There is a common, albeit seldom acknowledged, idea held among those who consider themselves experts on the game of basketball. And that is that while the professional ranks of the NBA contain the highest caliber of athlete and individual competitor, the Division I college game is the pinnacle of basketball fundamentals and technique. We all acknowledge that the NBA is made up of the best hardwood inclined athletes, but we also recognize that there is something special, and more fundamental, in the college basketball.
It's with that mindset that I approached reviewing NCAA Basketball 09, convinced that I'd be getting my hands on an experience that, while not entirely like its NBA counterpart, would be unique and satisfying, perhaps more so than some NBA games.
In short, I was wrong.
First let's acknowledge what NCAA Basketball 09 does right. The inclusion of NCAA Division I coaches is a plus for the additional credibility and realism it adds, but also for the smoothness it provides in integrating more coaching feedback and team strategy. A lot of the advice that coaches chime in with can feel stale and reused, but it's an effort in the right direction, and lends to a more strategic orientation in the series.
Tied to the more strategic input you'll be receiving is the emphasis on tempo and your team's style of play. Some schools will naturally be predisposed to a one style of play more than another based on their personnel and coach's personal preference. Some teams will play a more up tempo game, capitalizing on defensive stops and pushing back for quick scoring opportunities on offense, others will trust a more methodical approach and try to wear down their opponents through precise execution in the half court game. It's a simple mechanic based on a more complex real life dynamic, but it works to further blend an element of team strategy into your decision making process, and the game keeps you aware of this balance at all times with an on-screen meter to measure which team is controlling the tempo to their liking.
NCAA Basketball 09 is one of the best looking hoops game of any kind. Player models are constructed with authenticity, taking into account that the current college athlete is not built quite like a pro athlete. Textures are stunning, lighting renders realistically, and animations are smooth and believable. Even while certain aspects of gameplay fall short, NCAA Basketball 09 looks amazing.
UNC's Tyler Hansbrough
Unfortunately, apart from a couple of new gameplay focuses and some improved visuals, NCAA Basketball 09 doesn't deliver the quality college hoops experience we were all hoping for. EA's latest attempt in the college basketball market feels sadly like a game that knows what it's trying to do, but simply doesn't have the system in place to realize the vision. Throughout playing NCAA Basketball 09 you'll feel like you're being implored to play in a way that is conducive to college basketball, which is logical, but then face frustration when you realize that EA simply doesn't make a game that is properly tailored to the college basketball.
The primary difference between the NBA 2K series and the NBA Live series is EA's emphasis on isolation and individual player control in NBA Live and 2K Sports' emphasis on team control and realistically reacting A.I in NBA 2K. Contrasting the two styles in the context of NBA games reveals a closer contest, one that is decided largely by preference. This is because in today's NBA, a lot of offenses still thrive off of isolation and simple pick and roll plays, so the Live series still measures relatively close to the product its simulating, while 2K goes further by capturing several more nuances and details. In the college game, however, these differences become accentuated.
The current college game is far less oriented around individual isolation and more focused on a balanced offense and transition scoring opportunities. NCAA Basketball 09 tried to capture the fast breaking spirit of an up tempo college game, and in some ways they got that aspect right. The transition game can be fun when you've taken the right steps to get tempo going your way (taking good shots on offense, playing aggressive defense, etc). It's in the half court game where NCAA Basketball 09 sputters awkwardly.
EA touts “authentic” styles of play, but a majority of the time anything resembling authentic is choked out by instances of poor A.I and bad controls. Play calling can occasionally result in an organized and high percentage shot for your team, but you'll also see a lot of your teammates standing around after you've called a specific play. Simple ball movement and being patient is usually the best strategy offensively, and you it can work well enough to be enjoyable. You can manage well enough given ample time to get used to the way things play in NCAA Basketball 09, but it's clear after several hours that you'll be adapting to the oddities and shortcomings of the game, not seamlessly slipping into an enjoyable authentic experience.
The game thankfully handles better defensively, providing you with a number of full court presses and traps that actually work if you can keep a fresh squad out there with enough speed to cover a lot of ground. Unfortunately you'll still occasionally be frustrated by lackluster controls that simply don't respond or respond wildly right when you need a swift move to step into a passing lane or cut off an opposing offensive player. In one instance I was running a 2-1-2 press and managed to trap the opposing point guard at the half court line repeatedly. He was able to pass out of our trap, but a couple of times I was able to read the open man he was about to pass to, however when I tried to switch to another one of my players, I would immediately and inexplicably be switched back to the previous player I was controlling at half court. It seemed I was unable to make that switch right when I needed to.
Coaching is an added emphasis in this year's release
Getting away from the clunky team controls in NCAA Basketball 09, much of the individual ball handler and post player controls are the same as in NBA Live, albeit not as smooth or refined. The basic controls are the same for controlling a perimeter ball handler in isolation, but somehow they feel less fluid than in Live. The result is a less effective, less fun, experience. Perhaps the pared down offensive control was a sort of an intentional nudge towards a more team oriented game, which is fine, provided EA could establish an environment conducive to that philosophy, which evidently they could not.
The post game introduced one useful new feature in the simple, but challenging, drop step move. You're essentially using the right stick to try and leverage position on your opponent in the post; successfully applied the drop step maneuver will move you around the defender either creating space for a jumper or leaving you open space for a drive towards the basket. Alternatively you can anticipate a drop step move and counter accordingly on defense, once again using the right stick, to stop the move and force the offensive player off balance and out of position. This is probably the one and only redeeming aspect of the post game, and maybe the entire offensive controls as a whole. It's something we'd like to see incorporated into the post game mechanics of other hoops games.
Beyond the straight head-to-head match-ups you won't find many other modes in NCAA Basketball 09. Standard online and offline tournament modes are the only other options other than Dynasty mode. In Dynasty mode you either take an existing coach and build a program into a powerhouse, or create your own coach and ascend the ranks of NCAA greats. The Dynasty mode is sufficient, and gives you the control to set the style of play for your program, recruit future prospects and control the direction of your team's improvement. The ability to build up a program by really executing in game – controlling tempo, defeating rivals, etc – is a plus and while it's not the best mode we could hope for, it's probably the only real draw for the game.
Transition opportunities are key when controlling tempo
Audio overall in NCAA Basketball 09 is impressive, the commentary provided Brad Nessler and Dick Vitale provides at least a decent break down of the action. The sound effects and crowd noises are the most note worthy, bringing the sounds of a college basketball game to life with appropriate organized chants, cheers, and jeers coming from the crowd always at the right time. It's a small touch, but one of the few enjoyable details in the game.
NCAA Basketball 09 clearly had the right idea all along, but there seems to be some disconnect between what EA clearly recognizes a college basketball game should be, and the way they chose to implement the gameplay in this installment. Considering this is the only college hoops game in town this season, if you must have your fix of NCAA basketball, try this one out. You can have fun with NCAA Basketball 09, you'll just have to try hard at it and overlook the shortcomings. You won't get the most authentic experience, despite what's promised on the back of the box, but at the very least you'll get a mildly entertaining dose of college hoops.
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6.8