Hoop, there it is!

Want a chance to make history? Want to create a dynasty to rival the likes of John Wooden? Here is your chance.

EA Sports has released NCAA March Madness 2004 on the PlayStation2, a wonderful collegiate hoops experience featuring a bevy of options and couples that with solid game play.

The game features more than 320 teams, each with playbooks that mirror the actual school. Play modes include season, dynasty, a mascot game, and rivalry games – real or imagined. Of course, what would a March Madness title be without tournament formats. That’s here, too.

The big thing is the online support. You will need to have an EA Account (but can use your AOL, AOL IM, Compuserve 2000 or Netscape AOL Instant Messenger accounts). There is the standard server lobby, a match-up room and online tournaments and rankings.

Returning in this edition is the terrific Create-A-School option for those who want to draft, or create players and their own school and then work through a grueling schedule to the conference tourney and maybe even that little tourney they have each March. This is a mode that really allows gamers to customize their own game.

Getting into the title is easy, pick or create a school, and then set up a single game or season and tip it off. The game controls are easy to learn and use. Popping that ‘J’ from beyond the arch, or driving the lane is a breeze.

The franchise certainly does benefit from having some of the top graphics and sound in the genre, but what really makes this a joy is the way the game has been customized to take into account how each team represented plays. If your favorite university has a penchant for firing threes from the parking lot, that is configured into this title.

Graphically the game and the animation are great. The players do move well, and the shadows and highlights are phenomenal. There are some missteps thought. A player, on the opposing team is crowded to the sideline and apparently dribbles the ball on the line – no call. You do it, and the referee whistle is certain to blow.

The sound also has some inconsistencies. Alabama is in transition, having just stolen the ball, and the breakout player is cruising the baseline. The pass goes up, prime time for an alley-oop, but the player hammers the ball into the rim. The announcers, Dick Vitale and Brad Nessler, make a comment about the terrible choice of shots the Crimson Tide is putting up. Pardon? An alley-oop should be a high-percentage shot, especially when the player is unimpeded, and the pass is perfectly laid up there.

EA Sports certainly knows how to crank out top-quality games and March Madness 2004 is certainly no exception. The game sports solid play and online support. There are a few minor annoyances, but overall this game will provide a good gaming fix for collegiate hoops enthusiasts.

This game is rated for Everyone.

Gameplay: 7.8

The game seems to be a little slow paced, and does not sport the pulse-pounding, floor-racing frenetic pace often associated with NCAA hoops. However the game is seamless in other regards, and from the opening tip to the final buzzer, plays well.

Graphics: 8.4

The graphical elements are quite good, when it comes to the floor. The faces in the crowd present a different story. Don’t expect to see the fans creating a spectacle in the stands. That is somewhat overlooked, and the game instead concentrates on delivering a solid visual experience from creating the arenas to the high-polished reflective floors.

Sound: 8.5

The announcing is solid, but sometimes just a little out of kilter with the game as it is being played. The crowd noises during the action are very generic. The school fight songs are always a treat, though.

Difficulty: Medium

Concept: 8

This is typical of titles in the past, though that doesn’t make it any less entertaining and enjoyable.

Multiplayer: 8.5

You can play online by creating an EA Account. While the single-player game is fun, this is the type of game that is always better when played against another human foe.

Overall: 8.4

EA continues to drive the lane with the motto ‘It’s in the Game.” This title features much of the game styles that make college basketball so much fun. The only drawback is that it just seems a little slower paced than necessary – at least when working the ball up and down the floor. The passing attack can be rather briskly paced. However, if looking for an enjoyable outing on the hardwood, with solid online support, this is a title that you should look for.