College basketball is my thing. I love when the college football season is wrapping up, and the pre-season basketball games start unfolding. In the off-season, post March Madness, I have to fall back on video games and reruns of games on ESPN Classics. The former option is a tradition, and having a good title to play with is key for my mental survival until the leaves turn brown again. Thank goodness, EA Sports NCAA March Madness 2004 has delivered a fine fix for my too-soon down time.

Yes, one of the best sports video game makers has done it again. Though there are flaws, there is little to pick apart in this game. They have done a solid job tweaking the success of what they already had, and threw in some nice new touches to keep it fresh. Using the mechanics of the successful NBA Live game from this year, they have adjusted the pace to make it realistic for college speed. I have played some college games that play the same as their Pro player cousins, and that is not a fun experience.

First to mention is the overall ease of picking up the moves. Though fresh off a lot of time playing a rival makers' version of the sport (ESPN College Hoops), I slipped into the variances of playing this one with relative ease. That was nice. One of my headaches was the Free Throw line, which was overcome after a half dozen brick shots. Passing and NOT committing fouls was also a learning experience. I had to un-learn what I have been doing for a few weeks with the other game, though not the fault of EA Sports!

The game has the usual modes that are (too) common to sports games. The quick-play mode, tournament, Dynasty and practice. Also, there is a Rivalry mode, which was fun, though kind of a gimmick. In my case, it pits Duke against UNC. That's fun to have it "pre-selected" as a rivalry, but since you can select ANY team you want in your setup for a quick game, it's not too special. I would have loved to see REAL players from a real season in the rivalry. Also, there is a mascot mode. Yes, I played my Duke Blue Devil mascot against the likes of the Syracuse Orangemen mascot. It was funny to see a court of blue devils playing against players with giant Oranges for heads. Cute!

You can also create your own school-- right down to the colors and mascot. The choices are kind of limited, but if you want to open your own college, here is your chance. Code Cowboy U! The courts for the actual schools were very nicely done. There are also video clips from real schools with students chanting, being rowdy and goofing around. You can watch actual coaches talk in video clips as well. No, not every school is represented, but there are a lot of such distractions to play with while your thumbs cool down. They've given the Sporting News a piece of the action as well. You can browse the standings and team information as you play your Season mode. Another side touches in the down-time. Back to business.

There are a lot of nice touches for the gameplay. You can select actual plays, though I rarely did. I did not do well when I "planned" like that. The game's AI also throws you a loop. This is the first game I have played in which the computer opponent learns what you're doing and adjusts accordingly. I love the 3-point shot. Once I learn to execute it well, I can usually dominate these games. However, The cyber-teams learn what is working for me, and guarded the perimeter more aggressively. I can play outside against a Zone defense and tear it apart; but this time, the adjustments happened so fast I could not rely on this-- for once.  That was a PAIN, but I tip my hat at that adjustment. That is "real". There is a nice quick-step move that I have not encountered before. Pushing the L+X button will back you up against a player and you take your shot. That felt good, and made some inside scoring very easy. Just by dribbling backwards towards the basket and using that move earns some nice two pointers worthy of instant replay. There is also an Alley-Oop (white) button to quickly pass to an open man under the basket. That saved my butt when they attacked my 3-point success. 

The game looks nice. The camera gives a good look at the floor and players. The actual player detail is lacking, but the courts and crowd look good. There are many videos to view, but that's "cheating" for counting as good graphics. The movement was smooth and fluid. The mascots looked good as well, though I saw a bit too much "generic" body styles for them. I think if you're not very familiar with a team's mascot, you won't notice it much.

The sound was great. The squeaking shoes and (sometimes annoying) commentary by Brad Nessler and Dick Vitale added to the overall feel. Vitale, as during actual games, made some annoying and obvious comments. Yes Dickie V, you DO have to score more baskets to win. That was on a script??!! Duh. The crowds do nice cheers and authentic jeers.

In all, this is a great game. The vibration controls add to the fun. When you're bumped and playing aggressive, you really feel it. Nice. It's fun to just plop down and play a quick game, or make an afternoon of playing some Tourney action. Just scrolling through the special videos was entertaining. There is enough challenge to make it interesting, but not impossible to beat. It's very fair. No easy inside passing or otherwise getting spoiled abusing a defense. You have to earn your successes here. EA Sports has done it again, and set the bar for others to follow. They shoot, they score. 

Gameplay: 8
Simple to start with, and as you master some of the custom moves, you can quickly become a shooting/defending machine. If you have the patience to use the plays they offer, you can get more into the feel of a real game, but just "winging it" was good enough for me. The free throws were a pain at first, but soon was overcome. If not for some unintentional movement flaws, it would rate higher. There is a flaw in which the players move as if floating, but that was rare. Just happened enough to mess up a good vibe in the middle of a game. 

Graphics: 8.5 
The game looks good. Very good. From the cheerleaders' authentic uniforms to the mascot's costumes, it looked real. The players looked kind of generic, but I expect that now in games. Maybe that will improve. I was just glad to see some good camera angles in a basketball game. The views of the basket, players and open court are key to success, and they did not disappoint here. 

Sound: 9
Authentic right down to Dick Vitale's somewhat annoying blurbs. I liked the swishes and crowd noise. I did find myself turning down the game to focus more on the play (and listen to my own music), but there is not much to pick on otherwise. 

Difficulty: Medium
Thanks to a nice practice mode, you can get in the game quick. The AI posed a nice challenge to things I am used to with other games, but still made it possible to do well. Customizing your team can add to the fun, as well as trying to recruit players in the off season. Build a great team, and the game plays easier. 

Concept: 7.5 
There are a few nice touches, but it's still just a basketball game. Nicely done, but nothing too new in the actual way it's played. The nifty video clips and etc do not add (or take away from) anything to the game itself. 

Multiplayer: N/A
I did not play against others, but that option is there.

Overall: 8.5
The game is great. They do sports well, and are dependable to supply us with quality ventures year after year. I liked the way it plays, and the way it reacts to how I play. It kept me playing more than I usually do. That led to many late bed-times, but it was worth it. From the quick-step jumper to the slicing 3-point shooting, the game had a lot of replay value. When you need a break, play around with the "extras" and see real college coaches put in their two cents for EA Sports. IT'S IN THE GAME. You will be, too. .