Customer Reviews

NCAA March Madness 2003

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I checked out a conversation on Operationsports.com, where an editor picked up the game and played it through and answered questions. March Madness 2003 is graphically appealing and has a good style to it, but it's much more arcade gameplay than the real college basketball fan might want.
It's very comparable to NBA Live 2003, in that offenses are one on one isolation and high scoring affairs. The freestyle control is there, so it will be very fun to breakdown defenders off the dribble with all kinds of sweet moves. Also, there are A.I. sliders to tone the game to what you really want to play it at.
Still, the game will play more arcade than simulation. While that may be something more appealing to others, it's just not really what I want to see. I want to see ball movement, screens, and even motion on the offense, and that's something I dont think you'll get too much of in MM2003. The crowd is decently intensive and the announcers (Dicky V and Nessler) do a pretty good job, but there isn't the ability for Nessler to announce player names, so there's already a bit that detracts from the presentation.
You're not going to have one of those 53-50 games, where it's good, hard college basketball. Also, you're only going to be able to play with the major conferences. sure there's 100 something teams, but where's the Missouri Valley, or even WAC?
No Kent State? Denied!
If you're interested in a good simulation that you want to play and thorougly enjoy, check out NCAA College Basketball 2K3 by Sega coming out 12/3. It's got 300+ teams, a more team oriented gameplay, a better presentation with the ESPN style and the broadcaster's ability to announce players names (which you can have the game randomly generate and then go in and edit the ones you know), and an outrageously deeper dynasty mode. Not only can you keep track of one team for a long time, but you could also stay with a coach in his career as he switches schools trying to build a program. Also, there are over 50 different arenas/stadiums/fieldhouses and courts for every team in the game. There's only 3 generic arenas in MM 2003.
Overall, I think MM 2003 is a good arcade game to rent and play amongst friends for some outrageous scores and sweet, ankle breaking, crossovers. However, if you're interested in a deep dynasty, running offenses, recruiting the next conference player of the year, etc... you should really check out NCAA College Basketball 2k3 by Sega.
I'm not an editor, have any relation to either company, but I have heavily researched the two games and have read or talked to people who have played BOTH games and weighed a well-informed opinion accordingly.

I have been waiting for EA sports to come out with a good college basketball game, and they finally have. I have March Madness 2000, and 2001 for playstaion, and 2002 for ps2. I was excited about 2002 thinking it was going to be good, but I was wrong. In March Madness 2002 you can't play a season, you can only play a tournament. I was disappointed with 2002, but 2003 is great. I recently got March Madness 2003, and the graphics are awesome. The gameplay is great,too. March Madness is the true college basketball expirence. If you truly love college basketball then go and get this game you won't regret it. March Madness 2002 is by far the best college basketball game I have ever played.

I made the misake of buying EA's March Madness 2003 because I love college hoops and EA's NCAA Football 2003 is the best college football game on the market.

Boy was I wrong. MM 2003 is not even close to being on the same par as a game. The detail to the arena's is not even close (they are all pretty much the same except the courts), the play by play doesn't say the players' names and more importantly the gameplay is not realistic.

This game is all about streetball. Every player just double pump slam dunks and you have to do that to keep up in the game. If you don't run n' gun, or isolate and double pump slam you're done. The computer rarely, if ever, misses a shot and there are 20 or so blocked shots every game. Also, the cut scenes of the players stealing the coach's seat and tapping their teammate on the shoulder are funny the first 6 - 8 times you see them in every game, after that they are just annoying.

After being dissapointed I went and bought Sega's NCAA College Basketball 2K3 and it is MUCH better! The game still doesn't have the amount of correct detail for all arenas as EA's NCAA College Football 2003, but its better than MM 2003.

In NCAA 2K3 the game is much more realistic. The shots (including slams dunks) are more realistic and you have to play as a team, run your offense in order to win. There are isolations and fast breaks and slams, but if you don't run your offense and play as a team you will lose. The shooting percentages are much more real for both teams and it is just more like real college basketball than a video version of street ball.

Rent both first then buy the one you like best, but for the money Sega's NCAA 2K3 is MUCH better and more like real college hoops. I must now try to convince someone to buy my MM 2003 so I can cut my losses while I enjoy Sega's NCAA 2K3.

I like this game a lot and I reccomend it for anyone that is a college basketball fan. Or just a basketball fan. It has a dynasty mode and the recruiting is pretty much like ncaa football 2003. Easy to pick up and play. The only real problem with this game is that it is way to easy I win with kent st. against Duke by like 50. you can adjust it a little to make it harder. When you do this the games are actually close and entertaining. You can create your own preseason schedule I like this a lot because you get to play the top ranked teams. If you find this under your tree don't take it back you will enjoy it.

this game is fun to play and every thing is great about this game except that sometimes your players will throw the ball away in times that normaly they would have no problem with.

Ive had the chance to play both NCAA March Madness 2003 and Sega's College Basketball 2k3, and I would have to go with March Madness 2003. The images are much sharper, gameplay is a easier, and the dynasty mode is unbelieveable. This game is very much like an arcade game though, if you want percision game play, you should check out Sega's College Basketball 2K3. But I like to have fun, with my 5 '11 starter doing a windmill dunk. I warn you, do not simulate your own games, for some reason, in dynasty mode,it let Hawaii beat me when I simulated the game. And I was Syracuse, so becareful of which games you simulate.

I rented this game (luckily I didn't buy it) hoping it would be a good college basketball game. Man, was I wrong. I really wanted it so I could play with my favorite team, but found that my team wasn't even in the game, even though they are a division 1 school. In fact, the game leaves out a number of 1-A conferences. Some of the conferences they leave out have teams that make it to the tournament almost every year! I don't get it. The gameplay also is not good. I feel like I have almost no control over the ball handler. The courts are not detailed either. They all look the same (with the exception of the school logo in the center). I stress to you not to buy this game. I am just happy I rented it before buying.

This year's version of MM is much better than last year's. The dynasty mode kicks @ss. I would definately recommend this game to college hoops fans everywhere.

It has all the real players, 150 teams. You can play dynasty mode for years and recruit players, as you watch others leave for the NBA or graduate. After you play your season, you can play in your conference tournament. And then you can play in the Big Dance with all 64 teams. Its the best college game ever. I play it every night.

THIS IS A GREAT GAME AND YOU SHOULD DEFFINETLY BUY IT,BECAUSE IT IS ,FUN ,EXCITING,AND IT IS SO REALISTIC THAT IT HAS THE RANKING OF EACH TEAM AND YOU CAN EVEN SHATTER THE BACKBOARD AND DO MOVES SUCH AS THE ALIOOP,CROSSOVER,SLAMDUNK,AND THE PICK AND ROLL.SO BUY THIS GAME TODAY ANDYOU WILL BE AMAZED AT HOW MUCH FUN YOU WILL HAVE PLAYING THIS GAME.