NCAA March Madness 98 | |
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Developer(s) | Electronic Arts |
Publisher(s) | Electronic Arts Sports |
Series | NCAA March Madness |
Platform(s) | PlayStation |
Release |
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Genre(s) | Sports, Basketball |
Mode(s) | Single-player, multiplayer |
NCAA March Madness 98 was the first installment in the NCAA March Madness series. It was released on February 25, 1998 for the PlayStation. It is the sequel to Coach K College Basketball. Former Wake Forest player Tim Duncan is featured on the cover.
NCAA March Madness 98 uses the crowds as a gameplay mechanic. A "Momentum Meter" responds to a team scoring consecutive baskets or making a big play, upon which the crowd roars and the players of the momentum-gaining team receive a temporary boost to their abilities. [1]
NCAA March Madness 98 was built with a revamped version of the NBA Live 97 game engine, utilizing that game's animation data with the addition of a few new motion captured moves from Tim Duncan and others. [1] Developer Electronic Arts consulted with collegiate coach Lou Carnesecca in designing the game's artificial intelligence. [2]
Beta versions of the game featured a Conference Tournament Mode and a Dynasty Mode which let players manage and play using a team over a number of years, requiring them to replace graduating seniors with freshmen players. [1] Both of these modes were left out of the completed game due to time constraints. [3]
A PC version of the game was in development but was cancelled. [4]
Aggregator | Score |
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GameRankings | 76% [5] |
Publication | Score |
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AllGame | [6] |
Electronic Gaming Monthly | 7.125/10 [7] [a] |
Game Informer | 7.75/10 [8] |
GameFan | 88% [9] |
GameRevolution | B+ [10] |
GameSpot | 6.9/10 [11] |
IGN | 6.5/10 [12] |
Next Generation | [13] |
Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine | [14] |
Most reviews for NCAA March Madness 98 were mixed. Critics widely agreed that the game succeeded in capturing the fundamental differences of college basketball, with more evenly-matched players than standard basketball video games and all-around more team-oriented play. [3] [7] [11] [12] [13] GameSpot said that the game "lets college basketball fans who understand the college game apply what they know, like running a good half-court offense and changing up defenses to keep teams off their rhythm." [11] IGN applauded, "March Madness is built on the premise that if you absolutely love the crazy high created in the post-season games of college basketball, and you love real team ball and all of the strategies that come with it, you should go head-over heels for this game. A full court press, hand-baskets of fast passing, recognizable offensive formations, and evenly distributed talent in each of the players are characteristics that make this game great." [12]
However, critics also concurred that the use of the NBA Live 97 engine resulted in a game which is graphically outdated, particularly against its contemporary NBA Live 98. [3] [7] [8] [11] [12] [13] Next Generation added that the enhanced animation of NCAA March Madness 98, when run through the aging NBA Live 97 engine, results in a lower frame rate that makes the game feel slow and choppy. [13] IGN described the graphics as "surprisingly blurry, fuzzy, and as muddy as any Nintendo 64 game." [12] GamePro was more forgiving, saying that though the graphics are not as polished as NBA Live 98, they do not detract from the excitement and gameplay. [3]
Most reviewers described the A.I. as being challenging and in particular resistant to the strategies which normally work in pro basketball video games, [3] [8] [12] [13] but Electronic Gaming Monthly (EGM) and GameSpot both found the defensive A.I. is too weak. [7] [11] EGM and GameSpot both also complained that the crowd noise is underwhelming and unrealistically quiets down shortly after a dunk. [7] [11] Multiple critics praised the innovation of the momentum meter [3] [7] [11] [13] and the inclusion of women's teams, [3] [7] [12] though IGN added that the impact of having women's teams is blunted by the fact that they play the same as the men's teams. [12]
GamePro gave the game 4 out of 5 in graphics, 4.5 for both sound and control, and a perfect 5 for fun factor, summing up, "To win consistently in MM, you need to learn the intricacies of the game, from executing successful give-and-gos to calling the correct offensive and defensive sets. The end result is unparalleled depth, realism, and, more importantly, fun." [3] By contrast, Next Generation called it "an overwhelmingly mediocre game in which what was done well is overshadowed by shortcomings." [13] EGM were more in the middle, saying that the game could have been much better in more than one area but was still a worthy effort at recreating college basketball which was worth buying. [7] Game Informer similarly said that it was not a top end basketball game but would satisfy fans of college basketball. [8] The game held a 76% on the review aggregation website GameRankings based on four reviews. [5]