PlayStation 2
Released in 2006 by EA Sports
Grade: C+
This game is a decent attempt at simulation college basketball, but it’s plagued with some ugly animations and bad controls.
Where it falls in the series
It’s number six of eight on PS2. The series jumped to PS3 for the 08 version. The best in the series by far is NCAA Basketball 10 on PS3.
Praises and gripes
Compared to NCAA March Madness 06, this is a step down for raw fun, but it’s a big step up for realism. It moves at a normal pace, shooting percentages are more realistic, and the shooting animation has more definition to it, which makes it easy to time your release. I like that you can still attack the basket in traffic, and the action doesn’t start and stop much. It flows.
Unfortunately, the play call system is still awkward. The animations are too ugly and mish-mashed for most gamers to deal with. I passed to the wrong guy a lot. Somehow you can literally point left and end up passing to the right, no matter what camera you use. Last year’s “lockdown stick” is back, but it’s toned down quite a bit, fitting more nicely into the rest of the game’s mechanics. The new feature this year is “Go To Guy,” which doesn’t get in the way at all.
Basketball is the hardest sport to transform to video gaming, and I commend the more realistic approach here. It’s a big step in the right direction, assuming there’s a trajectory toward a great basketball sim down the line. NCAA Basketball 10 on PS3 is one of my favorite games ever, so whatever they needed to do to get there, I’m cool with.