Customer Reviews

NCAA Basketball 09

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

NCAA Basketball 09 is a very good basketball game, but if you own a previous version of a college hoops game, think twice before spending the money to upgrade. I own "College Hoops 2K7" which I purchased for $5, and IMO this game is not all that different or much better. The biggest improvements are the graphics are a little better, and smoother. Obviously it is more polished and takes better advantage of the PS3 hardware than the older game. But for the fun factor, gameplay, and the college hoops experience, I find them equal. If you're looking for a college basketball game and don't own one, I recommend NCAA 09. If you're looking to upgrade from an older version, I suggest you rent first to determine if the high price is worth it.

This game is not without its flaws listed in other reviews. HOWEVER, as someone who is not a college basketball superfan,but still enjoys playing a basketball that might be a year out of date... this is perfect for me. First of all, I only paid $13 (its $8 now) which was $47 less than the 2010 version! I think I can wait til next year and get the 2010 version for cheaper while I play this game and repeat the process every year! Up to date rosters are not a must for me.

The gameplay is enjoyable and I really like playing dynasty mode where you have to start off as a coach in a much lesser known/ smaller program and have to recruit and play much better teams until you can get better job offers, etc. I really like this mode because its exciting to attempt and take a smaller school (NIU, Indiana St, etc) to the NCAA tourney. I'd reccomend it for sure for $8 to anyone who wants some college hoops in their life.

I was pleasantly surprised when I started to play this game (it doesn't suck, and I basically like it). I had previously bought the PS2 versions, March Madness '08, and '06. Both of which I didn't like much (hectic, jerky, unrealistic gameplay). The PS3 graphics are good and the movement of the players is fairly realistic and natural. Also, if you are not trying to control a player, the CPU takes over and moves them where they should be. They won't stop dead in thier tracks like in NFL Madden or NCAA Football. But, stepping out of bounds is loosely enforced.
The stadium (only the playing surface looks like the actual stadium), and crowd graphics are decent for an EA Sports game. The in game commentary with Dick Vitale and Brad Nessler is good and not overdone and annoying like the PS2 versions. The school's fight songs are messed up. I was playing Wisconsin in the dynasty mode, but never heard 'On Wisconsin' played even once.
The big negative is the CPU will CHEAT, and CHEAT again!! The computer opponent will sink 3 point shots like nothing (while your team can't sink a "bunny" shot). Six foot guards will glide down the lane and slam dunk while your 7 foot center stands flat footed and doesn't challenge the shot. The CPU players will dash in grab an offensive rebound while your players stand and watch, Etc., Etc. You can be madly punching buttons on your controller trying to move players over, but the CPU players still dunk or grab the rebound with impunity.
A WARNING: My game disc has frozen up a few times after only about 10 hours of play! I exchanged the game, and the second disc froze up once, but hasn't had that problem after a number of hours of play.
The cheating by the CPU isn't constant, but it, and the freezing up, are the reason I gave the game three stars. I didn't care for the free throw shooting at first. You hold down the circle button until this 'meter' on top of the backboard goes from red to green, then you let off the button. The 'meter' is rather tiny and hard to see, and moves to fast. Eventually I did get the hang of it. Overall, a minor complaint.
The game menus are decent. If you have played EA Sports games before, you shouldn't have to much trouble navigating.
If you like college basketball this is a decently balanced game with good graphics, and fairly realistic natural movement.

I've played just about every edition of EA's college basketball series and 2009 may be the least enjoyable and the most poorly designed. It's a joke. I'm not even sure where to start, but even the smallest things are screwed up, like the difficulty in selecting a player to control even with direct switch. Or how about the fact that you can't select a simple ball screen from your on-the-fly controls -- the most basic element of basketball and it isn't an option.

The pick-and-roll is there but it's a joke as the guy setting the pick doesn't even stand still long enough to accomplish anything. And get this: the same button that controls your special ball-handling moves also sets a pick-and-roll, so one of your guys automatically gets in your way and clogs up the middle while you're trying to break down your defender off the dribble. It's moronic.

But the most frustrating thing, by far, is how the AI seems to work only for the CPU contolled team. On the lowest difficulty level, the CPU's defense makes every switch and rotation with precision -- there's almost never a clear route to the rim and no matter where you go there's at least one CPU player locking you down. But on the flip side, if the opposing point guard gets past you while you're defending, he can invariably walk to the rim while not a single one of your players does a thing. They just stand there.

I could go on and on, but I'll leave with this. In the Tournament of Legends mode, which is a nice idea pitting classic teams throughout history against each other in a March Madness bracket, EA doesn't even bother getting the rosters correct. I tried playing with my 1980 U of L Cardinals and there isn't a single correct player on the ENTIRE roster.

I'll start by saying that the graphics for 09 are better than all the other games(except for later editions). the gameplay is average at best when compared to real life. the thing that really gets me pissed is when u go up for a dunk and then a defender from behind in midair all of a sudden somehow holds u down and ur player takes a ridicoulous shot. the other thing that pisses me off is that no matter how well u play defense on the opponets point guard he can still freking get past u and your teammates do nothing and he gets a free layup.

overall: buy this game because do u really need to pay another 50 bucks for an updated roster. still has its problems but it is still a very fun game to play, especially dynasty mode.

This game was purchase for my son. It must be great, because I can't get him off of it.

It's old, but I just got it with my husband's Christmas gift so he could have something to play. He loves it.

I owned 2008 before this and decided to get this version, just because 2008's controls sucked. Still the old and new versions were fun and this ups the ante just right. The graphics are better, the controls tighter and the action solid. Nothing great or revolutionary, but fun and easy to pick up and play! Plus if you go to one of the schools, the arenas all look great!

The Dynasty mode is a ton of fun and the gameplay is pretty darn good. Once you get used to playing defense, shooting threes and backing down people down low this game is pretty easy to be good at. The game play isn't a ton different from the other college basketball games, but the graphics seem to be way better. If you don't have 07 or 08 and don't wanna spend 50 bucks this game is very fun.

Hello I am an avid EA sports gamer, however, I only like college Football and Basketball. I am finding it harder and harder each year to keep funding EA's minimal efforts on their College Basketball titles. They continue to change almost everything about the games from year to year to no avail. So basically just when you get use to something it is changed again the very next year but it feels like the R & D for the new changes didn't happen. The game-play is so choppy and alien feeling that I spent the first week of ownership just adjusting sliders which this year actually did work. The online play is terrible and because of terribly unrealistic player attributes the lowly schools can beat the best teams like UNC/DUKE/OU/Texas/Kansas/Pitt/UCONN etc.. with ease.

Online play is atrocious... If you are winning all the other player needs to do is quit and you will not get credit for the "W" unless you are deep into the 2nd half, so basically they quit at half-time when they know that you will win. I must admit although online play is really bad, I am still compelled to continue playing.

Back to player attributes.. All Freshmen were given ridiculously high player attributes meaning that online people just sub in their Freshmen and they play like Lebron James x5 players all game. EA has offered no patches for this even with the outcry from the gaming community. This game gets low marks from me because I refuse to lower my standards and expectations.

I would like to say though that with a few tweaks and some more checks and balances this game could be great, It just isn't now though. Next year I will either rent or borrow this game first before playing it. At times this game is a step away from genius but then falls into morbid disabilities.

Come on EA start trying a little harder please.