NCAA Championship Basketball - PC Review - Gamecenter

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NCAA Championship Basketball

continued
rackin'-frackin', rootin'-tootin', so-and-so
I can't finish without my NCAA Final Four Gripes: First, two people can't play in Tournament mode; only single games are allowed. Second, there isn't much depth in coaching. For example, you can call styles of play during time-outs (zone, man-to-man, ball control), but you can't design individual plays and call them on the fly. Third, the AI is flaky sometimes--computer players will stand still with the ball until time runs out, and the ball won't bounce off the court if it is knocked away. screen shot Finally, some menus are mouse-driven while others need to be navigated with the joystick or keyboard. Using the mouse is by far the easiest, and it should always be available when time is of the essence. In spite of these fouls, NCAA Championship Basketball is a winner. I mean, I'm sure UMass has gripes with John Calipari, too, but that doesn't mean he isn't a great coach.
If you're looking for an NCAA basketball game for the PC, NCAA Championship Basketball is your best choice. Although Bethesda Softworks' Road to the Final Four 2 is more customizable, it moves faster than the human eye on today's Pentiums. Most importantly, NCAA Championship Basketball is available today, which is more than I can say for an action-oriented NCAA football game. So even though it's a damp, drizzly November, and there is a mad scramble for the Sugar Bowl going on all around us, the dumb hunter in me says, "Be vewy, vewy quiet. I'm shooting baskets."
quick tips
-If you have a good center, play an inside strategy. Keep the ball in the hands of your point guard, and wait for your center to get open. Even when covered, a shot from the paint is a high-percentage shot.
-Take personal control of your best defensive player, and play defense aggressively. You'll get a lot more steals than fouls.
-When you first start, don't forget to change the skill level to Walk-on to make the game easier.

Hugh Falk has no clue about the gaming industry in general and wouldn't know a good game if it was crammed down his throat. This biography is dedicated to those hard-working programmers and quality assurance engineers who have taken the time to critique his crappy reviews of their perfect games. Send your gaming challenges to GamerX.

Facts

NCAA Championship Basketball
GTE Entertainment, 800/483-8632
Price: $49.99
486DX2/66, 8MB RAM, 30MB disk space, SVGA, 2X CD-ROM drive, Windows 95 or DOS 5.0; Sound Blaster or compatible sound card

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