NCAA March Madness 2003

Will EA gets its college groove back and bring home a title even Mom would love. The ghost of Coach K sits and awaits the verdict.

NCAA March Madness 2003 looks and plays like a school-themed version of NBA Live, which isn?t such a bad thing. Improved play balance and an incredibly deep feature set put this baby neck and neck with Sega?s college hoops topseed, NCAA 2K3.

The arcade emphasis found in NBA Live 2003 has been toned down a notch and adjusted to fit this raw brand of basketball. The Freestyle Stick is still king in March Madness 2003, but shot percentages are lower and fouls called tighter, giving it a closer resemblance to real basketball. EA has also wisely taken note of NBA 2K3 and included gameplay sliders that enable you to adjust any critical areas you feel are too exploitative.

All the sights and sounds of the college game including mascots are faithfully re-created. Player models feature new body types common among amateur athletes, and animations look as explosive as ever. The frame rate and overall detail definition are not as smooth as Live?s, and they are also a step below Sega?s NCAA 2K3. Tons of band music and fight songs are pitch perfect, and getting Dick ?Awesome Baby!? Vitale to sit in on commentary with Brad Nessler warms the heart. Dick often goes too quiet at times, but everyone needs to catch their breath it seems.

March Madness 2003?s many gameplay modes and overall fun factor give it even odds against Sega?s hoops powerhouse. While the series has strayed from its hardcore sim roots pioneered by Coach K College basketball way back in the Genesis?s heyday, it at least has defined an identity and found a fun formula as well.

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