I have been a College Hoops 2K fan since the inception of the series back on my PS2. As a huge fan of college basketball, I always loved how 2K was able to get the little things about the game right. I loved how they would include all the teams, all the fight songs, all the mascots, all the arenas, all the jerseys, and it didn't hurt that the game always played great.

As the years progressed, the 2K engine started showing its age, and I became increasingly bored with the series up until College Hoops 2K8 was released last November. 2K8 was the pinnacle of college hoops gaming -- from the outstanding pregame analysis, to the weekly wrap up shows, to the incredibly deep gameplay mechanics, CH 2K8 was a college basketball fan's dream come true. Needless to say, I was crushed earlier this year when I heard that 2K would no longer be continuing the franchise that had left me wanting more after the release of 2K8.

I'll admit it, I actually laughed when I heard EA was scrapping March Madness in favor of a more generic title, NCAA Basketball 09. The March Madness series had been in shambles since its inception on the PS2, and I really could not see things getting any better with this year's title. The series needed to be reinvented from the ground up to even be playable -- a feat that seems impossible to accomplish in today's quick-fix, financially driven gaming industry.

Sure, EA had accomplished this monumental task before, taking the Triple Play baseball series and creating the critically acclaimed MVP series, but basketball has not been EA's strong suit during the last decade. I had zero expectations for this year's crop of EA hoops titles and had negative expectations (if that's even possible) for the newly coined NCAA Basketball 09. But I have had a good time with NBA Live this year, so I thought I would give NCAA Basketball 09 a chance as well.

Jumping In

When I look at a basketball game, authenticity is important to me, but what is more important to me is a simple control scheme and presentation system that is able to convey the illusion that I am part of an actual hoops game. But, I think over the years, basketball games have gotten away from the simplicity that made them so fun. I have been pushing for a basketball game that has that simplicity element from yesteryear -- coupled with beautiful graphics and presentation. In fact, it's a dynamic that I have been craving for ever since I bought my PS3 and 360.

So with that in mind, I have to say that NCAA Basketball is a superb video game that should be played by anyone who is a fan of college basketball and old-school, simplistic basketball games that have an underlying layer of depth.

Gameplay

NCAA Basketball is simply an outstanding experience. If you enjoyed Live but were annoyed by clipping issues, strange animation glitches and other graphical oddities, you will be extremely pleased with NCAA 09. The game is very polished, and player movement and animations look and feel great. You will no longer see the ball magically clip through bodies when throwing the ball into the post; you will no longer see players' arms and legs clip through opponents; and more importantly, you will no longer lose control of your player when you initiate a crossover animation.

The overall feel to the game is also solid. Players seem to move at just the right pace, court spacing is just right (it felt a bit cluttered in CH 2K8 and Live 09), and there does not seem to be a problem with the nasty CPU defensive rubber-banding that plagued Live this season.

The CPU also seems to make smart decisions. Your CPU opponents will work the ball around and try to find the open man. I was pretty impressed while playing against Duke since the CPU player attacked my defense, causing it to collapse, and then the Duke player kicked the ball out for an open 3.

It seems like EA was able to nail player movement and team movement this year. As I said before, Live felt very cluttered in terms of court spacing, leading to a lot of needless turnovers due to clogged passing lanes -- it also did not help that Live's passing was iffy when not using icon passing.

Player control is a huge step up from Live and CH 2K8 as well. Live at times felt clunky due to an animation/momentum system that would send you wildly out of control if you chained certain Ankle-Breaker combos together. In CH 2K8, I had major issues creating space against defenders due to an Isomotion system that felt very stiff, and a defense that seemed to stick to me like gum on a new pair of shoes.

NCAA 09 solves both of these issues by somewhat toning down how your player reacts during dribble moves and turbo usage. As you can see in my demo preview, this was one area of the game I was most worried about. My biggest gripe in college basketball games is when the developer gives college kids the same crossover move-set as the NBA players. So after comparing the final build to the demo, I was very surprised to see the Ankle-Breaker moves had been toned down.

In general, it just seems like the moves are not as emphasized as they are in Live. The game allows you to succeed playing an isolation style game, but it makes you work much harder than if you were to employ a more team-based attack.

On the defensive side of the ball, NCAA 09 seems to be a bit more polished than Live. As you can see in my article detailing Live's defensive mechanics, it took a lot of practice to master D in Live. In NCAA 09, it seems to be a bit easier to play defense because your CPU teammates actually play help defense and will effectively rotate to take on your man if he blows past you.

Lock-on defense seems to be a bit easier to utilize in NCAA 09, as does Lockdown Defense. The CPU -- even on the highest difficulties -- does not seem to blow by you as easily when you commit to the wrong direction using Lockdown Defense. Also, the CPU seems to shy away from aggressive D by kicking the ball out to a more open player (I'm pretty sure this is because the CPU wants to avoid a five-second call). Post defense is also improved, and it seems much easier to negate a big man in the paint.

As Chris already mentioned in his review, the playcalling is a basketball gamer's dream. It's easy to call plays, and they are executed to perfection when called. The computer even gets into the act -- the CPU did not in the demo -- and calls multiple screens, rolls and defensive presses/traps. I was very impressed by what the CPU was throwing at me on All-Conference difficulty.

I did not have any trouble with the rebounding; though, Chris did. I have not encountered any instances where players have been in poor position or didn't go aggressively after a board. I think the rebounding engine is a step up from Live 09 because in that game I have noticed numerous oddities, like balls being prematurely taken off rims and strange box out positioning. I'm not saying the rebounding system is perfect, but it does not stop me from playing the game either.

The gameplay is a great representation of college basketball, and the Set the Tempo feature adds another layer to the gameplay. It was fun to run an up-tempo style, and it was also a blast to slow things down while attempting to beat Duke with my Alma Mater, the University of Detroit. The temp feature seems to work, but I do not think you need to utilize it to be successful in the game. It does seem that quicker, more athletic teams will have more success running against weaker schools, and the weaker schools will be more successful slowing the game down and grinding out baskets. It's a really cool feature, and it does not feel as cheap/gimmicky; I originally thought otherwise in my demo impressions.

Presentation

The presentation in the game is nice but is lacking depth. I like the ESPN music and Nessler and Vitale in the booth, but I still think back to the outstanding pregame presentation and weekly TV highlight shows in CH 2K8. There is the play of the half and play of the game, complete with full motion highlights, but this is an area where NCAA 09 is severely lacking -- especially when compared to College Hoops 2K8.

The presentation as it is, is still nice. The crowds are lively, the audio is good, and the commentary works. The NCAA developers just need to step it up a few notches next year and they will be good to go. The gameplay is there, now they have to work on the little details, much like NCAA Football 09.

Intangibles

NCAA 09 has one of the coolest features I have seen in any sports game: the Rival indicator. When anyone signs online and his or her selected favorite team is a rival of yours, an indicator will appear telling you there is a rival online. All you have to do is press the left stick and it will show you where on a map of the USA/Canada the rival is playing from, and what team he has selected. Last night I signed in (University of Detroit is my favorite school), and I was notified that there were two Butler fans online residing in Indiana and Tennessee. If I wanted to challenge them to a game, all I had to do was press a button and wait for them to accept. You can also use a filter to view who is online with a top 25 team selected. The feature is really cool, and it gives you a sense of campus rivalry within a community.

Overall

NCAA Basketball 09 is my pick for comeback sports game of the year. Nitpick all you want (and people will), but the bottom line is that the game is a lot of fun. Sure it does not have online dynasty, campus legend, or five-on-five online, but those missing parts are offset by a solid playing title and a great Dynasty mode that is simple to play. Sure, there are improvements that can be made next year, and sure you may run into the occasional gameplay hiccup, but anyone who loves college basketball and loves basketball games should check this title out. Personally my copy of NBA Live 09 just found a new home next to the other games collecting dust in my entertainment room. NCAA Basketball 09 will be getting a lot of play even after March Madness has ended.