The Ultimate College Game. Deep Dynasty Mode. Quick Plays for Quick Scores. Total ball control.NCAA March Madness 2003 features an authentic college basketball atmosphere, with fully animated 3-D crowds, 49 mascots, 120 fight songs, and more than 300 crowd chants from 162 schools in 15 conferences. As for the game itself, you will pull off sweet crossovers, triple-threat moves, post moves, and strip steals. String your moves together by using the right analog stick. Pull off what you want, when you want it, all with unprecedented two-handed control. Then turn up the heat on D with one of eight full- and half-court, man-to-man or zone defenses. On offense, get the ball into the post, isolate your defender on the perimeter, and much more. Set up for the game-winning three or get the ball to your best ball handler.
- 1-2 Players (Multitap 1-8 Players)
- Digital Control
- Analog Control
- Vibration Function
- Freestyle Control
List Price: $ 17.79
Price: $ 12.88
Great fun but not college basketball,
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.
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|Best college game ever,
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.
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