay value and this year is no exception.

Overall Score

Overall Score: 8.1/10 [not an average]

Additional Comments

Despite a few areas in the dynasty mode, the game is solid and well balanced. March Madness will appeal to any fan of college hoops and offers plenty for any fan of basketball. I am hoping they revamp the graphics engine for next year, but the game really looks good. Of course I may be harder and see things that some may not. I like the new direction they are taking the series and think they are on the right track. It’s a great accurate college game overall just in need of a few tweaks.

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