NCAA Basketball 10

If you are a fan of sports games, then you will know that soccer, X-games and basketball have pretty much-been top of the pile for a long time. The NBA 2K series has obviously been the frontrunner in the field of basketball but there have been another set of supporting games that have aimed to offer something a little different. One of which is the NCAA series that aims to offer all the brilliance of march madness, giving players the opportunity to play as college teams and see the more junior side of the game. The game in question here is NCAA Basketball 2010.

This game plays like the other titles in the NCAA Basketball series as well as the aforementioned NBA 2K series. However, it also has similarities to games like NBA Street, NBA Live and NBA Elite. This game aims to the the number one choice for anyone who adores college ball and, in this review, we find out how well this game represents this beloved format of the sport. This is our review of NCAA Basketball 2010.

Toss me the Rock

First of all, lets talk about the improvements the game has made in authenticity. This iteration of the series offers new licences with ESPN and CBS which litter the courts and screen graphic, making everything feel much truer to reality. Then in addition to this, there has been an update on the commentary and pundit teams you’ll witness in this title. You’ll now have Dick Vitale, Brad Nessler and Erin Andrews having their say on the action. It’s a welcome change that offers a much more extensive set of quips than what was there previously.

Then with regards to the visual display on offer, the game is naturally a step up from that which has come before. With the use of better facial recognition software amongst other things, the game presents character models that look the part. Animations are also great and player creation is also handled well to boot. So in terms of a look and authentic feel, this game handles each aspect with aplomb.

Same Old EA

EA has garnered a reputation within the gaming industry for being nefarious and untrustworthy. This is likely not news to you but we are going to give you yet another example as to why this is the case. While this game does focus on the college basketball teams and offers a comprehensive set of teams and players, there is very little that separates this game from NBA Live 2010.

This game has the same control issues, the same brain-dead AI, the same laughable glitches and the same mechanical issues that will see you giving away needless free throws through no fault of your own. This is essentially a reskin of an already existing product and that’s fine if you buy the NCAA games exclusively. But for NBA fans, this might rub you the wrong way.

The Verdict

Overall, this game does just about as good a job as NBA Live 2010 does at offering an authentic basketball sim. The attention to detail when representing college ball is appreciated and this is undoubtedly a step forward from the last NCAA title.

However, we can’t help but feel this is a cheap money grab from EA with NBA Live 2010 acting as a blueprint for this game with all the flaws left in.

Pros:

• Authentic college basketball representation
• Graphically a step up from past NCAA games

Cons:

• Essentially a reskin of NBA Live 2010
• AI issues can be frustrating