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College Hoops 2K8

EMAIL PRINTxbox360

7.8 User Score:

Generally favorable reviews

Based on 21 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?

Based on 13 votes
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Game Info

Publisher: 2K Sports

Developer: Visual Concepts

Genre(s): Sports, Basketball

Players: 4

ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)

Release Date: November 19, 2007

Summary

In the All-American Training Challenge, players can improve their game skills by competing in passing, shooting, and defensive tests against former college basketball standouts like Mike Conley Jr. of Ohio State, Julian Wright of Kansas, Glen "Big Baby" Davis of LSU, Alando Tucker of Wisconsin, Al Thornton of Florida State, J.J. Redick of Duke, and College Hoops 2K8 cover athlete, Greg Oden of Ohio State. Gamers can progress through the challenge drills against these great players while tracking their best times and highest scores in the game. With multiplayer support for up to four players, gamers can compete against their friends to see who has the best College Hoops skills. College basketball fans can truly feel the benefit of playing in front of a frenzied crowd—be it at home or in a neutral tournament venue—with the 6th Man Advantage where the energy of a team’s fans can motivate a team to play harder and with more confidence. During a game, the 6th Man Meter measures the current energy and excitement level of the crowd. By scoring often, playing good defense, and raising the excitement level of the crowd, the 6th Man Meter will rise. Once the meter is full, the home team gains the advantage of playing with less fatigue for a brief period while the opposing team starts to lose confidence in their playing ability. The 6th Man Advantage delivers a realistic element with how a great crowd can inspire their team to victory. [2K Sports]

Also On Metacritic

GAMES: College Hoops 2K6 College Hoops 2K7

Cheat Codes & Hints: Cheat Code Central GameFAQs

Also On The Web: Official Website

What The Critics Said

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...

Gaming Age

The biggest change from 2K7 to 2K8 is 2K Share. Getting rosters should have been this easy ever since all our consoles used the Internet out of the box. For some of us, that one feature will be all we need to hear to commit to another version of College Hoops.

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GameTap

For the experienced basketball fan, you're going to pop in this game and say to yourself, 'It's about time.'

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Worth Playing

A technically competent basketball simulation outfitted with years' worth of features and created by a development team with an obvious passion for NCAA ball. If you're looking for an NBA simulation, that's absolutely what you should play.

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Official Xbox Magazine

For our basketball dollars, pound for pound College Hoops 2K8 is the sure-fire way to tip off the '08 season. [Jan 2008, p.67]

DailyGame

2K Sports has introduced a lot of concepts and perfectly captured the college arena atmosphere, but the game itself needs a bit more work on all of its moving parts.

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Cheat Code Central

College Hoops 2K8 is a great college basketball game, both for dedicated fans of the game and for casual b-ball lovers. The new additions to the game, even the flawed ones, are a step in the right direction, bringing the game closer and closer to the definitive college basketball experience.

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GameZone

The 2K team has upped the ante when it comes to game mechanics and that makes College Hoops 2K8 an enjoyable and challenging experience.

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Game Over Online

College Hoops 2K8 is your best college basketball option for this year. The game looks good, the gameplay is as sharp as ever, and the feel of college basketball is there. If you're a college basketball fan, then this one is easy to recommend.

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IGN

Packed with atmosphere and lots of engaging features, such as the revamped Legacy mode and tutorials, College Hoops 2K8 is one of those games that really delivers on the college experience.

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Games Radar (in-house)

With more modes than you can shake a stick at and a rock-solid core basketball engine, it's a superb experience that collegiate hoopsters won't be able to tear themselves away from - even as they shake their fists in rage.

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Team Xbox

While the game lacks the fast pace and wild action of its NBA brethren, the game is tailor made for the more technically minded sports fans. Strong gameplay and deep customization helps players to make the total college-sports experience a reflection of their individual tastes.

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GameSpy

While the majority of the game holds its own, presentation-wise it definitely plays the part of little brother when compared to 2K's NBA game.

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DarkStation

If you like College basketball and are looking for a new game to wet your whistle with, then I would highly recommend you checking out College Hoops 2K8 - it's an all around solid game of basketball.

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GameSpot

Many of the improvements are subtle, but the changes and additions to College Hoops 2K8 make it the best game in the series.

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GotNext

A stellar hoops experience that continues to build on a strong foundation of collegiate basketball excellence.

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Gamers' Temple

It's not quite the thunderous dunk that you would hope it would be, but College Hoops 2K8 manages to lay it up and in.

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Game Informer

This may be the only game that college fans need to care about, but College Hoops 2K needs to step up its game next year to avoid leaving the court with a towel over its head instead of a basketball net.

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1UP

For all the additions in this game, some sensible, some less so, there's one constant: The gameplay is sharp, and players move up and down the court with purpose and meaning.

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Electronic Gaming Monthly

From the crazy crowds to the way the camera shakes while shooting free throws, this edition even outshines longtime atmosphere king "March Madness". [Jan 2008, p.90]

Operation Sports

For all of the additions and enhancements that this season brought, the core gameplay has too many little issues to call it an improvement over last season.

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Planet Xbox 360

College Hoops 2K8 is often too detailed and complex where it does not need it, and fails at the most important part of the game; the gameplay. They get quite a bit right, but the stiff player movement is tough to look past.

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What Our Users Said

The average user rating for this game is 7.8 (out of 10) based on 13 User Votes

Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

J.D. Payne gave it a1:
This game is not for beginners, this is only the second basketball game I have owned and it is incredibly difficult. The tutorial just kind of shows you the controls and doesn't really help much. The legacy mode is time consuming and confusing, and when you finally get to the part where you play a game, you get your ass kicked because you have to play hours of practice to get your team good. So as a newcomer to college hoops I personally would not suggest this game.

Nelson S. gave it a7:
First off, let me say that this is the best basketball game that I have ever played to date. Graphics are solid, although maybe not great as far as the players go, but the arenas look sweet. One thing I think they really nailed here is the atmosphere of the college game. The crowds are ravenous and they really get into the game and respond to what's going on. Something any other basketball game has lacked, at least the ones I've played. The menus seemed a little bit awkward for me to navigate through at times, but I'm getting used to it. But the one and only thing that REALLY bothers me about this game, and it's a major thing, is the fact that it's nearly impossible to stop the computer from scoring, even on freshman level, no matter which teams you choose to play with. For example, I was playing on freshman, and I chose to play as Kansas at home vs. STETSON, and I absolutely could NOT pull away. You just trade baskets most of the game, and if you go on a bit of a run and open up a double digit lead, the CPU is sure to go on a quick 9-0 run and be right with you again. Seemingly every time. Okay okay, maybe I'm not great at defense yet, but considering the I was playing on freshman, I should not have to work THAT hard to stop Stetson from scoring constantly when I'm playing at home as a Top 5 team. I can't imagine what it's like playing this game on harder levels of difficulty.. I plan to give this game more time and work more at defense, and maybe I'll get better. But defense is frustrating to say the least, and gameplay is so often the downfall of sports games. But still, I give this game a good rating because it still can be fun to play, and if I get good at defense, it'll be a blast.

Barney M. gave it a10:
I probably shouldn't give it a 10 b/c there is always room for improvement but this game has nailed the college experience like none other. I also have NBA 2k8 and I have only played it one time. The atmosphere in the arenas of the College Hoops game is enough to get your adrenaline flowing. Online play is sick. The only thing I don't like is that the home team gets too much of advantage. I don't mind playing in a hostile arena, or shooting free throws with a shaky screen but make my opponent beat me rather than having the computer take over and allow the home team to start making ridiculous defensive plays etc. just b/c they are at home.

Brian P. gave it a10:
Great game all around. Its the little things that set this game apart from the rest.

Slingblade gave it a9:
First off, I think the game should only be played from the Nosebleeds camera angle. This is the closest view to a TV broadcast IMHO. You can see more of the court which helps you find the right pass/alley-oop. The stick skills are better, you can really break down an opponents defense and free-up for an open shot. The low-post work is nice, lots of classic teams (93 Wolverines, 82 & 95 Tarheels). Fun to customize classic rosters faces/shoes. It plays tough and smart, especially in multiplayer. Slightly better than Madden 08, coming from a lifetime Madden gamer, says A LOT!!

Jack S. gave it a3:
This game plays like their nba game. it doesn't feel like college hoops and their crowd stuff is lame...It's all sprint button and go. no strategy. save your money.

Jim A. gave it a10:
Best basketball game ever! Newfeatures like play vision, range meter, lock-on D, Maximum passing make this game way better than last year's. The action is exciting and fun!

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College Hoops 2K8

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