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Developer: 2K Sports
Publisher: 2K Sports
Genre: Sports
Region: NTSC
Format:
Release Date: 14 Nov 05
User Rating
10 (1 vote) -
- March Madness comes early as 2K Sports releases an smooth flowing basketball game, complete with a huge franchise mode and Live online play.
Overview
Can you believe it? March Madness is just right around the corner it seems as though the years are passing us time. March may not be a huge sports month, but it is a time for all the best in college basketball. If you are one that doesn't want to wait for March to come around, well then you can always play through this year's season on your own. And we are going to be reviewing a game today that would allow you to do just that in College Hoops 2K6 from 2K Sports and Visual Concepts. The big question on everyone's mind is can this game live up the hype that has been put around it? Read our full review to find out!
Gameplay
I have always been one of those sports fans that would be considered a complete playoff watcher when it comes to College Basketball. In fact I very rarely watch college basketball unless it is in the month of March, so I can't say that I am a huge college basketball fan. But at the same token I do follow it with a fair amount of consistency. One thing I do pay attention to even more thoroughly is the College Basketball games, which I am actually a huge fan of. Visual Concepts has been doing a good job with their College Hoops series, which is back this year in 2K6, and is trying to change things up a bit to win the crown in 2006. How do things go for them?
Well one of the things I should discuss right away is the new control scheme in 2K6, which basically attempts to innovate the typical basketball controls by using the analog sticks to the game's advantage. The game uses the right analog stick for shooting, which means you will have to pull back on the stick and then release it. Now of course this isn't something that everyone will pick up after a few tries, but something that takes a long while to get used to. This new system does put a lot more emphasis on your skill rather then the statistics, but be prepared. Like I mentioned it does take a while to get used to, so the developers did leave in the ability to go back to the old way if desired.
When playing just a standard basketball game, you can see the big difference between this game and the pro game, which was something a couple of years ago, would not have been as obvious. The game just flows with the same sort of nature that we have come to love out of college basketball, and they managed to bring this sort of style beautifully in the game. I also have to say that the new play calling system, which allows you to use the D-Pad to call plays also works very smoothly, and keep the action on the court even more realistic.
One thing that the whole 2K6 franchise has been known for is the modes of choice, which are usually very abundant. This trend continues in College Hoops 2K6, which proves to be a game full of a lot of different options. For example the big mode where a lot of people will fill their time is in the legacy mode, which is a fancy name for a Franchise mode. This mode of course puts a heavy emphasis on winning basketball games and recruiting, both of which is done very well in the game. This mode is rich with stats and customization options, which are done very nicely in this game as well. The mode had me addicted for quite sometime, and I have to say that it was the highlight of the game.
In the end College Hoops 2K6 plays beautifully. In fact the flow of the game is probably the best out of any basketball game this year. The modes are plentiful with a great online mode on Xbox Live, and just a ton of other modes to check out. None of these modes really bring anything overly new to this series, but at the same time they work well. I have to say that I was extremely impressed with this game. With a budget price you would expect the gameplay not to have as many great improvements as what was given in College Hoops 2K6.
Graphics
The only real issue I had with this game was in the visuals, which really lack in terms of detail and fluidity. First off the player models are as bland as player models get these days with, very little detail and extremely generic designs. On the other end of the court the animation in the game also struggles with a less than perfect frame rate, and just a not so perfect view of basketball. Maybe we have been spoiled by the great visuals of the NBA Live and NBA 2K games, but it was just sad to see that the visuals couldn't keep up in College Hoops 2K6.
Fun Factor
I have always felt that watching professional sports was more enjoyable than college, but playing college video games was more fun than professional. In College Hoops 2K6 this comes true again because the developers manage to provide a great college feel to a game that just plays and feels like the real thing. The gameplay in this title is full of new features, a great new control scheme, and a ton of modes to choose from. If you found yourself enjoying the NBA 2K6 game, or even the previous College Hoops game, you will find a lot to love about College Hoops 2K6.
Overall
Although visually the game may not be up to par, in the gameplay end of things, things are going beautifully. I have to say that the developers hit a bull's eye with this game, providing great gameplay, lots of mode selection, and just an overall great college basketball experience. If you can't wait any longer for March Madness to start, College Hoops 2K6 is a good game to keep you occupied.
- Gameplay
9.0 - Graphics
7.0 - Fun Factor
9.0 - Overall
9.0
