NCAA March Madness 2003 – PS2 – Review

How about a little toast with that jam?

EASports has trotted out NCAA March Madness
2003 for the PlayStation2, but rather than concentrate on the pinpoint
shooting, a flurry a three-pointers from “way downtown” and fast-paced
run ‘n gun hoops, this game is more like a rim-rattling, backboard-breaking
jamfest.

While the style of play is enjoyable, this
game more resembles to NBA style of play rather than the collegiate game.
The major difference between the two is that each team in NCAA is ranked
and the teams at the bottom of the rankings are not even in the same league
as the top 25.

Brown can’t run with Arizona, but that’s
where the strategic aspect of the game comes into play. If your team speed
is slower, then you have to milk the shot clock for every second, and play
a slowdown game.

The game also has some graphical problems.
There really doesn’t seem to be that many player models (or coaches models,
for that matter), and if you get the right matchup, you’ll have twins on
the court.  The game also doesn’t seem to have the depth that other
NCAA titles have had. While some of the actual NCAA teams in this game
may have the general look of their real-life counterparts, others do not.

Because of a southwest Idaho residence,
local news features the Boise State University Broncos ­ not a top
25 contender in basketball (the football team made those rankings for the
first time this season). The game lineup and actual Bronco lineup aren’t
really that close. And while the floor is brightly emblazoned with Boise
State emblems, the home court is not the BSU Pavilion. That place is cavernous.
Fans do not sit that close to the court except when the first round of
the NCAA tourney comes to town (which it has down numerous times).

The fan animation also leaves a lot to
be desired. And while the game is going for that television feel with the
instant replays, why throw in a replay in which the initial look has the
play obscured by the baseline referee? (Yes, you can go for a replay and
rotate the camera to give precisely the look you want.)

Ball dynamics can be off, as well. Your
forward goes up and swats a jump shot attempt from 12 from the air, hammering
it to the sideline and players’ bench. The ball hits the ground and stops
dead. Maybe if it were extremely flat, it would do that, but at the very
least it would bounce harmlessly back out onto the floor.

The lighting and shadows are excellent.
The player reflections off the polished hardwood is absolutely wonderful.
And player animation (regardless of the similarity in the looks) is very
good. The high-flying power jams are wonderful to look at.

“He went from lay-up to throw down!”

The sound track of this game is excellent.
Brad Nessler and Dick Vitale (what would a college game truly be without
Vitale adding a “baby” at the end of a glowing remark about a player?)
provide the commentary, and the crowd chants are incorporated into the
game to heighten the excitement.

The game also has some nice additions from
the 2002 incarnation. The game features the season and dynasty modes of
play, with players able to create a team, edit rosters and work through
a number of seasons. You can recruit players in the off-season, which is
much like the NCAA football title.

Not only can you lead a team to the NCAA
tourney, but in the off-season you can size up the recruiting class by playing
the Roundball Classic, an annual showcase of the top 20 graduating high
schoolers in the nation.

EASports also has brought the freestyle
control feature over from the NBA title.  This is the right analog
control and with it you can perform a variety of moves in conjunction with
other buttons.

Another nice feature is the way you can
set up formations and plays on the fly. The D-pad holds the plays for your
offense and defense and you can tab one of the buttons and immediately
call for the alignment. Is the defense sagged back in the zone, leaving
some hot shooters open on the perimeter? A button will set up the three-point
attempt. Then if you make it, you can immediately go into a full-court
press to try to force that turnover.

NCAA March Madness 2003 is not really the
college game, it plays more like the pro counterpart. And while that may
turn off the hardcore college fan, when the graphical stumbles are overlooked
(which are more of a perfectionist thing anyway), the game does deliver
high-flying, fast-paced basketball fun. With the variety of game modes,
this is a program that will have a niche with sports fans. If you are looking
for a little more authenticity, you may want to pass on this title. If
you are looking for a hoops game that you can dive into, create and control
your own school, this is a title worth taking a look at.

This game is rated for Everyone.

Gameplay: 7.6

The game emulates the professional sport
more than the collegiate one. Almost (and that is almost, as in 97-99 percent)
all of the players slam the ball and the game doesn’t seem to take into
account the differing abilities and playbooks of schools. The default play
controls are the same for every school.

Graphics: 7.8

The cutscene animations are fun, but get
repetitious. The same intro to each game is redundant and boring. The player
animations are excellent but there are not enough player models and most
look like the perfect physical specimen.  Lighting and shading are
well done, but camera angles can suffer in the “television” replay from
bodies blocking the view, and ball dynamics, during plays that halt the
game flow, are really sad.

Sound: 9

The musical track features team-specific
chants and fight songs, and the commentary is superb.

Difficulty: Medium

The game has four play modes, and while
you can survive at the Varsity level of play (one of the intermediate settings),
you had better have a firm handle on your team’s capabilities and controls
before attempting the All-American setting.

Concept: 8

The addition of the season and dynasty
modes of play, as well as the freestyle control is a nice addition to the
series. The player interface is easy to navigate through. The program just
needs to reflect the collegiate style of play more.

Multiplayer: 7.8

While the CPU is challenging, it can be
predictable. The head-to-head matchup between game players offers a very
entertaining, trash-talking time.

Overall: 7.6

This game does have appeal, but it isn’t
a strong reflection of the college game. The dynasty mode and ability to
create a school and players is very enjoyable and is part of a strong options
package. The game does have a few stumbles along the way, but does deliver
an entertaining gaming experience.