NCAA Football 10: An Alternate Take

[RaychelSnr]

Truly great sports games often transcend the sport they're based on, finding a way to appeal to a broad group of gamers. Games like NHL 94, Winning Eleven 6 and the original NBA Jam fall into this category. Even if you weren't a fan of the sports themselves, those games still probably appealed to you when you played them because the final products were greater than the sum of their parts.

NCAA Football 10 falls short of that transcendent status. As a longtime Madden player who has made sporadic forays into the NCAA series, I went into NCAA 10 looking to see if the game would grab me and make a fan of me. It did not.

-Feature written by Jim Harris

Read More - NCAA Football 10: An Alternate Take

[xylocaine]

I rented NCAA 10 Enjoyed playing through one season, but your review perfectly summarized the way I felt. Nice Job!!

For me this game just comes up way short due to a lack of personality and ALMOST no presentation.

[QBtheMADDENKING]

I myself am a huge nfl and madden fan, I still haven't stooped playing madden 09 since it was released last august. Ncaa 10 is not just a total refurb of madden 09 it has some very decent and new game play animations that seperate it just enough from madden to allow me to be able to start giving it a fair shot. With the roster names being completed sunday, by the way thanks Lanteri87, it is officially time to put madden 09 to rest and give Ncaa 10 my full attention. Everyone should try the Road To Glory aspect of the game, much better and interesting than last years version.

[EvanRG]

Re: NCAA Football 10: An Alternate Take

After finding the perfect sliders for my gaming skill level and also starting into Dynasty -- I am once again hooked to this game that every does not like.

Yes there are in-efficiencies but this years game has done a pretty good job with slowing down the feel of the game and putting more emphasis on strategy and defense.

I haven't taken this game out of my Xbox since I got it last week.

[WinstonPeril]

Re: NCAA Football 10: An Alternate Take

I guess it depends on your preferences. I love NCAA infinitely more than Madden, but then I love college football more than pro. My loyalties in the pro game are wherever my 'horns are.

[sirmichael81]

Yea I think EA could've did a better,I like it don't get me wrong but its alot things they miss like presentation.the band on the field didn't do it for me..what happen to the team running onto the field that was classic.

[Hipster-Doofus]

As a HUGE college football fan, and someone who likes the NFL but not nearly as much as college, I agree with you on a lot of these issues. The thing that sets college football apart from anything else in the world, is the atmosphere. The Bands, the Crowds, The presentation, the Student Sections and so on, are what make college football, college football.

That is what this game is severly laking in my estimation. Bring the very essence of college football to life, and adding "fuel to the fire" would be something that I would think they'd want to do. However the crowds, the bands, and the presentation is just...well...there. No real excitement, when the band plays they don't even sound like they want to be there. The presentation is obviously laking, something that has been pounded to death so thats all I'll say about that.

So in the end, we are left with, well, the ONLY college football game out there, and for us College Football fans, are alomst forced to like it whether we do our not. It's a good game, and an improvement (at least on the field) from last year, but EA really needs to understand the true essence of college football. And once they do, for the sake of humanity, please implement that into your game for once.

[malvinthra]

FYI. TCF Bank Stadium for the Minnesota Gophers is not in this years game. I think they are using a generic outdoor field.

[Redskins Pride]

Re: NCAA Football 10: An Alternate Take

As a HUGE college football fan, and someone who likes the NFL but not nearly as much as college, I agree with you on a lot of these issues. The thing that sets college football apart from anything else in the world, is the atmosphere. The Bands, the Crowds, The presentation, the Student Sections and so on, are what make college football, college football.

That is what this game is severly laking in my estimation. Bring the very essence of college football to life, and adding "fuel to the fire" would be something that I would think they'd want to do. However the crowds, the bands, and the presentation is just...well...there. No real excitement, when the band plays they don't even sound like they want to be there. The presentation is obviously laking, something that has been pounded to death so thats all I'll say about that.

So in the end, we are left with, well, the ONLY college football game out there, and for us College Football fans, are alomst forced to like it whether we do our not. It's a good game, and an improvement (at least on the field) from last year, but EA really needs to understand the true essence of college football. And once they do, for the sake of humanity, please implement that into your game for once.

I'm guessing this will be In the Game next year as this year's Madden is all about atmosphere/presentation. I'm guessing NCAA just doesn't get much in the way of development money and just gets hand me down features from Madden each year.

[rudyjuly2]

I wish there was more presentation and the old camera back!

[bigsmallwood]

I agree wholeheartedly! And I AM a fan of CFB...but this does not cut it.

[aimiami]

ncaa 10 is the best game out now

[WinstonPeril]

Re: NCAA Football 10: An Alternate Take

ncaa 10 is the best game out now

I agree. I honestly like it better than last year. Are there things I wish were in there? Sure. Situational subs, for one. I'm happy with the graphics. I think the game plays appreciably faster than last year. Seems like the weather channel live feed works for me for the first time. I'm happy with it.

[teebee]

i just wish i didn't suck at it

[Logic Doctor]

I feel like all of EA's games are lacking in the presentation department and when we call them out and say "the presentation is lacking" EA responds with flashy menus, hyping up Erin Andrews and implementing college bands for the first minute and a half of the game.

Presentation goes much deeper as it is something you experience constantly throughout a game, whether it is during a game, after a game, while I’m in my dynasty screen, wherever part of the game you are in. Presentation is essentially a meter for one to measure a games longevity.

Here's are some presentation ideas.

-I agree that the dynasty should be run through a coach’s perspective similar to College Hoops 2K8

-There has to be more stat overlays during the game. NCAA football 10 has the ability to record all kinds of crazy stats. Stop making us dig up these statistics through menus and display them mostly during games.

- (This is the most frustrating thing of all) Pleeeeeeease use ESPN integration properly. Having access and the ability to use ESPN in your games should be a no brainer when it comes to how you want to use them.

Most people relate to all sports by watching them on TV, specifically ESPN, so why is there a lack of ESPN staples? Here are some ESPN Ideas…

-Weekly top ten plays with videos broken down by ESPN commentators

-Actual ESPN college football writers writing columns throughout the season about events occurring throughout your dynasty

-I should be able to go to sportscenter in my dynasty and view highlights of that weeks games

-After a big upset victory my coach should be invited to ESPN for a phone interview on FIRST TAKE (it’s an early morning ESPN show) or something to that equivalent.

-During the Bowl Championships Jim Rome should do his "Here's what I'm burning on segment" on the Bowl matchups and the superstar players that are involved.

In my opinion, its little things like this that give a game life and longevity. Playing from a coaches perspective in your dynasty and having ESPN integrated properly would make the game so much more enjoyable on so many different levels.