NCAA March Madness 2004 Critic Reviews

The gameplay in March Madness is nearly identical to that of its big brother "NBA Live 2004," which is a big plus. The frantic pace, the tighter defense, and the importance of set plays is actually a much better fit for the college game than it is for Live.

EA's hoops engine fits well, and is complemented by an immersive NCAA atmosphere and a fine-tuned array of gameplay modes.

It has very advanced controls that you must try to understand and learn by heart.

An incredibly deep game whether your playing alone or online.

While I applaud March Madness' marked improvements, it still doesn't equal "ESPN College Hoops" in terms of depth, so the game comes in a close second this year on the PS2.

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.

My biggest gripe about the player models is that their heads are too big.

It doesn't have the variety of modes as Sega's "College Hoops," but when it comes to play, I give the nod to March Madness.

Captures the chaotic nature of college basketball. And it punishes you for being careless—as often as possible, defenders will stick their hands out to knock the ball down.

In terms of atmosphere, no other college basketball game captures the sights and sounds of a university arena quite like this.

While March Madness 2004 does a good job at capturing the feel of college basketball, a general lack of polish keeps it just a little short of greatness.

As always, the dynasty mode is incredibly robust.

If you're gonna buy one college game this year, buy March Madness.

Those of us that want our sports games lengthy, deep and polished to near perfection, however, will be dunking balls over at Sega Sports’ courtyard with "College Hoops 2004" while EA Canada gets its act together.

More attention to the graphics and gameplay issues would secure its place as the preeminent college basketball game. Right now, though, it’s still on the bubble.

The huge leap in quality and playability from last year's version qualifies it for one of the most improved sports games available.