NCAA 2002 Preview
EA's dusting off the Madden engine in an attempt at delivering the most realistic college football game ever. Read our hands-on report of the game and see if it lives up to Madden's lofty standards.
The pageantry, purity, and tradition of college football are what set it apart from the pro game. Tight gameplay has been the hallmark of most college football games in the past, but few have delivered the aesthetics that make the sport so endearing. While Dreamcast owners continue to wait for the console's first college football game, EA Sports is putting the final touches on its first college football game for the PlayStation 2: NCAA Football 2002. While undoubtedly a direct descendant of Madden, the first next-generation NCAA Football game looks to have the series off on the right foot.
If you like a great deal of depth in your college football games, NCAA Football 2002 has plenty. With the full NCAA license in tow, EA Sports has jammed this game's code with 117 Division 1-A teams and 27 Division AA squads. With more than 117 authentic stadiums included, playing the game equates to a three-dimensional history lesson in public assembly. In addition to a head-to-head exhibition mode for up to eight players, you can play season mode or dynasty mode--both of which can be played on four difficulty settings. The season mode is what you'd expect: You pick a team and begin climbing up through your conference in hopes of receiving a bid to one of the 26 authentic bowl games. EA obtained exclusive rights to the bowl championship series, so you'll only find the Rose Bowl, the Nokia Sugar Bowl, the FedEx Orange Bowl, and the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl in NCAA Football 2002. Awards and distinctions such as the Heisman, all-conference, and all-American are given to deserving players at the conclusion of the season. As the year progresses, your team will be ranked in the BCS standings and the top 25.
While the season mode has plenty to tinker with, the dynasty mode makes it seem like an arcade mode. In the dynasty mode, you and 11 of your friends act as the coach of your respective teams. You start out with a three-year deal with the goal of playing in two bowl games or one national championship game in three years. You can even recruit high school players based upon their hometown, speed, and grade point average. These players will stay on the team for four years and may then be drafted into EA's Madden NFL 2002. Coaching statistics are kept for bowl games won, championships won, winning seasons, and conference titles. As you gain prestige within the coaching profession, zeros will start being added to the end of your salary as a reward. As in the season mode, all the bowls, rankings, polls, and stats are available, including career stats for every player. As you play games in the season or dynasty mode, you accomplish campus challenges by meeting objectives like rushing for 100 yards, hooking up with a receiver on several consecutive passes, or accumulating a large number of sacks in a game. The campus cards can then be redeemed to unlock a team full of mascots, old-school all-American teams, and 15 all-time classic teams.
If you're a fan of the gameplay in EA's Madden games, you'll be able to jump right in and excel at NCAA Football 2002. The gameplay mechanics and control scheme are identical to those found in its NFL counterpart with the exception of a few tweaks to suit the collegiate game. Teams will run out of the wishbone, and triple option plays are not out of the ordinary. Some teams will even run the deliberate yet devastating power I set. With such a heavy concentration in option plays and quarterbacks keeping the ball, the lateral button is used much more frequently than in Madden. The computer AI is especially impressive in this regard--quarterbacks will keep the ball and turn upfield if the pitchman is covered. The kick meter has also been changed to resemble the circular meters most commonly found in golf games.
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