College Hoops 2K8: The Greatest Sim Basketball game of All-Time. - bigsmallwood's Blog

bigsmallwood's Blog

College Hoops 2K8: The Greatest Sim Basketball game of All-Time.

Posted on December 13, 2009 at 11:06 PM.

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Drums beating....Players enthusiastically sprinting out of the locker room onto the court with a deafing crowd filling the arena with loud chants and screams! Cheerleaders flipping and cheering on the sideline. Live Commentators on the floor giving you a lead in to the game......

Welcome to College Hoops 2K8, THE GOAT of all sim basketball games currently. Some of you may wonder why I am writing a blog about a game that is over 2years old and I intend to give you the answer.

Given the current cast of B-Ball games: NBA 2K10, NCAA 10, NBA Live 10.....neither have come close to matching the post-patch near perfection of CH2K8. NBA 2k10 made me feel like I spent $60 to beta test 2K's latest offering and even after the patch the game is not only filled with bugs, but still plagued by terrible control over player movement and other oddities (such as the still existing issues with MyPlayer mode). With NBA Live 10, EA pulled its usual stunt of removing "old" options and leaving you with a near barebones experience that is still lackluster. Why would you not match the competitor with All-Star weekend and a legitimate practice mode? And of course NCAA 10 was supposed to be a knight in shining armor with superb presentation, but play about 9 or 10 games and then you begin to get deja-vu....Why? Well because virtually nothing has changed from NCAA 09'....not to mention the game is a spitting image of NBA Live 10, but somehow the gameplay is not nearly as captivating.

So that brings me back to College Hoops 2K8. I decided to give it another run. What I discovered is something rare these days: A COMPLETE game. Let's break it down.

First and foremost the game offers Legacy Mode, Tournament(s) Mode, All-American Training, Coach mode, Tutorial and Practice.....are we talking bout Practice? Yes we are. The first thing any gamer wants to do when they get a game is gain a good grasp of the controls. CH2K8 allows you to do that, whereas the competition (excluding NBA 2K) does not allow you to truly practice, only to shoot around with a player on random court.

You have the option to create-a-play, which NONE of the other NEW Basketball games offer. The All-American Challenge gives you the opportunity to learn the game by challenging them in about 14 drills. Each one allowing you to MASTER the nuances of the game which do help in key situations.

2K8 used numerous College Stars and former College Stars to Mo-Cap for this game. This is something that allowed for the game to play so authentic and have numerous animations. In EA's offerings, about 97% of the players move and play about the same. Especially in their college game, which is a HUGE disappointment after so many years. One would think that EA would have taken notes and done something similar (esp with all the money behind them) but EA has still been very disappointing.

Where CH2K8 shines is on the court. The CPU AI attacks the way each team would do in real life. The 6th Man is still better than EA's toughest stadiums feature IMO. And the defense exists! You must play defense and call plays if you are to be successful in CH2K8....there is little if any chance to cheese in this game. When you are getting blown out, you actually feel good about it because of intelligent ball movement and because the CPU exploits your weakness. Other Basketball games seem to allow the CPU to either never miss or have your consistently blowing easy shots in order for them to have their way. Most importantly College Hoops plays like COLLEGE BASKETBALL! It does not play like NBA 2K, it has its own identity.

The level of detail to EVERY arena Big and Small Conference teams are done astonishingly well. The recruiting with the Amateur BasketBall Leagues is done to a level of depth that has yet to be matched in ANY sports game. The commentary is very spot on and they actually follow the action without making random statements that have nothing to do with the game. If you make a dynamic play, you will hear about it! There is no stale commentary while you torch a team or complete a comeback on another! This game feels fresh every time out!

If you are looking for atmosphere, look no further. While you are running a play, look at the sidelines and look at the animations! Coaches actually coach! The cheerleaders move realistically and the crowd does not look like a synchronized swim contest (cough*cough*EA).

Overall, 2K never pulled out any of the features and make you wait until next year....they did not make any excuses about having a 1year dev cycle....they simply stood and delivered a game that will probably take us into the next 5+years with Authenticity!!!! There are many reasons to list about why CH2K8 is the greatest sim-B-ball game of all time, but I suggest you pick up a copy of the game at your local Gamestop or whatever game store sells used games in your neck of the woods....because This game is a treat! The ability to decide if you want to use a chest pass or a bounce pass is GREAT! The ability to create your own play is FANTASTIC!!! And the ability to play a COMPLETE basketball game top to bottom, inside and out: PRICESLESS!!!! College Hoops 2K8 is greatly appreciated by many, but understood by few. If you are a fan of College Basketball, go and have the CH2K8 experience.

Next Blog: Why NFL 2K5 is still embarrassing Madden on the Gridiron.

Comments

# 1 bigsmallwood @ Dec 13

I wish there was a CH2K10!!!

# 2 stlstudios189 @ Dec 14

CH2k8 and 2k7 are my top 2 favorite games ever. I am playing NCAA 10 and having a good time but, man 2k10 would be the best ever.

# 3 bigsmallwood @ Dec 14

I can only hope they decide to resurrect this series because it is definitely the GOLD standard in my book!

# 4 rspencer86 @ Dec 14

A couple months ago I sold 2K8 thinking that this would be the year for EA's NCAA title. Well, that didn't quite come to fruition and now I am yearning for some College Hoops. Time to visit the bargain bin...

# 5 pigpen81 @ Dec 15

Thanks for the kick in the pants I needed to resume my UCR legacy franchise. I am in year 2 and kicking butt after an overtime win at UCLA.

My double stack playbook cannot be stopped

Great read! Thanks again.

# 6 Aimbrogn @ Dec 15

I agree with you on the points you have made. I enjoy playing basketball games but CH 2k8 is a game I return to consistently. It is a great game that is incredibly deep and it has accessible game play. I normally purchase a new basketball game each year but this year I am holding off on getting NBA 2k10 (at least until it goes down in price) simply because I am enjoying another tournament I started in CH 2k8. Classic games never get old and to me CH 2k8 is a classic much like NFL 2k5, NHL 94, or Ken Griffey Jr. Baseball for the SNES.

# 7 boxboy99 @ Dec 15

I keep thinking about dropping nba 2k10 and going back to this game. I would of never left if my save didn't get deleted where I was in year 6 and played probably 98% percent of my games. Just never had the heart to restart. This game is the complete package and for a game I love the setup of college hoops. The season is shorter and the tournaments! Great Game

# 8 bigsmallwood @ Dec 15

Thanx for the positive and HONEST feedback!

@AimBrogn: Yes this game is a classic like 2K5 and NHL 94'! This game is so deep its ridiculous!!!!

@Mass Murda: Getting the latest games such as MW2, which is a MONSTER of a game, yet CH2K8 is dominating your time tells you this game is so timeless!!! As much as I am loving MW2....CH2K8 is just so captivating! Each time I play my games....I spend the most time with CH2K8 and never want to take it out!

@PigPen81: you are MOST welcome! I love pulling off the upsets too!!!

@Boxboy99: OUCH! I know what you mean by having put in all of that work only to watch it go to waste....But I hope you do start over again!

@Rspencer86.....hit that bargain bin and save yourself some frustration over the "new" College b-ball game!

# 9 elementz09 @ Dec 15

Wow...I never really played CH2K8. If I were to pick it up now, I can find current rosters and such, right?

# 10 bigsmallwood @ Dec 15

Yes you can! Go to 2Kshare within the menu and find the latest rosters! There are a few of them floating around right now.

# 11 pigpen81 @ Dec 15

My upset versus UCLA started badly as they went up 16-2 to start the game at Wooden Court. Kevin Love did not jump to the NBA for the 08-09 season and he and Mboue-Mouta (sic) were killing me on the boards.

Slowly, I climbed back and took a lead late in the 2nd half. The Bruins went on a run again and I found myself 3 points down on my last possession. Luckily, they played a 1-3-1 and I called my double stack left play, leaving my 3 guard open in the corner, who then proceed to drain the game-tying 3 with 3 seconds left.

We went to overtime and I overcame an early deficit to win 96-90. My frosh center went off for 37 and got Kevin Love to foul out early in overtime.

Great great game

# 12 tril @ Dec 16

cosigned.. greatest bball game of all time. BUT IMO NBA 2k10 is giving it a good run at the title. NBA2k10 may surpass Ch28 after the second patch. we'll see.

2k10 is just as addictive.

# 13 bigsmallwood @ Dec 16

I am enjoying the game as I write this!!! Especially with the updated rosters!!!!

# 14 michael72 @ Dec 16

Bigsmallwood, thank you so much for this great article!!! I agree with every single word you say!!!

I can see a big PARADOX in that the developments of many of the best sport game series for PS3 have been CANCELED!!!

Just think about it…

College Hoops 2K8 is the best example for this paradox. It is by far the best basketball game ever developed!

The 2nd example of this sad paradox would be All Pro Football 2K8. Although I totally agree that ESPN NFL 2K5 for PS2 is the best football game ever developed (in fact I purchased PS2 console last year ONLY because of this single game!!!) on PS3 for me personally APF 2K8 is the best football produced until today. While I agree with reviewers that the number of playing modes is quite limited (comparing to NFL 2K5) the PLAYABILITY of APF 2K8 football game is by far better comparing to any Madden (including Madden 10) or NCAA Football games!

I have tried EA Sports games again and again MANY times but at the end I always stopped playing them and returned back to 2K Sport title. It is difficult for me to express „WHY“ but I can say it this way: when I play 2K games (like APF 2K8 or CH 2K8) even for the 100th time I am always „surprised“ (in positive sense) by something what I have NEVER SEEN YET BEFORE in my previous 99 games :-)) Therefore it has such a REALISTIC feel for me! When compared to EA Sports games (like Madden or NCAA) I am „done“ after 5th or 6th game as nothing can (positively) surprise me after just a few games! Most of EA Sports titles have such ARTIFICIAL feel to me :-(( Of course this is very personal and subjective view but I hope some of you will understand what I mean…

Finally the 3rd example of a paradox of canceled development of some of the greatest PS3 sports games is for me NHL 2K8. As you know this was the final game in the series developed by Kush Games before it was handed-over to Visual Concepts. Once again for me the NHL 2K8 is the most realistic hockey experience available on PS3 even with some of the week points it has (as every game, of course). I even prefer NHL 2K8 to NHL 10. The reason is again the " ARTIFICIALITY" which I feel from EA Sports titles as I have already mentioned above. Although the graphic is not as „shiny“ as in 2K10 the playability of 2K8 is what I most appreciate. Many reviewers have criticized the difficulty of controls (shot by R1 etc.) but for me it was only a question of a few „test“ matches before I get used to it and in fact started to love this special control layout as it really has lots of great possibilities. Try to play one game of NHL 2K8 and immediately after that switch for a moment to NHL 2K10. I am pretty sure you will be shocked by how great and REALISTIC the NHL 2K8 title was!!! Of course I had to adjust a few sliders in 2K8 to make it as realistic as possible but at the end I am able to play hockey games in real-time (i.e. 3 x 20 minutes) with common („believable“) results like 4:2 etc. Therefore for me it is so sad that Kush Games were called off from the development of NHL series…

Once again it is such a pity that the developments of the best sport game series for PS3 have been CANCELLED. I can see two main reasons for it. First, in the current economic situation there is a big pressure to cost-cutting limiting the quantity and quality of resources assigned to the development projects. Second, current trend to speed-up the release of games (and any other software applications in general) in order to speed-up and thus increase the sale revenue means that most of the current games are hardly playable without subsequent patches. But luckily, as you can see from my comment, I will be always able to play and prefer the old classical “craftsman-like” games as the date of release and shiny graphic is NOT what I prefer at all.

I wish you all nice day!

And sorry for my English, I am from Europe but like American sports the most of all :-)) Especially the american football which is so great comparing to boooooring soccer :-)))

BTW, Bigsmallwood, I am looking forward to your upcoming article about NFL 2K5 :-)

And thanks again for this great article!

Michael