On the Fence About NCAA Football 09

Feature Article

Submitted on: 07/14/2008 by Carlos M. Hernandez

While getting ready to play NCAA Football 09, I had an epiphany. An epiphany not simply about NCAA Football, but the sports video game genre as a whole.

Sadly, I have discovered I’m unsatisfied with the overall quality of sports games. Even fan favorites like MLB: The Show and College Hoops 2K8 have left me desiring a richer product.

There just seems to be something missing in all titles and I have yet to find the common issue, if one even exists. There is no clear feature or gameplay mechanic that will have me believe that NCAA will be any different.

Now, I will admit that while I don’t hate or dislike NCAA Football, I am not one of the great majority of sports gamers who gets excited when the football gaming season approaches.

I have played every incarnation of NCAA Football since its Super Nintendo days, and before that Bill Walsh College Football. I've watched EA go from a five year Dynasty Mode to an intense recruiting system with campus visits and player preferences. While I had fun through it all, I never got amped for a new upcoming release.

Maybe its because I was raised in a professional football city. New Yorkers hardly get the chance to read about the St. John's Red Storm or the Syracuse Orangemen and when we do there’s usually just a small, nearly insignificant block on the back page.

I also do not have an alma mater I care to lead into the BCS Championship. Stonehill College is a D-II school and has trouble enough gaining first downs, let alone championships.

But I do fancy myself a sports fan - a follower of the theater of sports. Whether it be baseball, tennis, gymnastics or college football. I know the schools involved, most of the conferences and even the star players.

So why else could I be purposely avoiding the herd of sheep aimlessly awaiting the arrival and unofficial start of the college football season?

For starters, I just do not like the general pacing and presentation of football video games. NCAA does one of the finer jobs of capturing the overall feel and emotion of college sports. But for a stubborn, tough to please gamer like myself, it just does not do enough.

What makes anyone believe that I will find ecstasy in a sport's franchise that does not rank near the top of the list for me?

Now, I am certain, without a doubt, that NCAA 09 will be one of the best titles in its franchise. The franchise is hitting its next-gen stride and the introduction to wide-open gameplay will help bring it even closer to capturing the game.

That being said, I know myself. Right now I am struggling to enjoy two of my favorite sports franchises. What makes anyone believe that I will find ecstasy in a sport's franchise that does not rank near the top of the list for me?

So what does this mean to you, the sports gaming enthusiast who’s not overly excited to grab NCAA Football?

Chances are you are just like me. You hear how great NCAA is going to be and the idea of it excites you, but then you remember you’re not a huge college football fan. Then you begin remembering what you did not like about previous versions. Whatever it may be, the mere thought of it makes you want to keep that $60 in your pocket. "I will wait till the price drops," you say. Then the onslaught of basketball and hockey games starts hitting store shelves and you have a new decision to make.

Let us make the decision right now. If you have ever been a fan of the series and you enjoy football then get off the fence and enjoy a great title.

Otherwise, stay back a bit, wait to see how your friends - the ones that enjoy the same types of games as you – feel. And if that fails, just wait for a price drop.

NCAA Football 09 Videos

Member Comments

# 1 prscorpio2681 @ 07/14/08 02:55 PM

That was a article that seemed to come from a true gamer and not just an employee to another game site. I can respect that. To each his own ...either you like it or not....there are always going to be other options...thats the best thing......as for me ....Goooo Noles!!!

# 2 ehh @ 07/14/08 03:09 PM

Quote:


	Sadly, I have discovered I’m unsatisfied with the overall quality of sports games. Even fan favorites like MLB: The Show and College Hoops 2K8 have left me desiring a richer product. There just seems to be something missing in all titles and I have yet to find the common issue, if one even exists. There is no clear feature or gameplay mechanic that will have me believe that NCAA will be any different.

I feel the same way, except I finally found out that the missing issue is fun factor, IMO.

Sports games today simply aren't fun for the most part. I hear everyone in The Show forum rave that it's the greatest sports game ever made but I just don't have fun playing the game. I can appreciate the game from an objective point of view but it gives me little pleasure to play it. Even the other game you mentioned, College Hoops 2K8, was great for a while but lost my interest by April.

Yet I'm still playing MVP '05 and having a blast with it because it's an insanely fun game to play with limited glitches. I'm going to start a dynasty in NCAA '07 on regular Xbox because that's the last football game I had a ton of fun with. Sure, the deep ball was too easy, there was a little too much offense and other items but as a whole the game was fun as hell to play. Even MLB2K8, a glitchy game that's much more arcadish than The Show is simply more fun to me.

Video games are a leisure activity for me, but at some point in the last 5-6 years it became a lot more than that. Nitpick everything, complain when something isn't included, etc. At the same time we are given glitch-filled games for the most part (that deserve criticism) and a post-release patch has become the industry norm.

What it all boils down to is that those are issues that take away from the fun factor for gamers. If I'm not going to have a ridiculous amount of fun with a sports game I'm not going to play it, either because I choose not to or because I will lose interest in it quickly. That is why I don't own a 360/PS3 anymore and I won't buy another one until the sports gaming industry changes.

It's too bad they can't patch the fun back into sports games.

And at the same time, if you have fun with NCAA 09 or any other game then great for you because that's all that matters. If you don't care that Southeast Idaho State has an impenetrable offensive line or that the CPU's QB will eat you alive almost every game then that's fine. Enjoy the game and have a ton of fun, that's what video games are made for.

# 3 kmart2180 @ 07/14/08 03:16 PM

I think what it comes down to is the game gonna be fun? And although I've read of some nasty bugs none are effecting the fun factor of the game. The patch will make this game incredible but for now it will still be fun to mess around with until then.

I am more concerned with just being able to have a fully named roster that wont crash my online dynasty. If I get that then I can wait for the gameplay patch issues.

Just go to Easportsworld.com and watch some sick video's and its enough to see that this game has a fun factor.

# 4 Phobia @ 07/14/08 03:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ehh


	Video games are a leisure activity for me, but at some point in the last 5-6 years it became a lot more than that. Nitpick everything, complain when something isn't included, etc. At the same time we are given glitch-filled games for the most part (that deserve criticism) and a post-release patch has become the industry norm.

I agree. I remember playing football games because they were fun as hell to play. Now I find myself nitpickin every little thing about sports titles.

I think this happened for most of us when sports games made the jump from being blotchs on the screen to more detail realistic games. At that point we have wanted more more more more more and this has caused us to loss sight that just 10 years ago we were watching a little blue blob named thurman thomas running for the bills. We had three different running animations, left right and striaght. It was simple and that made us accept the illusion of it being "football".

Now we can see just by looking at someone through the face mask who they are. See the beads of sweet run down their face ect. We wonder why can't we do everything that the real people do on sundays.

I think we need to back away for a sec and just enjoy the game.

# 5 Tywon @ 07/14/08 03:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phobia


	I think we need to back away for a sec and just enjoy the game.

That's the best advice I've read on these boards in weeks.

# 6 Herky @ 07/14/08 03:28 PM

I think the main reasons for gripes is as far as next gen goes, there have been a lot of issues with sports games. College Hoops 2K8 is really fun and pretty realistic IMO, but after that games have been so buggy on next gen consoles that it kills realism.

Madden 08 is pretty fun on PS2 even with it's problems, but at least you can play a game and have fun without issues that ruin gameplay.

It's year what now on next gen and there are still problems? I know nobody want's to hear about NCAA 2004 again, but why after so many years since then can't EA seem to release a football game without a big bug in it? )2005 was a mess with the drops).

Next gen has been as disaster for NCAA and Madden and it's just frustrating when you shell out $60 for a unfinished or half assed product.

Rant over and I'm done bitching. Let's just hope this thing gets fixed and I'm still on the fence, but leaning towards waiting.

# 7 BigDofBA @ 07/14/08 03:31 PM

It's ironic that people talk about how great old games like Tecmo Bowl were and bash today's games. In actualy reality, games of today blow games of the past out of the water.

Everytime a game is released people pick it apart to no end. It's a result of us becoming spoiled. Remember when you couldn't edit anything, play online, have deep dynasties, etc?

There are some valid complaints but there seems to be way more nagging. Sports games are released every year so there isn't going to be any drastic changes year to year.

Games aren't fun today because people have picked them apart before they have even played them.

# 8 crques @ 07/14/08 03:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phobia


	I agree. I remember playing football games because they were fun as hell to play. Now I find myself nitpickin every little thing about sports titles. I think this happened for most of us when sports games made the jump from being blotchs on the screen to more detail realistic games. At that point we have wanted more more more more more and this has caused us to loss sight that just 10 years ago we were watching a little blue blob named thurman thomas running for the bills. We had three different running animations, left right and striaght. It was simple and that made us accept the illusion of it being "football". Now we can see just by looking at someone through the face mask who they are. See the beads of sweet run down their face ect. We wonder why can't we do everything that the real people do on sundays. I think we need to back away for a sec and just enjoy the game.

I think I had more fun with the first 2 Tecmo Bowls than any other football game out there and it's for the reasons you mentioned above. Back then we didn't have the internet to tell us about all the glitches and bugs before we even bought the game, and we didn't have sliders to adjust. We played the game as it was and accepted it because it was simple and fun and the only thing we could really do with it was play.

# 9 ehh @ 07/14/08 03:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigDofBA


	It's ironic that people talk about how great old games like Tecmo Bowl were and bash today's games. In actualy reality, games of today blow games of the past out of the water.

You prove my point to an extent. Going back in time, games like Tecmo Bowl all followed by the golden rules of sports games. 1) It's fun. 2) There are no big glitches.

Things like graphics, realism, features, etc all come down the road, but those two must come first, IMO, because you need to build on a solid foundation. Today's games blow Tecmo Bowl out of the water in terms of graphics, features, options, etc but they have way more glitches and are not as fun & entertaining. I mean, how else can a game like MLB Power Pros survive today? Limited glitches (which almost always leads to great gameplay) and it's a ton of fun.

I really can't think of a single sports game on the nex-gen consoles that doesn't have a ton of glitches. CH2K8 wasn't bad and that's probably why many people view it as the best nex-gen sports game.

That being said, it comes with the territory since games have so much more these days and are more complicated. More features, more chances something will go wrong or contain a bug.

But again, I will stand by the idea that different people like different things in a sports game. If graphics, options and features galore are what makes you happy then you enjoy what nex-gen sports games have to offer.

# 10 bhurst99 @ 07/14/08 03:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tywon


	That's the best advice I've read on these boards in weeks.

I think the negatives in these games tend to get more attention than the positives. Just appreciate the fun of the game. I know that I can get lost adjusting sliders. You can spend hours doing that or recruiting which isn't too exciting.

# 11 ehh @ 07/14/08 03:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by crques


	I think I had more fun with the first 2 Tecmo Bowls than any other football game out there and it's for the reasons you mentioned above. Back then we didn't have the internet to tell us about all the glitches and bugs before we even bought the game, and we didn't have sliders to adjust. We played the game as it was and accepted it because it was simple and fun and the only thing we could really do with it was play.

I think this is true but to a very limited extent. I hated NCAA '05, '06 and '08 on Xbox but I love '07, regardless of what people said on here. IMO, '07 is what NCAA '05 should have been.

I mean, can you name a true glitch in Tecmo Bowl? Was there anyone who didn't have fun with Tecmo Bowl? It was wacky and arcadish but there weren't any big glitches and it was fun as hell. I don't think it was because the Net wasn't around and there was no one who could point out the flaws, I just think it was a fun, glitch-free game.

Simple and fun vs. glitches and bugs.

# 12 Illcat @ 07/14/08 03:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phobia


	I agree. I remember playing football games because they were fun as hell to play. Now I find myself nitpickin every little thing about sports titles. I think this happened for most of us when sports games made the jump from being blotchs on the screen to more detail realistic games. At that point we have wanted more more more more more and this has caused us to loss sight that just 10 years ago we were watching a little blue blob named thurman thomas running for the bills. We had three different running animations, left right and striaght. It was simple and that made us accept the illusion of it being "football". Now we can see just by looking at someone through the face mask who they are. See the beads of sweet run down their face ect. We wonder why can't we do everything that the real people do on sundays. I think we need to back away for a sec and just enjoy the game.

I do agree; technological leaps have made us even more critical.

I think what we also need to factor in that a lot of us sports games consumers are older now and our lives are vastly different from when we were playing Madden, when he was still on the cover or Bill Walsh's College Football. I was in college back then and I'm telling you, it didn't matter so much if a sports game stunk or had it's quirks; we still played it to death. I was so irresponsible back then and money just didn't mean all that much to me. I blew through it like bags of Doritos. Now, I'm 36 and when I go get a game sure, I expect it to be fun but I also expect what I see on that screen to justify the $60 bones I just dropped on the game. My biggest gripe about sports games (especially football) is all the countless hours of tweaking that goes on after the purchase. I almost feel like I should be getting paid for the hours of work that I put in to make the game playable. Ultimately, this decreases my time in actually play with the game. But, this is the world of a sports games and I accept it because "all the classic games had glaring issues; from Tecmo Bowl to the 2K series these games had huge flaws but we were able to still enjoy the games." IMO, NCAA will be no different. If we didn't have the ability to tweak like we can now we would just play and prolly b!tch less. Sure, technology has upped what I want to see in terms of eye candy and gameplay but at the core; I just want the game to be engaging and worth my purchase.

# 13 ForeseenBurrito @ 07/14/08 03:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ehh


	I think this is true but to a very limited extent. I hated NCAA '05, '06 and '08 on Xbox but I love '07, regardless of what people said on here. IMO, '07 is what NCAA '05 should have been. I mean, can you name a true glitch in Tecmo Bowl? Was there anyone who didn't have fun with Tecmo Bowl? It was wacky and arcadish but there weren't any big glitches and it was fun as hell. I don't think it was because the Net wasn't around and there was no one who could point out the flaws, I just think it was a fun, glitch-free game. Simple and fun vs. glitches and bugs.

I guarantee that if you go back and play Tecmo Bowl for an extended period of time, you will find some kind of glitch.

# 14 WallaceNails @ 07/14/08 03:59 PM

I have had the game since Friday. It is a great game. Go buy it. Really...

# 15 BigDofBA @ 07/14/08 04:00 PM

Why don't people realize that there weren't any glitches with Tecmo Bowl because it was really simple software. It wasn't advanced at all. If they game came out today it would be ripped to shreds. Weren't there only like two formations and 8 plays in that game?

If it weren't for the internet, I wouldn't worry about half of these glitches. I would name OU's roster, a few stud players, and maybe the top 25 teams and be on my way.

People read up on things and start hating the game before it ever comes out. While I do think that some of the complaints are valid, in some ways the game doesn't stand a chance.

This game is better then Tecmo bowl, trust me.

Again, games aren't fun today because people find every little thing that is wrong with them and then they spend more time looking for bugs then actually enjoying the game.

# 16 ForeseenBurrito @ 07/14/08 04:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigDofBA


	Why don't people realize that there weren't any glitches with Tecmo Bowl because it was really simple software. It wasn't advanced at all. If they game came out today it would be ripped to shreds. Weren't there only like two formations and 8 plays in that game? If it weren't for the internet, I wouldn't worry about half of these glitches. I would name OU's roster, a few stud players, and maybe the top 25 teams and be on my way. People read up on things and start hating the game before it ever comes out. While I do think that some of the complaints are valid, in some ways the game doesn't stand a chance. This game is better then Tecmo bowl, trust me. Again, games aren't fun today because people find every little thing that is wrong with them and then they spend more time looking for bugs then actually enjoying the game.

I agree 100%. The simple fact of the matter is that every game will have some kind of flaws or glitches. Every game does. How big, or "game breaking" those are varies. No game is perfect, but we shouldn't completely destroy a game based on a forum post.

# 17 Illcat @ 07/14/08 04:08 PM

I am still very amped to get my hands on this game!

The demo got me hyped, the impressions and videos made me salivate, the roster stuff was sort of a downer but, I'll be there at midnight to quench my thirst for a football fix.

# 18 ehh @ 07/14/08 04:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Illcat


	But, this is the world of a sports games and I accept it because "all the classic games had glaring issues; from Tecmo Bowl to the 2K series these games had huge flaws but we were able to still enjoy the games." IMO, NCAA will be no different.

True, but there is a difference between glitches and game play limitations.

The basic game play of Tecmo Bowl was ridiculous - have defenders that were 10x faster than your WR/RB and even FASTER if they were far behind you so they could always catch up, instead of defensive plays you tried to pick the O's play and if you guessed it right it was a jail break, etc.

Could you imagine if you had to juke the same defender four times in NCAA 09 like you had to in Tecmo Bowl?

I mean it's as far from realistic as you could get BUT the game did not have large glitches. Tecmo chose to create a crazy interpretation of the NFL and executed it as intended.

# 19 BigDofBA @ 07/14/08 04:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ForeseenBurrito


	I agree 100%. The simple fact of the matter is that every game will have some kind of flaws or glitches. Every game does. How big, or "game breaking" those are varies. No game is perfect, but we shouldn't completely destroy a game based on a forum post.

No kidding. Old games like Tecmo bowl were fun because people didn't pick them apart before they were released. Seriously, if Tecmo bowl was released today people would hate it.

Still, there are some valid complaints. This roster thing is valid. I hope EA patches it quickly or we find out what the problem is.

I am sick of hearing that we are going to get alternate uniforms or patches to fix problems and then they are never released or released after the season is over.

# 20 SoxFan01605 @ 07/14/08 04:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigDofBA


	Why don't people realize that there weren't any glitches with Tecmo Bowl because it was really simple software. It wasn't advanced at all. If they game came out today it would be ripped to shreds. Weren't there only like two formations and 8 plays in that game? If it weren't for the internet, I wouldn't worry about half of these glitches. I would name OU's roster, a few stud players, and maybe the top 25 teams and be on my way. People read up on things and start hating the game before it ever comes out. While I do think that some of the complaints are valid, in some ways the game doesn't stand a chance. This game is better then Tecmo bowl, trust me. Again, games aren't fun today because people find every little thing that is wrong with them and then they spend more time looking for bugs then actually enjoying the game.

This is so true. I've been guilty of this myself. Here a game get ripped to shreds and start to notice things I wouldn't normally. I remember when The Show 08 first came out...there were twenty or so pages of glitches in a matter of a few hours (many of them repeated). The 2K8 forum was alive with "look at how glitched The Show is...no way I'm buying that garbage" type threads. All this without laying their own hands on a game. What ever happened to giving a game a try and seeing if YOU like it? In the end, there is a give and take with sites like OS. I, personally, can't imagine not having some of the great resources I've gained from this site (Knight's roster edits for The Show come to mind)...but you have to take some of the criticisms and praises you read on here with a grain of salt and decide for yourself.

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