NCAA Basketball series

The NCAA Basketball (formerly NCAA March Madness) series was a College basketball game which was published by EA Sports from 1998 until 2009. After EA Sports' rival publisher 2K Sports cancelled its own college basketball game, College Hoops, in 2008, EA changed the name of the series from NCAA March Madness to NCAA College Basketball. The series was discontinued on February 10, 2010.^[1]

Like other games based on NCAA sports, it could not feature the players' names (as that is against NCAA policy/rules), so only the players' numbers were used in the rosters. Users were able to edit the rosters, putting in the correct names for each team if they wished to do so. Many player last names were built into the in-game commentary, like in the NBA Live series.

Verne Lundquist, Brad Nessler, and Gus Johnson lent their voices for play-by-play in the games at various times. Lundquist was the original announcer, with Nessler taking over in the mid-2000s and Johnson joining him for the most recent game in the series. Bill Raftery and Dick Vitale were analysts. Raftery originally worked with Lundquist on their games and returned to work alongside Johnson for CBS-branded games in NCAA Basketball 10, while Vitale and Nessler joined the series at the same time.

Games

NCAA March Madness 98

NCAA March Madness 98 was the 1998 installment in the NCAA March Madness series. It was released on February 28, 1998 for the PlayStation.^[2] Former Wake Forest player and retired San Antonio Spurs player Tim Duncan is featured on the cover.

NCAA March Madness 99

NCAA March Madness 99 was the 1999 installment in the NCAA March Madness series. It was released on November 30, 1998 for the PlayStation.^[3] Former North Carolina player Antawn Jamison is featured on the cover.

NCAA March Madness 2000

NCAA March Madness 2000 was the 1999 installment in the NCAA March Madness series. It was released on November 30, 1999 for the PlayStation.^[4] Former Maryland player Steve Francis is featured on the cover.

NCAA March Madness 2001

NCAA March Madness 2001 was the 2000 installment in the NCAA March Madness series. It was released on December 6, 2000 for the PlayStation.^[5] Former Cincinnati and NBA player Kenyon Martin is featured on the cover.

NCAA March Madness 2002

NCAA March Madness 2002 was the 2001 installment in the NCAA March Madness series. It was released on January 9, 2002 for the PlayStation 2.^[6] Former Duke player and former Miami Heat player Shane Battier is featured on the cover.

NCAA March Madness 2003

NCAA March Madness 2003 was the 2002 installment in the NCAA March Madness series. It was released on November 21, 2002 for the PlayStation 2.^[7] Former Kansas Jayhawk player Drew Gooden was featured on the cover. The game's cover shows deformities within the artwork.^[8]

NCAA March Madness 2004

NCAA March Madness 2004 was the 2003 installment in the NCAA March Madness series. It was released on November 17, 2003 for the PlayStation 2 and Xbox.^[9] Former Syracuse player Carmelo Anthony was featured on the cover. Commentary is done by Brad Nessler and "Mr. College Basketball" Dick Vitale as he is introduced in the game. This was the first time the player could pick his favorite school and the menus would be stylized in the school's colors and a cheerleader or mascot will appear on the main menu while playing the school's fight song. The game plays similar to NBA Live 2004.

Features

The game allows the player to pick their favorite school and run a college basketball dynasty for up to 30 seasons and lead them to a National Championship. The player can play as a prestigious school or a school of lower prestige and bring them into the national spotlight. The game allows the player to create his own school, but with limited options. The game features all of the major tournaments including the NCAA Tournament and Maui Invitational and a Frat Party Mode which is a four team tournament for 4-players. Other modes include mascot game, where the player can play as a school's mascot. As well as Dickie V integration where Dick Vitale offers his take on the features of the game and gives gamers hints in Dynasty Mode on recruiting. The player can also import their draft class to NBA Live 2004, however the players are given fictional names after they are imported.

Extras

Extras in the game feature the cameos of NBA rookies Carmelo Anthony, Chris Bosh, and Kirk Hinrich and rowdy college fans and NCAA head coaches saying "EA Sports, It's In The Game". For added realism, NCAA head basketball coaches offer defensive and offensive strategies.

Reception

Critics praised the new features of the game and the addition of tournament modes to gameplay. It was praised as a "good, overall basketball game".

NCAA March Madness 2005

NCAA March Madness 2005 was the 2004 installment in the NCAA March Madness series. It was released on November 16, 2004 for the PlayStation 2 and Xbox.^[10] Former Connecticut and current NBA free agent player Emeka Okafor was featured on the cover.

Soundtrack

The soundtrack of the game used college band versions of licensed songs. The songs used were "Hey Mama" by The Black Eyed Peas, "Hanging on a Moment" by Lifehouse, "The Middle" by Jimmy Eat World, "A Little Less Conversation" by Elvis Presley, and others.

NCAA March Madness 06

NCAA March Madness 06 was the 2005 installment in the NCAA March Madness series. It was released on October 11, 2005 for the PlayStation 2 and the Xbox.^[11] Former North Carolina and current Los Angeles Clippers player Raymond Felton is featured on the cover.

NCAA March Madness 07

NCAA March Madness 07 was the 2006 installment in the NCAA March Madness series. It was released on January 17, 2007 for the PlayStation 2 and Xbox 360.^[12] Former Gonzaga player Adam Morrison is featured on the cover.

Features

• Using a new dynamic crowd environment, the game features a noticeable difference between high-energy schools such as Kentucky, Indiana, Duke, or North Carolina as opposed to smaller, more subdued crowds for less schools with less popular basketball programs. Having a winning program will unlock a pep band, a student section, and a cheerleading squad to help motivate the players on the floor. The team behind March Madness 2007 has worked to make sure that the location of all 325 school bands and student sections are as authentic as possible.
• The ability to upgrade facilities makes it possible to upgrade the player's program's success throughout the game. By completing challenges throughout the season, such as winning the home-opener or signing high-profile recruits lets players upgrade the facilities of your program, including a practice gym, a weight room, a study hall, and an injury clinic. With better facilities, players are more likely to land that prized recruit.
• The ability to interact with the crowd, opponents and teammates allows the player to raise the intensity of the arena by performing well. Inversely, performing poorly will lower the intensity making it difficult to make a comeback. Intensity points earned can be used to interact with the mascot, the cheerleaders, the pep band, or the crowd.

NCAA March Madness 08

NCAA March Madness 08 was the 2007 installment in the NCAA March Madness series. It was released on December 7, 2007 for the PlayStation 3, PlayStation 2, and Xbox 360.^[13] Former University of Texas forward Kevin Durant, and currently Golden State Warriors starting small forward was featured on the cover. It was the first March Madness game available for the PlayStation 3.

Features

• New "Dynamic Post Control".
• New recruiting system modeled after NCAA Football 08. Players are searchable by position, type, and size.
• The new "EA Sports Lockdown Stick" enables players to pressure the ball, force turnovers and harass opponents on the court.
• Dynasty mode enhancements include the pre and post season NIT and the McDonald's High School All American game.
• More authentic arenas.
• New player models with form-fitting uniforms.
• Breakaway basketball hoop rims.
• Custom playbooks.
• ESPN on Demand.

NCAA Basketball 09

NCAA Basketball 09 was the 2008 installment in the NCAA College Basketball series. It was released on November 17, 2008 for the PlayStation 3, PlayStation 2, and Xbox 360. The cover featured former UCLA player Kevin Love.

NCAA Basketball 10

NCAA Basketball 10 is a basketball video game developed by EA Canada and published by EA Sports. It was released November 17, 2009 on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.^[14] Former University of Oklahoma and current Los Angeles Clippers forward Blake Griffin was featured on the cover.

The NCAA Basketball series was discontinued after NCAA Basketball 10.

External links

• NCAA Basketball Official Website
• NCAA March Madness 98 at IGN
• NCAA March Madness 99 at IGN
• NCAA March Madness 2000 at IGN
• NCAA March Madness 2001 at IGN
• NCAA March Madness 2002 at IGN
• NCAA March Madness 2003 at IGN
• NCAA March Madness 2004 at IGN
• NCAA March Madness 2005 at IGN
• NCAA March Madness 06 at IGN
• NCAA March Madness 07 at IGN
• NCAA March Madness 08 at IGN

References