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How Metascores Are Calculated
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Lead one of 320 NCAA Division 1 Schools to the Big Dance with the most strategic basketball game ever developed. Use scouting reports and locker room videos from many of the nations top college coaches to create the ultimate game plan that takes you to the top. College Classics Recreate many of college basketball's most memorable games with the greatest teams of all-time. Build a Dynasty With all new revamped EA Sports Dynasty Mode, build a powerhouse and run your program for up to 30 years. EA Sports Ask The Coach Several top Division I college basketball coaches join NCAA March Madness 2005 to provide scouting reports, strategies, and other unique advice. School Spirit New authentic fight songs, student-section crowd chants, mascots, and cheerleaders, deliver the sights and sounds that give college basketball its unique flavor. Ball against the Nation EA Sports Online allows users to play online against opponents from anywhere in the country. [Electronic Arts]
All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more... 90
GamePro
Maybe the option that tips the scales for you is Madness's all-mascot teams. [Jan 2005, p.106]
87
Next Level Gaming
And the gameplay is improved a good deal from last year, giving you more of a realistic feel while maintaining a fast-paced arcadey kind of feel.
 86
Team Xbox
It is essentially the same game as last year operating with a few notable tweaks, but still delivers a rock-solid college basketball experience. Gamers who want to take their skills online will definitely need to snatch this one up.
86
IGN
It definitely feels more like a standalone college game now with more of the atmosphere, gameplay and extras that make NCAA hoops so endearing. The sticky dynasty mode is well on its way to becoming one of my favorite features too.
85
GameZone
This year’s March Madness keeps the series rolling by featuring the new NBA Live 2005 engine with its great new control scheme.
83
Game Informer
Off the court, March Madness' Dynasty mode is shallow and doesn't stack up well against "ESPN's" robust Legacy mode. In the end, March Madness performs admirably on the court, but ESPN is the complete package. [Dec 2004, p.168]
82
Electronic Gaming Monthly
Lives up to the name with its spot-on portrayal - from gameplay to atmosphere - of the intercollegiate hardwood. [Jan 2005, p.128]
82
Official Xbox Magazine
The defensive side of EA Sports' game is like the St. John's men's team: weak and vulnerable. [Holiday 2004, p.82]
80
Xbox Nation Magazine
It's all about control, and Madness 2005 offers plenty of it. [Jan 2005, p.92]
80
GameSpy
The Dynasty Mode is one of the best you'll see in an EA game, mostly because of the addition of the discipline system, which forces you to walk a fine line between getting the best players and running a clean program.
80
Stuff
We're especially fond of the Homecourt Advantage meter, which fills up during games; the closer the score, the louder the fans get and the harder your controller shakes, making it tougher for the visiting team to hit jumpers and free throws.
80
G4 TV
Dick Vitale spits out more “babys” than the local maternity ward, but he brings an air of excitement to the game that few announcers can match.
80
Operation Sports
It is still overshadowed by “NBA Live” and ‘NCAA Football”, and still feels a bit like an amalgam of the two, but it’s starting to come into it’s own.
75
Gaming Age
Even in the wake of ESPN’s fierce competition and 20-dollar price tag, like Madden, March Madness is just a hint better than Sega’s College Hoops title.
75
Play Magazine
Although EA's game lacks the spark and depth that Sega's "College Hoops 2K5" provides, it's still a great game that deserves props for some pretty cool and innovative gameplay additions. [Jan 2005, p.81]
71
GameSpot
A pretender. While it borrows some new features from "NCAA Football 2005" and includes a revamped play-calling system that is actually fun to use, a broken dynasty mode and choppy online play mar an otherwise good basketball game.
70
Yahoo! Games
It shares too many of "NBA Live's" problems, but still has great depth and plays a decent game of basketball. One of these years, EA is going to properly fix Live, thus killing two birds with one stone.
58
Game Revolution
Small tweaks like the Floor General and Freestyle Air make it a smoother all-around product than March Madness 2004, but the margin is so slight that owners of last year’s game shouldn’t feel compelled to buy this one, too. The bubble is starting to break.
Jeremy G. gave it a10: Joe K. gave it a3: |
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