There's no disputing that EA owns the lion's share of the sports videogame market, especially with their recent acquisition of exclusive licenses for both pro and college football. Many (understandably) feared that this lack of competition would lead to lackluster games, i.e. each year's release being reduced to not much more than a full-price roster update. The team that developed NCAA 06 apparent set out to soothe gamers' fears and ended up rewarding us all with a top-notch college football game full of both subtle improvements and big-time innovations.
GAME MODES
When you put in the game you're immediately rewarded with a number of gameplay modes, some familiar (dynasty, single game) and some new (Race for the Heisman). The Race for the Heisman mode allows you to create a player and then guide him through tryouts for a scholarship, choosing a school, and then playing a career aimed at racking up the massive stats required to take home the hardware. Along the way, the main menu is your dorm room where you can review your accomplishments in the school newspaper, head off to the practice field (small mini-game drills), and check how your season stats compare versus the compeition. It's a little bit self-involved since you're emphasizing your individual campaign over that of the team, and make no mistake, you will have to put up unreal numbers to beat even the candidates with lesser stats. At the end, the presentation of the Heisman award ceremony is a little bit uninspired given that it's your main aim in this mode. Once you've finished your college days with or without the Heisman, you can port your created player over to Madden 06 to continue your career in the pros.
The real gem here is the dynasty mode where you control a school's program year-round. During the season, you get a great mix of responsibilities: you're the Athletic Director looking to avoid NCAA sanctions by disciplining problem players, you're the coach sorting out the depth chart while also courting high school recruits, and of course you're the players strapping on the pads each Saturday. In-season recruiting is one of the best additions to this year's game it works basically like a poker game where you bet your finite time on how much attention each recruit needs and what kind of pitch will attract him to your school. If you leave it to one of your assistants to call him about the school's prestige, don't be surprise to watch him commit to your rival whose entire coaching staff showed up at his front door promising an immediate starting role. You also schedule recruit visits to your school, which can go a long way toward securing the signing if you beat up on your on-field opponent that week. There aren't any unsavory aspects of the NCAA represented here, i.e. you can't buy a recruit a car and so that he'll immediately sign. In fact, it's quite the opposite if your team is under any NCAA scrutiny for rule violations or disciplinary problems, you'll find it much harder to attract blue chippers, so don't slack on your AD responsibilities when your superstar decides to stop going to classes. As the season winds down, you'll get your committments and start playing for the bowl rankings and player trophies. Weekly updates are presented as stories in Sports Illustrated magazine, which is a nice visual approach compared to traditionally dry menus.
OK, so your dynasty school just ran over the competition in their bowl game. Mission accomplished, right? As Lee Corso would say (and does say quite a bit in the game) "Uh-uh. I don't think so, Sweetheart." You've got to look at who's graduating, who's going pro, who you might be able to talk into staying (furthering the integration with Madden, you can even export that entire NCAA class to become the draft class for Madden's franchise mode). After that period is over, you hit the recruiting trail. The off-season recruiting works much like the in-season session but with even more detail. For instance, over the course of the several years, you can set up specific states as pipelines where the many of the top candidates will already be interested in your school on day one. Still, it's up to you as coach to figure out the right buttons to press to get the commit. Recruiting continues week by week for five weeks; however, if you're not into this much detail, you can opt to automatically have the computer do its best for you. Afterward, you check on your players' off-season skills progression, set the depth charts, redshirt players and then you're ready to suit up for the next upcoming season. You can also change up the team's non-conference games in order to bolster your strength of schedule or generate a new rivalry.
If you build up your school's program over the course of several seasons, you may receive an invitation to join a better conference and play in front of better crowds, all of which will attract better recruits. Of course, your head coach may also opt to take a higher-profile job elsewhere, so success is a dual-edged sword.
The game also solves one of my biggest pet peaves with prior NCAA games you can finally just substitute made-up names for the players instead of going with QB#7 handing off to HB#23. I understand why legally you can't use these players' real names, but I never understood why you couldn't just go with any name instead of position and number. Of course we all know who that stellar Texas signalcaller or USC ultra-back is, so made-up names work just fine. If it really bothers you, you can take the time to edit them.
The main menu also features options to quickly set up one-time games, including all of the major rivalries, and even a goofy game played between mascots.
GAMEPLAY
In-game control is another highlight of NCAA 06 you can perform a lot of cool moves with relatively simple and sensible button/stick combinations. Chief among these is the use of the right analog stick to perform juke moves on offense and big hits on defense. Earlier EA games turned the right stick into a Superman button where your player would defy the laws of physics as a reward for you merely touching the stick. Thankfully, this has been reeled back to more realistic limits while still keeping the excitement factor. You even have the option to zoom in and slow-mo particularly well-executed moves. You can't help but get hyped up when you look to be caught in the backfield by the other guy's blitzing backer only to spin, stiff arm him to the turf and then hurdle over him on your way to six. The control configurations are just about identical to those of Madden, making it easy to switch between the two (Madden obviously doesn't have the option offense).
Before the snap, the right analog stick allows viewing of matchups. This new feature zooms out to field width and shows player skill level and composure for particular matchups, e.g. wideouts vs. defensive backfield, o-line vs. d-line, or QB/RB vs. linebackers. It's a nice feature that allows you to see if you've got any potential mismatches to exploit from play to play, giving you an idea of which receiver to key on or maybe even enough insight to audible a different play.
But is NCAA 06 more than just Madden dusting off its old varsity jacket? To quote the coach once again, "Ab-so-lutely". The makers of the game paid painstaking attention to detail here, making NCAA 06 truly a payoff for fans of the college game. The stadiums are intricately rendered I play my dynasty as a mid-major (Miami, OH) and even their field is accurate right down to the dorms in the distance being accurately drawn and properly placed. As best I can tell, all of the MAC fields are like this, so enjoyment of that home field experience isn't limited to just fans of the biggest programs at the biggest conferences. This year's game even includes division 1-AA and NAIA schools. Want more evidence of what a massive tribute to the college game this is? Here goes: Mascots? Check. Rivalry games? Check. All year-end trophies? Check. Fight songs? Well, NCAA 06 earns an incomplete for this one. Not all of the fight songs are there some just get generic march music and drumlines but I'm guessing that was more due to legal rights than effort by the developers. Fans of ESPN's College Gameday program will be happy to know that Lee Corso does his signature donning of the mascot's head during his pre-game pick.
GRAPHICS
Player models are about the best that this generation of console can deliver. Clarity and sharpness can suffer a bit when looking at a pile of players in the wide field view, but up-close, they look great. The real strength is in the massive stockpile of fluid, natural animations and the way that the game combines them. String together some impressive combinations of moves and you'll find yourself watching the replay over and over again (it's a shame that you can't save them).
The in-studio pre-game show is the biggest low-point, exposing EA's longtime problem with weird lighting of facial models. Everyone at the desk seems to be underlit, making them look sinister. Plus, their movements are surprisingly robotic. But in terms of importance, these problems are miniscule the developers placed their efforts on the on-the-field action where it belongs.
SOUND
In-game commentary is provided by the familiar voices of Brad Nessler, Lee Corso and Kirk Herbstreit. The game contains tons of commentary clips, but you will hear a lot of the same lines over and over again once you've played a few seasons. The game generally does a good job of mixing commentary up and also playing the right clips at the appropriate times. Nevertheless, if you're not a big fan of Corso and Herbstreit's Abbott-and-Costello routine, maybe you'd be better off turning off the commentary. One glaring problem here is that once you set a new school or NCAA record, they keep announcing it almost each time you keep pushing your numbers further for example, once you take your school's record for career rushing touchdowns, you'll hear something like "And with that carry, he's done it! He's just become the all-time touchdown king for his school!" just about every single time you ever score a touchdown from that point forward. It gets a little annoying to say the least. Crowd noise including chants and school bands is well-delivered.
SUMMARY
NCAA 06 stands on its own as a great football title it's not Madden dressed up in collegiate clothes, nor is it simply a rehash of last year's NCAA game. The developers delivered great gameplay, lots of long-term playability and superb attention to the aspects that make college football so revered. All combined, this is the way that videogames should function, especially in the sports genre intuitive controls mix with massive attention to detail to result in gameplay that's addictive fun.
PROS
* The variety of gameplay modes, highlighted by a very well-conceived dynasty mode, will keep this game fresh and interesting for a long time to come
* Massive attention to detail will satisfy any college football fan regardless of whichever school you follow the mascots, the stadiums, the rivalries, and (most of) the fights songs are all meticulously recreated here.
* In-game controls are very well-designed
* Game graphics/animations are generally smooth, extremely realistic and just plain fun to watch
* Integration with Madden exporting players/draft classes, similar controller schemes, etc.
CONS
* The Race for the Heisman mode could use more development
* Off-season drills quickly become repetitive as touted mini-games
* Studio graphics have lighting oddities that are typical for EA titles
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I got started a bit late in college football gaming, but I have seen several iterations of this product, and NCAA 2006 is definitely a large improvement over previous versions.
I was disappointed in the small difference in gameplay between 2004 and 2005, and although the bells and whistles (e.g., home field advantage, and some dynasty mode improvements) that were added increased my enjoyment of the game somewhat, the only reason to pay the extra $49.95 was for the new rosters.
2006, however, contains some substantial improvements in gameplay. They fixed or improved upon previous flaws in gameplay including in pass coverage, getting off blocks, manouvering while running and fakes/play action. These are discussed in more detail in the next paragraphs.
In previous versions, you could have ten or more passes batted down in a game with five minute quarters, as defensive backs flew all over the field and leaped around with perfectly timed swats to knock balls off course. Additionally, after swatting at the ball, if a defensive back was near the receiver while the receiver was trying to catch the ball, he was instantaneously tackling the receiver without even having to adjust his position. Now, the game seems to have been improved, so that throwing the ball to the open receiver is easier, especially if you are trying to throw over the coverage, but still throw relatively quickly (before, to throw over the linebackers, you had to loft the ball so slowly that a safety would always be there waiting). Receivers still have trouble catching darts, and the ball will hit them in the head if they aren't looking for it. Additionally, if you throw into coverage, it is very difficult to complete a pass (to your own teammate), moreso than in previous versions. From what I have played, this seems like a huge improvement.
A previous issue with the EA NCAA line of games has been in blocking, in the sense that it was exceptionally difficult to run up the middle. Usually, when I called a run up the middle, I would look for a hole in the middle, and if one didn't form, I would just run to the outside. Because of this, I would end up running to the outside a large percentage of the time (over 1/2), especially if the defensive line pinched. Now, holes form much more clearly, and they form where you would expect; additionally, if you call a run to the inside, your momentum goes in the direction of the hole that the playcall has you going through, making it much more difficult to change directions to the outside. This makes the playcalling a lot more important, as an inside run call when the defensive line is pinching and the linebackers are in close will likely result in lost yardarge (and not huge yards on a run to the outside). On the defensive side, it's much easier to control your movement in getting off blocks, as you now use the right analog stick.
2006 also improves gameplay by adding a backward juke, and by making the right analog stick control the juking movement. This control substantially improves the fluidity of running (which itself is, I believe, much improved already) and takes my right thumb off of the sprint button (which I used to use far too much). The option becomes a lot more fun to run, and it's easier to regulate the magnitude of the jukes using the right analog stick rather than by modulating the length of time that the L1 and R1 buttons are pressed down.
Finally, the computer is much more likely to be faked out by play action (and by draws). This is especially true if you have established the run (or the pass) already. I play using UT (Texas), and I have been very happy with my ability to sell the run and then throw over the top to my tight end for huge yardage. In think there is more variability player-by-player in the speed at which the players realize that there was a play fake; also, Texas A&M embarrased me for a huge touchdown on a pass by the RB (to the QB) -these never worked in '05. (I ended up embarassing them in the end, though). If the defense is playing the run, you may be able to air it out for a long touchdown (as the safeties bite on the fake).
All of these aspects make the play calling a larger part of the game. You cannot win by continually calling pass plays, as you will have more more success mix together running, passing, play action and draws.
One final note is that position-specific audibles are much improved. You can now audible coverage changes (cover 2 man, 1-deep to 4-deep zones, bring safeties close to the line, etc.), you can crash left or right, rush to the ouside or pinch with the DL (without moving them at all), you can call DE QB spies, and you can call/call off LB blitzes. These improve your flexibility on defense a lot.
The bells and whistles added (Heisman race, in-season recruiting in dynasty mode and impact players) aren't really that important. However, the spring drills are kind of fun and helpful.
Overall, I am very happy with this game and I think it was worth every penny.
Best Deals for NCAA Football 2006
Frankly, I was disappointed with the gameplay of NCAA '05. The balance in the passing game felt completely wrong, making it unneccessarily difficult to actually complete a pass and near impossible to even throw the ball while on the run. Plus, the new features added more of an aesthetic charm to the environment rather than truly improving the gameplay. Thankfully, '06 brought the series back where it belongs. The passing game finally feels right, not too heavily favoring the defense like last year's or too heavily favoring the offense like the years before that. Passing is a challenge, but not impossible. But the best feature is the new running controls. The trick running moves are now controlled by the analog stick, resulting in a very natural, intuitive motion for jukes and stutter steps. Couple this with the reappearance of last year's features, and we now have what is a true update to the series. It is obvious that Tiburon has been heavily inspired by the 2K football series from last year, from the running controls to the actual announcers appearing for pre-game and post-game shows, but imitation IS the greatest form of flattery (especially when you've monopolistically knocked your competition out of the market). Regardless, NCAA '06 is a top notch sports game that really shows how much fun Saturdays in the fall can be.
Honest reviews on NCAA Football 2006
NCAA Football has always been a game that I usually buy for two primary reasons -1) to keep myself occupied until Madden comes out, and 2) to obtain realistic draft files which I can import in my Madden dynasties. Each annual version of NCAA has its ups and downs. I'd say this year's version is an improvement over last year's version, but not by much. The most important improvement is gameplay. In particular, passing is much easier this year, but at the same time, defensive back AI is smarter. So while your slants, outs and other quick short passes aren't going to bounce off players as often as last year, at the same time, you can't get away with "bombs away offense" as much as last year. Another new feature I enjoy is the expanded recruiting during the season because I've always found recruiting to be the most enjoyable aspect of dynasty mode. The new feature of impact players which helps you spot who the playmakers are and take advantage of them when they are hot is okay for quick strategy, but really not much that I care for. My biggest disappointment is the new "Race for the Heisman" mode, especially since EA Sports spent so much time and money advertising this new feature that allows you to create a player and dictate his college career. Could they put any less effort into it? One drill with ten plays determines ALL of your custom player's ratings?! You also automatically start your player no matter how skilled the other players are at the same position. There is no training camp competition, no split starting time, nada, nothing! And furthermore, you are forced to spend all these seasons trying to win the Heisman and when you finally do win it, the only reward is a crummy ten second video. Woohoo. It really is nothing more than dynasty mode with a few extra features. If you want the draft files for Madden, you want another football game, or you just love college football and some of the playbooks you'll never find in the pros, then give NCAA 2006 a try. Just don't expect it to blow your socks off.
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It's been a long time since I really looked at sports games. Back on my N64 and Playstation, I was always looking for Blitz, Madden, NCAA...you name it, I'd try it out. But for a while, sports were out of my mind. But now that I'm actually playing football for my H.S. squad, why not try some new games? Well, I made the right choice here.
Pros:
-All the teams are present from all across the country.
-The announcer voice is actually quite nice, but you can turn it off and just hear the P.A. do the play by play.
-Create-A-School returns! Create your own school down to the field design.
-There is actually a quest mode (so to speak). The "Race For The Heismann" allows you to make your way through four full college seasons and get drafted to the pros. You choose your name, number, position, appearance, and everything else.
Cons:
-There are no real player rosters, but given that the players only have 4 years to be on their teams, it's not a great surprise.
-Honestly speaking, the PS2 version's graphics aren't too hot, especially when compared to the XBOX version. The movement is kind of jerky, and the players look choppy.
-The commentary gets kind of repetitive on occasion.
-The field grunts and tackle crunching sounds aren't too realistic.
This game is a nice choice for hardcore college football fans. Can't say I am one, but I've rediscovered the sport of football, and I can't help but recommend this game.
