NCAA Football 2K3

A working knowledge of college playbooks can be helpful as the sets are often highly complex. The producers have added a slew of subtle, but significant features to simulate the game's nuances as well. A quarterback's accuracy greatly improves when his feet are set. You can hide your play calling by holding down the X button and scrolling through decoy plays. You can anticipate using a spin move on offense by hitting the O button before contact. You can use the analog sticks (as opposed to the directional buttons) to run with the ball, and in Maximum Passing mode, you can add zip or a lob touch while also adjusting throws in the air.

The graphics--including players, stadiums, the ESPN-style presentation, and game intro--are all top-notch. With 117 Division 1-A teams at your disposal, devoted players can play full seasons (complete with rankings and bowl selections) or, in legacy mode, you can play multiple seasons, going so far as recruiting high schoolers and running spring drills. The major drawback is the no-name announcing team, a flat-out terrible crew offering an endless stream of stupid jokes and poor analysis. But you'll have the sound off and the stereo spinning anyway. --Marc Greilsamer

Pros:

• Smooth, realistic game flow
• Top-notch graphics and visual presentation
• Attention to game action's nuances

Cons:

• Game announcers are silly and ill-informed
• Injury information is erratic

Note: This refers to the PlayStation2 version of this game.

Amazon.com Product Description
NCAA College Football 2K3 re-creates the college atmosphere on the field, where you can execute plays like the wishbone and other triple option formations, on the sidelines filled with cheerleaders and mascots, and in the stands, which come alive with enthusiastic student rooting sections and bands striking up fight songs. The ESPN-style presentation offers replays, scores, and more.

The new "college look" player models and animations mean that the NCAA football players finally have the proportions and physiques of real college-age athletes. You can choose from all 117 Division I-A teams and selected Division I-AA teams. A comprehensive legacy mode lets you assemble your football program from the ground up and build a Division I-A powerhouse. You can also create a school and join the conference of your choice. The game lets you compete for the nation's top high school recruits and develop your squad in the off-season with spring practice sessions.

You can compare your coaching effectiveness with history's greatest college coaches, and also save senior players from NCAA College Football 2K3 and draft them into NFL 2K3. New player names will appear on the backs of their jerseys. The authentic ranking system lets you track your team's performance and its shot at the national title with the writers poll, coaches poll, and BCS standings. You will compete in the postseason classics, including all four BCS games: the Fiesta Bowl (the 2003 BCS championship game), the Rose Bowl, the Orange Bowl, and the Sugar Bowl. You will be surrounded with the sounds of pep bands playing university fight songs, students in the rooting section yelling school chants, and cheerleaders and mascots with hundreds of motion-captured moves.

Introduction:

Obviously, it's a college football game. EA's NCAA Football's only rival. All 117 Div 1a schools, 25 bowls, the BCS (named Sega Championship Series), tournaments, exhibitions, practice, XBox Live enhanced, everything you need for a College Football game experience is here.

Gameplay: 8/10

This is an area I was expecting more of. The gameplay flows worse than the Dreamcast version, much like the graphics. It's not bad, though. One thing I'm glad they improved on is the running defense AI. My two main problems with it before were, you could run the same play over and over and they'd almost never stop it. Another problem was that even though you could do that, you could almost NEVER break runs longer than 30 yards, not even on the easiest game. I realize this could be a ''personal'' problem, but when you can't even do it with Nebraska on a team like Baylor, something is wrong. Now, if you get the right blocks and get outside, you can actually break a really long run. Also improved upon are cuts, you can actually cut while running now and not be tackled right away. By now, everyone should be used to what modes you have available. Legacy is what you get this game for. Build your team through shrewd recruiting, picking when to redshirt a top-notch Freshman, cutting the slack to have room for recruits who you aren't sure about, decisions like that will make you #1 or could make you bowlless. One thing lacking from the game is being able to edit your schedule. It could be used as a cheat, however, with the BCS (or Sega Championship Series in this game), making a weak schedule wouldn't necessarily help you. Might get you a BCS game, but not the championship game. Other than legacy mode, you have your standard exhibition mode, season mode, tournament mode and practice, where you can, obviously, practice. There's also the Sega Challenge, which lets you try and get records, and when you get them, you get a code to enter at SegaSports.com and you can win prizes and such.

Graphics: 8/10

Not bad, but I actually think they're a little worse than the 2k2 Dreamcast version. At least, the in-game graphics. The players just don't seem to be as good nor do they flow as well. The graphics overall are much better looking. The intros are nice. I must admit, I expected a little more considering the XBox's power, but nothing that takes away from the game. If you count replays as part of graphics, it might up it to a 9. I know replays don't exactly ''enhance'' the gameplay or anything, per se, but they're really nice and the multiple angles, including a reverse which shows it one way, reverses it, then goes forward in another angle. The interaction with the announcers and telestrators is reallyt great too. Since Sega has teamed up with ESPN, all the graphics are ESPN authentic as well, which is a really nice touch, better than the generic graphics Sega has been using.

Sound: 8/10

The announcers are pretty good about not being too repetitive. They interact with the play on the field very well. Most teams fight songs are there, however, depending on your sound settings, it's hard to hear them sometimes. The sound effects are pretty good, though some taunting would've been really nice. Not a whole lot more to say about the sound.

Replayability: 10/10

Obviously there is no reason to ever stop playing this game. Withover 117 teams, you could do a legacy with all of them, even if you just simmed the whole legacy, it would take forever. Changing recruiting styles and play styles is also a good way to keep playing. Ever though of changing Nebraska into a pocket passing team? You can try doing it right away with Jammal Lord or wait and recruit a passing QB. Things like that will keep you playing for months.


graphics stink   May 6, 2003
The graphics in this game stink, the players just jump straight up or dive stright forward. u can hardly complete any passes in this game either. i rated this a 3 because its legacy has a little more depth than EAs but other than that its not that great for gameplay

Mark, 14


Best Players   April 28, 2003
 0 out of 2 found this review helpful

I LOVE this game. The Best player on this game is #4(conerback) on Kanas State. This player is really TERENNCE NEWMAN! Conerback For the Dallas Cowboys Drafted in the 2003 draft.(5th pick overall by the cowboys


Some times you gotta be smart, immature reviewers   April 22, 2003
First, let me point this out: those two bad reviews for this game were reps from EA or they couldn't play the game because it was too hard. EA college football 2003 is not as good as 2k3 because it doesn't have the options like 2k3. THe graphics, sound, and espn coverage realize this game to be superior. THe gameplay is basically the same but sega's scheme is better handled. And alas, online play, the greatest thing ever to happen. Legacy mode is tedious but in actuallity, it is for the true simmers, meanwhile season mode is for the hardcore footballers.

Once again EA is second best to the glory that is sega, and no, I don't work at sega, I just love their superior products.


Some times you gotta be smart, immature reviewers   April 22, 2003
 1 out of 1 found this review helpful

First, let me point this out: those two bad reviews for this game were reps from EA or they couldn't play the game because it was too hard. EA college football 2003 is not as good as 2k3 because it doesn't have the options like 2k3. THe graphics, sound, and espn coverage realize this game to be superior. THe gameplay is basically the same but sega's scheme is better handled. And alas, online play, the greatest thing ever to happen. Legacy mode is tedious but in actuallity, it is for the true simmers, meanwhile season mode is for the hardcore footballers.

Once again EA is second best to the glory that is sega, and no, I don't work at sega, I just love their superior products.