College Hoops 2K6 hits the hard court

Where professional basketball has gained a reputation for being a game built more on flash than fundamentals, college ball is, in theory, supposed to be more grounded in the basics: the kind of smooth teamwork and sound mechanics that come from good coaching.

That's the approach 2K Sports took with College Hoops 2K6, focusing in particular on the coaching part of the equation. In addition to featuring a variety of actual college coaches in the game--including Roy Williams, Tubby Smith, Jim Boeheim, and Lute Olson--2K Sports is upping the impact a coach's stats have on their teams in the game's legacy mode. Coaches with charisma and discipline will keep their players focused and confident, while those without will find themselves with an unmanageable team.

College Hoops 2K6 also introduces the Coach's Clipboard feature, which will allow players to quickly adjust tactics on the spot during time-outs. Off the court, the game now includes high school scouting that allows players to visit camps to observe top talents and recruit accordingly.

College Hoops 2K6 is rated E for Everyone and retails for $29.99. The PlayStation 2 version is scheduled to hit stores early next month, with an Xbox 360 edition arriving in early 2006.