Hoop, there it is!

Want a chance to make
history? Want to create a dynasty to rival the likes of John Wooden? Here is
your chance.

EA Sports has released NCAA
March Madness 2004 on the PlayStation2, a wonderful collegiate hoops experience
featuring a bevy of options and couples that with solid game play.

The game features more than
320 teams, each with playbooks that mirror the actual school. Play modes include
season, dynasty, a mascot game, and rivalry games – real or imagined. Of course,
what would a March Madness title be without tournament formats. That’s here,
too.

The big thing is the online
support. You will need to have an EA Account (but can use your AOL, AOL IM,
Compuserve 2000 or Netscape AOL Instant Messenger accounts). There is the
standard server lobby, a match-up room and online tournaments and rankings.

Returning in this edition is
the terrific Create-A-School option for those who want to draft, or create
players and their own school and then work through a grueling schedule to the
conference tourney and maybe even that little tourney they have each March. This
is a mode that really allows gamers to customize their own game.

Getting into the title is
easy, pick or create a school, and then set up a single game or season and tip
it off. The game controls are easy to learn and use. Popping that ‘J’ from
beyond the arch, or driving the lane is a breeze.

The franchise certainly does benefit from
having some of the top graphics and sound in the genre, but what really makes
this a joy is the way the game has been customized to take into account how each
team represented plays. If your favorite university has a penchant for firing
threes from the parking lot, that is configured into this title.

Graphically the game and the
animation are great. The players do move well, and the shadows and highlights
are phenomenal. There are some missteps thought. A player, on the opposing team
is crowded to the sideline and apparently dribbles the ball on the line – no
call. You do it, and the referee whistle is certain to blow.

The sound also has some
inconsistencies. Alabama is in transition, having just stolen the ball, and the
breakout player is cruising the baseline. The pass goes up, prime time for an
alley-oop, but the player hammers the ball into the rim. The announcers, Dick
Vitale and Brad Nessler, make a comment about the terrible choice of shots the
Crimson Tide is putting up. Pardon? An alley-oop should be a high-percentage
shot, especially when the player is unimpeded, and the pass is perfectly laid up
there.

EA Sports certainly knows
how to crank out top-quality games and March Madness 2004 is certainly no
exception. The game sports solid play and online support. There are a few minor
annoyances, but overall this game will provide a good gaming fix for collegiate
hoops enthusiasts.

This game is rated for
Everyone.

Gameplay: 7.8

The game seems to be a
little slow paced, and does not sport the pulse-pounding, floor-racing frenetic
pace often associated with NCAA hoops. However the game is seamless in other
regards, and from the opening tip to the final buzzer, plays well.

Graphics: 8.4

The graphical elements are
quite good, when it comes to the floor. The faces in the crowd present a
different story. Don’t expect to see the fans creating a spectacle in the
stands. That is somewhat overlooked, and the game instead concentrates on
delivering a solid visual experience from creating the arenas to the
high-polished reflective floors.

Sound: 8.5

The announcing is solid, but
sometimes just a little out of kilter with the game as it is being played. The
crowd noises during the action are very generic. The school fight songs are
always a treat, though.

Difficulty: Medium

Concept: 8

This is typical of titles in
the past, though that doesn’t make it any less entertaining and enjoyable.

Multiplayer: 8.5

You can play online by
creating an EA Account. While the single-player game is fun, this is the type of
game that is always better when played against another human foe.

Overall: 8.4

EA continues to drive the
lane with the motto ‘It’s in the Game.” This title features much of the game
styles that make college basketball so much fun. The only drawback is that it
just seems a little slower paced than necessary – at least when working the ball
up and down the floor. The passing attack can be rather briskly paced. However,
if looking for an enjoyable outing on the hardwood, with solid online support,
this is a title that you should look for.