Features

• Race in 31 championships covering 15 different motor racing styles -- all with fantastic graphics, sharp AI and great racing physics
• All the standard racing modes are here -go to any open track for Free Race, race the clock in Time Trial, or take on friends in split-screen multiplayer mode
• Give the wildest new racing styles a try -Ice-racing, street races, oval racing, Rallycross, even Super Truck Racing
• Test yourself against 35 champions, each with their own cars & racing styles
• Experience 50 of the world's toughest tracks, across Europe, Australia and North America

Reviews (6)

The Best Racing Simulator Available
You'll love this game if you're interested in racing. Notice I said racing and not NASCAR!

Awesome Graphics but controls are lameo!
I got the pc version of this game for my birthday, after downloading the demo. The graphics are stunning and the best I've ever seen in a pc racing game. Rallisport Challenge comes close, but I think this is better. While the depth of this game is tremendous, they don't give you much to start with. I think you have 3 tracks and 5 cars to begin. The controls for this game are horrible! I've adjusted my steering wheel controls many times, and it just sucks. I don't know how to say it any clearer. I own about 10 pc racing games, and I've never had the control problems I have with this one. I thought Moto Gp 2 was hard to learn, well this was harder for me. It is not a true racing simulation, because you don't barely turn your wheel and end up going off the road because of it. Then the cheatcode system is the most disappointing thing about this game. You have to pay $5 on the codemasters website to get the 7 codes of the game. The codes are good for only 1(that's right) profile. If you should ever delete your profile for those codes, then you'd have to create a new profile and need NEW codes. My son has to race under my profile to use my saved codes...understand this?!?!?! They don't work under a separate profile. Like I said earlier, the graphics area the best I've ever seen in pc racing. Yet with the controls and pay to play with cheatcodes, only the true racing fans should try and tackle this game.

"cheat code" system is a scam
This game is advertised as having dozens of different types of cars and many, many tracks to play on. What they don't tell you is that you only get a couple cars and tracks... you have to play through a very long and tedious single player campaign to "unlock" all the cars and tracks. And, trust me, it will take a lot of time. So if you think you can just buy the game, and only play it occasionally, and use whatever car or track you want, you're wrong. The game is crippled until you either spend a lot of time with it, or, unbelievably, you can call their 900 number to pay them more to let you unlock the cars and tracks. Wow... what a scam.

Otherwise a GREAT game... the prefect balance, IMHO, between a realistic driving sim and a fun arcadey sim... what a shame.

This game is great
Toca Race Driver 2 is a great game. It features so many different racing types and is a real blast to play, especially on Live!

Don't listen to the moron who's moaning down below, how many other games have you played that are completely unlocked out of the box? You start off racing the Ford GT and can pick cool cars such as the Mustang, souped up Ferrari's, Mercs and NASCAR style racers.

This game is graphically stunning and handles great too. If you own an Xbox and are looking for a racing game then get this, you won't be disappointed!

stay away from this one as single player
This has got to be the worst single player racing game ever created. The game claims all sorts of racing types but the box did not mention that you can't select what type of racing you want to race insted you have to progress through every type of racing before you can select what you want and unlike pro race driver you can not tweak your cars before each race! and you can't adjust the difficulty so as you progress the races are impossible to win! Stay away from this one as I do not recomend it. The 1 star is for single player only x-box live is fun and as for the dork above me I could name several games where all the racing types are ready from the start. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

In Sega Soccer Slam, you'll unleash merciless kicks, tackles, and steals against excitable, colorful characters from all over the world. Each character in this game wields special powers and moves that earn the big score. Get to the random spotlight that appears on the field and your character will shoot skyward with the ball and slam it toward the unsuspecting goalie. In quest mode, you can unlock secret stadiums and uncover hidden items to improve your already stellar performance. Watch the intensity rise as you utilize your new power moves in other game modes. If you're a little rusty on the field, practice mode will get you going again. When you're confident in your smash mouth hits and soccer tackles, throw in some bad weather and gather up a bunch of friends for a rowdy round-robin tournament. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

A Soccer Game for Those Who Do Not Like Soccer
When I first saw the game, I just laughed at the ridiculous cover and the weird characters. However, after Halo, I was bored with the standard first person shooter and so I opted to buy a funny looking game. To my suprise, it turned out to be a really fun game with great graphics and the gameplay is pretty fun and arcade like. In other words, a beautiful game with simplistic controls. There are lots to do with Sega Soccer Slam and there are a lot of stadiums and new characters to unlock. It will keep a person happy for quite a while with the single player mode, a good 30 hours. However, the main attraction of the game is the multiplayer mode where you play with friends. It is pretty easy to pick up the game and play, you can tell them the harder moves as you pummel them. However, after 30 minutes, we were all pros and had a blast. The game is not for everyone, if you're looking for a soccer simulation then you have the wrong game. If you're looking for an off-beat with various semi-hilarious commentary that is easy to pick up and play, well, this is the game for you. The single player warrants a buy but the multiplayer mode is the true selling point.

Alright game
interesting characters. If you're a real soccer fam stay away from this because they allow you to do everything that's illegal (there's no refs) a little too fast and gets boring after a while.

jeez this game [is bad]
man i turned this game off 2 minutes after i started playing it. its just a button masher, the graphics are horrible and what is up with those [happy]cartoon characters ah man. dont get this game.
i give this game negative 5 out of 5. it was terrible. i do not reccomend it.

Great for Dads to play with their SONS!
Dads...buy this game and play with your sons. My 8 yr old son is into soccer and has played all the PS2 FIFA soccer games...But your kids will love this game! Excellent graphics, easy to pick up and use right away, and fun for kids and grown-ups. I bought this game without seeing any recommendations but highly recommend to others. Worth the $.

Awsome!!
This game rocks, there's no illegal moves, playing is a breeze, and oozes style!! ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

All-Star Baseball certainly lives up to its name. It offers the largest stable of former greats, some 50 in all, and it even offers many of the standouts and stars from the old Negro Baseball League. Its obvious Acclaim decided the best way to deal with the competition is to match it in terms of baseball prowess, but at the same time, outdo them in terms of extras: All-Star throws shovelfuls of extras. Extras like a trivia game, stadium tours, and DVD content. It even includes classic ballparks, just in case you really miss Shibe Park. There are seven fantasy ballparks in currently baseball-free North American cities, and you can pick and choose from over 30 mascots, making the expansion team options all the more interesting. All-Star also offers a deep franchise mode that rivals text simulations like Over the Top Baseball.

Baseball lives and dies by the pitcher/batter duel and All-Star has you covered here. How? By offering every option the competition can muster. You can use a cursor system (like MVP Baseball), a timing based system (less realistic, but good for new players), and a system like High Heat where you have to watch the ball carefully (most realistic). Each system works but the cursor-based option could is sub par: the information regarding where and when to swing appears too late. The gameplay has other flaws. Fielding feels soft, unresponsive and slow, and the AI is stupidly aggressive at times: stealing when it shouldn't and slugging when a sacrifice is called for.

All-Star has good graphics--not the best available but very good and the animations are all smooth and lifelike. You can even identify many players by their batting stance alone. The audio is a standout, specifically the commentary, which is accurate, insightful, and even includes entertaining side conversations about the rules and quirks of the game.

All-Star isn't quite the best baseball game you can buy for your console system, but it offers the best overall package if you aren't sure what you want. Good gameplay, good graphics, lots of options and extras, and a nice range of hitting options. Play ball! --Andrew S. Bub

Pros:

• Nice range of pitching/batting options
• Good graphics
• Terrific Audio

• Uneven, overly aggressive, artificial intelligence

Reviews (21)

Great Game
This game is a ton of fun. It is bright and gaudy and grabs your attention right off the bat. Yes, it has some frustrating quirks and glitches (during an attempted 3-6-3 double play, the shortstop fired the ball back to the first baseman in plenty of time to get the runner; unfortunately, the first baseman wasn't covering the bag at the time, the pitcher was, and instead of an inning ending double play, there was a man on first -- who scored on the home run hit by the very next batter) But these gripes aside, the game plays wells, looks terrific, and has enormous replay value. I bought High Heat 2004 and couldn't force myself to play it for more than a few minutes. It was too damn ugly and dull -- and you wanna talk about glitches? Yes, I know you HH fans will send up a wail of indignant protest, "But it's true to the game!" Sorry, I played baseball, it's my favorite sport, and H H has all the luster and appeal of a dodgeball tournament at a prisoner of war camp. All-Star has so much more going for it; from the extra features and game modes, to the player and stadium models, it simply is a very well-done sports video game. Home runs come at an acceptably bloated rate, just as they do in the real game, and yes, if you tune this game right (and you can tune it, H H fans), you will occasionally get locked in a pitchers duel. I had one that went on for twenty-three innings, and ended with a final score of 4 - 3. I lost.
There are many baseball titles coming out this year, and everyone will have an opinion on which is top-dog. Take my advice and rent them first. Decide which one you like. Don't forget, these games are fifty bucks each. I ran out and bought High Heat because I read several favorable reviews, all of which I found to be, at the very best, misleading. I recouped a little of my cash by trading it in on All-Star, but I still wasted money. Don't make the same mistake. I love All-Star 2004. You may not.

Good but....
Would have gotten 5 stars if it were Xbox live compatible... At least you can get the rosters downloaded.

Graphics are pretty decent, it's much better than previous seasons.

Sound is a little weak, announcing is pretty good, but the crowd noises sound like they are coming through a tunnel. Bat cracking, pitching, sound of the ball hitting glove are nice, very realistic.

Gameplay... Oh man. It could have been so much better than it is, but it's still pretty good. Infield control is incredibly tight, but when it comes to fielding the outfield, oh jeez, forget it. Unless you get under that ball, it's going to take a bounce to the wall, and you will be running in circles trying to pick the ball up! What happened here? Good question.

Franchise mode is deep, stats are tight, home run derby is fun, the batting practice is very good (you'll need it at first).

Overall, it's a good game, not the best, I think High Heat 2k4 is going to be tops this year as far as a simulation of Baseball, but I am enjoying my season so far, I'd wait and see if you can get this on sale if you MUST have a baseball game NOW. Otherwise, I can recommend it, but I can't stand behind the recomendation. I enjoy the game, but others with a taste for arcade ball won't really be very happy, and there could be quite a few stat/sim heads that won't like this either. It's a middle of the road baseball game.

10 myths and truth about this game
Despite being released over a year ago, All-Star Baseball 2004 is still my choice baseball game for the Xbox. Why? It's the most addictive, fun baseball game I've played. After reading one too many negative reviews about this game, I've decided to speak out. I'm going to address ten issues concerning ASB04 that are brought up to disparage or praise the game. Here they are:

1. Zone and Timed-Hitting modes are broken (i.e."too many pop ups"). Myth. In ASB there are a variety of hits. I see hits down the line, Texas-leaguers, foul-backs, broken-bat hits, lined-hits and grounders to all fields. I have to question people complaining about not getting enough hit variety. One tip I'd like to offer is: Press the X button to activate the power swing on Timed or Zone-hitting (at least once per at bat). You'll notice more hits lined to all fields, unlike on contact hitting, where hits are mostly up the middle.

2. Pitch speeds are too fast. Truth. You make adjustments. There's no shame in starting the game on Rookie level, where you're given more leeway to make solid contact, and working your way up. The timed-hitting mode is a great way to adjust to the realistic speed of the pitches. A batting-practice mode is also included in the game.

3. The pace is too slow. Half-truth. Then this game is simply not for you. If you find baseball boring on TV or radio, you probably won't like ASB since it's almost a dead-on simulation of a real baseball game. The on-field presentation is terrific. The players, the stadiums and the umpires are all lifelike. Sometimes you have to pinch and tell yourself it's not the real thing. The announcing game is the most detailed out of all the console baseball games. Thom Brennaman and Steve Lyons go into at least one deep conversation about a recent MLB topic per game. Overall, this is as close to a simulated broadcast you're going to get in a videogame.

4. Too many homeruns. Half-truth. It really depends on your skill-level. Obviously, on lower difficulty levels (Rookie, timed-hitting), the higher the amount of homers occur. On higher difficulty levels (All-Star, cursor-hitting), homers are less frequent. I get a realistic amount (1-3) in one game on zone hitting on All-Star difficulty.

5. Base-running controls are hard. Myth. It's actually quite easy. To move one base-runner, you hold the advance button Y (or to retreat hold B) and then press the base button on the gamepad (eg.Right=firstbase-runner). To move all base-runners, you press the L-trigger to advance, R to retreat. I'll admit it took me a few games to get use to this system.

6. Franchise mode has a few kinks in it. Truth. There's a trading bug that can cause some frustration. For example, if you trade two players for three players (i.e.you get more players in return), the third player disappears from the game. Because there's no list for excess players, the CPU removes the traded player. One tip obviously is to save the game before making any major trades. Another tip is to free-up space on the active roster (by sending down players to the minors) before making the trade. Another bug is the "position-integrity"bug. The rule is that you must have all the positions on your team filled, including backup corner/middle infielders, or else you'll be frozen on the GM-setup page. The solution is to find a way to fill that position, whether it's through a minor league call-up, free agency or trade.

7. Fielding is difficult. Myth. As an experienced gamer, I find it plays just like any other baseball game. One thing useful is future throws. You press the base you want to throw to before picking up the ball. Consequently, doubleplays are pretty easy to turn. There's an issue with aligning the fielder with the ball indicator (the circle thingy that shows where the ball is going to land). Sometimes you have to place the fielder in front of the indicator instead of in the middle (I suppose it all depends on the trajectory of the ball hit). For the most part, fielding is pretty straightforward.

8. Pitching is too easy. Half-truth. The pitching system simply comes down to selecting the pitch-type, picking a spot on the strike zone and pressing a button. The ball goes correctly to the spot where you targeted the cursor. One complaint is that the aim is too accurate. Pitchers with good control like Zito and Maddux will hit their spots very frequently. But when they begin to tire, they lose a bit of accuracy. When their fatigue meter is nearly depleted, they'll start to hang pitches down the middle of the strikezone. There's also the option to turn off the pitching-cursor to make pitching more challenging.

9. There are glitches in this game. Truth. Baseball is a complex sport with a lot of gray areas concerning the rules and the intricate physics of the game. So, it shouldn't be surprising to see something bizarre occur in a baseball videogame (since we sometimes see them in real life!). In ASB, fielders will suddenly pick up a ball 10ft away from them without budging. This may be related to a vacuum effect that fielders seem to have. The CPU AI plays a good game but they occasionally throw to the wrong base. Hitters will appear to hit balls out of the catcher's mitt. I've seen other really strange things (that probably belong on the TwilightZone) but these flaws normally don't affect the outcome of a game.

10. The game is loaded with fun extras. Absolute truth. It includes a home run derby, scenario mode, schoolyard-pickup mode, stadium tours, a quiz game, player interviews (BuckO'Neill,CalRipken,DerekJeter), an All-TimeLegends roster (Ruth,Cobb,etc), a NegroLeague roster (Satchel,Josh,etc), create-a-player mode, and a franchise mode which includes an in-depth expansion option, where you get to choose from one of 25-30 cities vying for an MLB team. You're definitely getting bang for your buck.

Not Feeling It
I got this for Xmas and I can't get into. It's extremely hard to hit and extremely easy to field. All the bells and whistles for extras are nice but I found the game play difficult on the offensive end and too easy defensively. Perhaps I should spend more time w/it but I think I'll wait for a newer improved baseball game...

Good to a point
This is one of the best games as far as simulation goes. It also has a lot of extra things like All Time and Negro League greats. The place that it kind of falls off is in commentation and the batting controls.

Maybe spending only a week is too short to adjust to the way you need to control the tilt and position of the batting cursor at the same time, but it just seemed too much to me. You should be able to handle where the ball goes by timing your swing, but that's just me.

The only other area that I had a complaint with was the announcers. It really started to get repetitive about every 5th inning.

The high points are graphics and simulation. Unless you understand the concept of the Rule 5 draft, don't even try and turn it on. It's a little difficult for the common fan to understand, and the way that it's encorporated is a little difficult as well. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Experience authentic stock car racing drama in NASCAR Thunder 2003. The 800-hp, 200-mph action on the track is true to the spirit of the sport and the passion of the fans, with massive pileups, metal-twisting damage, and an all-new game engine. From sponsorships to car setup to all-out racing action, you will build a legacy and become a legend in the deepest career mode ever. If you can survive the door-to-door, three-wide racing season after season, then you're ready for NASCAR Thunder 2003. ... Read more

Reviews (15)

Excellent Racing Game
"NASCAR Thunder 2003" is really an excellent game. There is a variety of modes to play and a lot of different things you can do to keep your interest piqued.

"Thunder" lets you race at every track NASCAR races on as any one of the drivers on the Winston Cup circuit. There is also a Create-A-Car mode that lets you design and build your own car to race, as well as a career mode, where you start a team from scratch and race to the top over 20 years. You have to research new technology, sign sponsors and crew members, and meet certain goals in order to make money. It's a very deep mode, and you have to go through a few frustrating years before you really start to get good.

Part of what can help you is the Thunder License mode, which allows you to race by yourself at every track with the help of the driver of your choice. Richard Petty instructs you on how to race the track and then you try and complete laps in a certain amount of time. It sounds easy, but it's really not.

Probably the best mode is the Lightning Challenge, where you take control of race cars in certain situations and try to meet certain goals. Most of these are "win the race" goals, but there's a few other interesting ones, like avoiding crashes and trying to make it through a race on a less than full tank. Each challenge has a call from the race and is introduced by a driver. If you complete these and other things throughout the game, you're awarded with Thunder license plates, which unlock extras, like the cards in other EA Sports games.

Graphically, Thunder's not the best looking game, but it's still sharp. There's sort of a grainy look to it, but the tracks and cars are very well detailed. Soundwise, there's not much. The cars sound like, well, cars and the voices over the radio say the same thing over and over again. There's no crowd noise and minimal announcing, but, in reality, you couldn't hear any of that in an actual race anyway.

The gameplay is where Thunder really shines. The controls are very simple to learn, but tough to master. If you push the brake or the steering too hard, you might spin out, although there are assists that help you when you start out. There's also other little touches that race fans will appreciate, like drafting and deciding what you need in a pit stop. You also have to qualify for the races so you get the best positions.

Overall, this is a definite buy for every race fan or just a fan of driving games. And for only [$$$], it's well worth the price, especially since it's current with the early part of the season.

Buy NASCAR HEAT: Dirt to Daytona instead
Don't buy Thunder. It's not a bad game, just that you can better spend your money on NASCAR HEAT: Dirt to Daytona. Thunder only offers stock car racing whereas Heat offers *4* games in 1: Dirt/Go-Kart(modifieds)/Truck/and Stock Car and therefore Heat offers a lot more variety and fun! Buy NASCAR HEAT: Dirt to Daytona instead.

Great game!
nascar thunder is a great game.If you get a wheel for this game,then when you make turns your car will not go all over the place.I like the challenges and trying to break a record on each track or become a legend.What I think they should have done to nascar thunder is to let you make your own custom track.Also this game could of had a bit better graphics.What I like to do is turn off the yellow flag for season or career so that I can turn around on the track and go the other way and hit the cars straight on.Its a lot of fun.Overall,this game is the greatest.I recommend this game to anybody that loves nascar because this is the best nascar game that you will find.

NASCAR done right!
I played last years version and was pleased with the progress it was making. This year its 2002 version times 10!

Pros: 1. NASCAR is better than ever!

2. last years tweaks are fixed

3. an improvement in graphics

4. outstanding career mode

5. so many modes, that it will keep you busy for months!

6. the ability to import songs is available

Cons: 1. physics take some time to get used to

2. first years of career mode are frustrating due to crapiness of car and crew

Final Verdict: A definite buy! as i said earlier, it will keep you busy for months

EA Sports finally gets it right!
This game is a great response to Nascar Heat. They include challenges, driving tests, and unlockables along with the stunning graphics to create what is probably the best Nascar game out there.
The realism is great, and I also appreciated that you can plug in your own soundtrack! If you love Nascar racing, this is a definite must buy! ... Read more

Features

• Enjoy quick action or an entire simulated season of NFL football
• Revolutionary Playmaker control--quickly change plays, routes, or defensive coverage; call out blocks, direct receivers, and make quick adjustments on defense
• Take over the full responsibilities of an owner in addition to your general management, coaching, and player duties in Franchise mode
• Knockout graphics and presentation--broadcast-quality effects, split-screen replays, specialty animations, and accurate player models (right down to the tattoos)
• For 1 to 4 players

Reviews (94)

The A.I. is on steroids
I have always been a big fan of the series and I love the mini camp drills, i think thats a brilliant idea. The ability to set concession prices, hats, etc. is also a clever addition. The graphics are solid, though still need tweaking but I feel as if I am playing Madden 2004 Blitz. I am sick and tired of the computers magical ability to erase any deficit in the 4th quarter. Mind you, I have been playing football games, including Madden, for years.

I have had the Cardinals come back to beat me in the 4th quarter, erasing a 24 point lead. This quarter from hell included, 1. a blocked punt, 2. a punt returned for a td, 3. 2 fumbles by my rb (Ahman green) who was running great until this dreadful quarter. 4. a td return for a td 5. and a game winning 90 yard drive by the cardinals.

Sure this can happen once, twice, whatever. But when I constantly lose 4th quarter leads over and over again, it annoys me. I love games that are hard but this computer assistance borders on the surreal and it is enough for me to spoil an otherwise terrific game.

One last gripe, too much room for the QB to run. This is not NCAA. I think this was done to appease Mike Vick fans and I guess I can understand and live with that.

Gets Better EVERY year!
So awesome. If you dont have it, its a MUST have. Out of all the other football games on XBOX, this game really shows em up. I love the mini-camp at the beginning of every franchise year. You can excell your players in every category. The Owner Mode lets you get a small feeling for leading your team to a super bowl. I have played NFL 2k3 and that game is no good. The players have frekin square helmets. Like i said, if you dont have madden 2004...GET IT. and get MADDEN 2005! o thats gonna be soooo awesome. later

Madden gets better and better
Sometimes it's the little changes that make a great game even better and that's exactly what they did in Madden 04. Asside from the updated rosters & teams, the preseason mode, gameplay action is the hottest feature on here. You can change the play up to the second you hike the ball on the line of scrimmage. Realistic stadiums and chants all add to the greatness of this game.

WORST GAME EVER!!!!!!!!!!
I wasn't turned on to Madden until the '98 version when my neighbor let me play. I'll admit, it was a great game (key word "was".)I played Madden up to 2001. Then, another friend hipped me to NFL Football 2k1. I was hooked. My new mind frame was "Madden who?!?!?!" Anyway...I did play every Madden that came out since 2001, and they just didn't compare to the 2k series. Then, this past year, it was the battle of the two games. EA Sports put out 2004, and Sega put out ESPN Football 2k4. Keep in mind that Madden got it's start with Sega. Obviously, I played 2k4 and was hooked. I wanted to be open and see what the competition had to offer. Madden 2004 had some good features; Owner mode, training camp, and my personal favorite, making new uniforms for the squad. But that's about all it had to offer. THe gameplay was horible. Compared to 2k4, it moved entirely too slow. The special moves were garbage and it was impossible to get a tackle, sack, or catch/intercept a pass. Plus, 2k4 has two things that Madden will never be able to match: First person mode and the Crib. And with the simple fact that ESPN is involved with the game catapolts this game! Two words: Chris Bearman! In my opinion, Madden 204 makes NES Football look great. ESPN Football dwarfs Madden, PERIOD! Any true gamer can play each game and tell that ESPN is superior. For all you Madden loyalists, I respect how you feel, but it's time for you to wake up and smell the coffee. Sega Sports realized that Madden wasn't the way to go. Sega sports reinvented football gaming, and its name is ESPN Football.

The best but could be better
This is the best football game out there, but could be better. The computer likes to cheat (the most annoying factor), and sometimes it can be difficult to control players. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

NCAA College Basketball 2K3 delivers the complete college hoops experience. Every Division I school is here and represented in true college fashion, complete with energetic cheerleaders, rabid student sections, and spirited bands swaying in the stands, all adding to the madness of college hoops. Take the reigns of your favorite Division I program and build a modern-day dynasty in legacy mode, as you recruit the best crop of young talent throughout the nation.

With the new Player Editor, player's names appear on the back of their jerseys. The ranking systems let you track your team's performance with weekly top 25 and RPI rankings--and a bubble watch come tourney time. Classic and Custom Tournaments allow you to compete in conference tournaments, the classic field of 64, or create your own custom tournaments from scratch. An immersive college atmosphere is created with school-specific cheerleaders, chants, and fight songs. In role-play mode you can play as one player the entire game.

This game also lets you play online with your Xbox Live starter kit. ... Read more

Reviews (21)

Great game.
This game is as good or better than Sega's NBA games. The only disappointment is the fact that all the players are generic - in other words not even the top 25 or 50 teams have their real rosters from last season. I don't expect them to have included every single D-1 NCAA basketball player in this game, but perhaps the rosters fromt the teams that made the tourney last year should be included. I wonder if it's a licensing issue with the NCAA?

Terrific game.
NCAA Basketball 2K3 is one of the most interesting games I've played on my X-Box, and it is the one I've played the most. The reason I am not able to give it a 5 star rating deals more with a few bugs than with the enjoyment of playing.

I will rate it across a few categories that many Players of games use. Graphics, Sound, Gameplay, Value, Tilt.

Graphics - 3.5 stars
The Graphics are good, but not great. Some players look too much like other players, possibly due to the generation process. On a normal television it is often difficult to make out the numbers on each player. It may be better on an HD-TV, but I can not speak to that. Some of the animations are ugly, such as the finish of a jump shot, and the collision detection may be over pronounced at times. Overall the courts look good, the crowds are part of the atmosphere, and there is enough variety to be interesting. It is fun to watch players falling down going after the ball.

Sound - 4 stars.
The crowds are a definite part of the game, as well as the bands. The thing that pulls down the sound is the repetitive phrases of the commentators, though this is somewhat expected as it would take a lot of additional work to cover an entire season with a more variety. The sounds of the game (ie the dribbling of the ball, the squeak of shoes) are not pronounced and do not get in the way. There is no talking by the players, it would be nice if they occaisionally celebrated or groaned.

Gameplay - 4.0 stars
The gameplay is very strong with a certain amount strategy. The coaches AI is poor when it comes to timeouts, and questionable as to substitutions, but you can mannually handle this. Overall the control scheme is easy to learn, but it is different from the NBA 2K3 scheme, which is a bit of a challenge if you come from the NBA 2K series. Passing leaves you very vulnerable to turnovers, but you can return this favor by making an unseemly amount of steals. Errors in the game such as an injury bug, a Roster Export failure, and a few others hurt the game a bit.

Value - 4.5 stars.
There are a number of modes that make this game replayable, even with the same teams. One could play for weeks and never really reach it's depth.

Tilt - 4.0 Stars
I liked NCAA Basketball 2K3 quite a bit. It allows you to do a lot of things. With a few less bugs and a slightly improved Graphics and Commentary this would be a 5 Star game all the way. It is worth its cost, and to top it off, it is fun, admittedly more fun if you are a college hoops fan, or if you ever wanted to lead your school to the NCAA Championship. There are over 200 colleges to choose from, from Elon in North Carolina, to Florida A & M, to the Big names. It is well worth the investment.

Highly disappointing.
I was really hoping to enjoy this game, but I was very disappointed to find that it's one of the worst games I've ever played on the XBox. The graphics are poor, the announcers are horrible, and the game play is terrible. By my 3rd game I was stealing the ball 80+ times w/ the game set to the hardest level (not because I'm particularly good or anything). The only thing that is half-way decent is the recruiting mode, but recruiting and simulating a season is only fun for so long.

Great game with few flaws
This game is a must get for college basketball fans. Every division 1 team is there so you use legacy mode to turn Pine Bluff University or something into a powerhouse in a couple of years. The graphics are good and you can rename players from the huge name list. Now the flaws- I know some other reviewer said the free throws would take practice but come on! During the season with Boston College, I made 2 free throws out of over 100 tries and i practiced about 50 of them in the practice mode and made 3. Otherwise from this and the repetitive commentary, this game rocks.

It Could be Better
This game is good but not great. First of all, the controls are a little hard to get used to. There's no way to know where you are going to pass to and the free throw shooting is really hard. Plus, you can't create your own team in this game, a feature that I really like in college sports games. If you're a huge college basketball fan, though, and you can't wait for the next college basketball game to come out for Xbox then it is worth getting this game. ... Read more

Features

• Get in the end zone with new trick plays like the Halfback Throwback and Wide Receiver Double Reverse Pass
• New animations include sideline tackles, stumbles, new over-the-shoulder and basket catches, and user-controlled celebrations
• Replay 20 of the greatest college football games from the last two decades
• Play as one of 36 new 1-AA teams or one of the 100+ new classic teams
• For 1 player

Reviews (21)

EA has outdone itself again - excellent!
I thought NCAA 2003 was the pinnacle of this series, but EA Sports has outdone itself with the 2004 edition of NCAA Football!

Certainly, they have added new "goodies" like Sports Illustrated magazine covers based on your dynasty season, heritage football teams that are dressed like their era, more fun and goofy college mascots, and overall better graphics.

The biggest upgrade, and the one most important to continuing fans of the series, is to the gameplay. It's those little details the average reviewer doesn't notice but you do because you've taken your dynasty twelve years deep. It's the fact that your offensive lineman are now awarded pancakes and you can therefore win the Offensive Lineman of the Year. Or the fact that you can lead a receiver with your throw to take him away from defensive pressure. Sacks are more plentiful. Special teams is vastly improved, with members of your team forming a wedge in front of you on punts and kickoff returns. No longer can you just play "Toss Sweep" and outsprint the computer to the corner. It takes sophistication in your play to advance. In short, NCAA has taken an already impressive football simulation and made it even more realistic and authentic in its gameplay. It has all the glitz, but it also has all the important stuff: the gameplay that makes you feel that your coaching and playing has an impact on every down.

One also has to appreciate the sheer expertise EA Sports has shown in assigning attributes to the different teams and players. It is extraordinarily accurate in gauging real teams' abilities.

So the positives of this game:
-Improved Gameplay
-Tons of goodies (throwback teams, Sports Illustrated, more of everything)
-Authentic recreation of what we all love about the college game

The negatives (and you have to look really hard for these):
-Some of the commentary dialogue is new, but most is the same as last year
-The opening sequence at the start of each game is slightly changed but largely the same
-Running backs don't catch the ball coming out of the backfield very well (I'm being very nit-picky on this one!)

Tremendous game... you won't be disappointed!

Believe it or not, it's even better than 2003!
This game is a ton of fun to play. If you've played any of the previous versions, you'll feel at home, although there are many changes here. The animations and controls feel better and more realistic, and the graphics are solid. There is amazing depth in this game, especially in Dynasty mode. You are in control of everything, and EA puts a ton of information at your fingertips. Nice additions: the weekly Sports Illustrated Covers/headlines really make it feel realistic; the EABio feature allows you to earn rewards for playing other EA games (any of them!) and grants you a player level; the recruiting and off-season is incredibly fun and could be a simulation in and of itself; although no names appear (NCAA regulations), you can enter the names yourself, and the broadcasters have hundreds of names recorded (all the major stars). Well worth the money!

The best football game of the year
NCAA Football 2004 is without doubt the best football game of the year. Even though NCAA is similar to Madden as far as gameplay and graphics go, NCAA is still more fun because you can run the best play ever created- THE OPTION! and there are more teams to choose from.The only thing I really dont like is you only know the players jersey numbers instead of their name.The dynasty mode is the deepest its ever been. The addition of Sports Illustrated is just awsome, however i must say that there is too much of a bias towards running backs winning the heisman trophy. But other than that the game is awsome, definately a must buy for the college football fan or just football fans in general. I have Madden 2004 but i want to sell it to buy this game.

i rented ,now i want
this game is awesome, I love it. the graphics are great. esecially on the system with the best graphics, Xbox. the game play is the bomb. you can't believe the juke move, they do cuts like Mike Hart of Onadoga Central in Syracuse... Just remeber I only rented this game and encourage you to rent it just incase you don't like it but you probably will

this game is awesome
it is very realistic and the dynasty mode is awesome, if you were to ask me, I would highly recommend this game ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

FIFA Soccer 2003 lets you play with all the best clubs, players, and national teams. The Club Championship highlights the top 18 club teams with intense detail, including team-specific stadiums and chants. You will have Total Ball Control. Use your feet and head to control the ball like never before. You will also be able to use free kicks and corner kicks to set up a shot or even score directly. Computer opponents will adopt tactics based on game situations. ... Read more

Reviews (35)

The game play is OK but the software should be more flexible
FIFA Soccer 2003 is probably the best soccer game available for both X-BOX and Playstation 2. The game play is quite good and the number of European clubs with detailed info about the players is amazing. Nevertheless, EA's soccer game has a few huge flaws in my opinion:
(1) Notably some national teams are missing, such as Japan (one of the hosts of the last World Cup), Canada, Chile, and a few others.
(2) They pay too much attention to the European leagues and none to the South American ones. For instance, there are no teams from Argentina, Chile, Paraguay, Uruguay, etc. There is no Brazilian Championship or "Libertadores" the regional cup.
(3) There is no flexibility or whatsoever in the game. You cannot create players, teams, and even a competition (you are limited to only 3 types of standard competitions in the custom mode).
Despite that, it is still worth buying. You will be especially pleased if all you care about is European soccer (at least that's all that EA seems to care about).

Excellent, if you say not think again.
Really good graphics, controlling, etc. Me and my friend Daniel really enjoyed it. heres 1 cheat i know, to unlock seoul stadium win first place in international championship. if you want a good or awsome soccor game choose this game. just don't go crying MOMMY I LOST THE CHAMPIONSHIP WHHHHHAAAAAAAA cause this game is as easy as pie. and if you do lose the championship GOD my 4 year old cousin could beat the champioship

It's addicting
I"m a big soccer fan, and FIFA 2003 is awesome. My only complaint is that Ally McCoist, (hope I spelled it right). His accent can be difficult to understand at times. John Motson was much clearer to understand. Could be dialect thing or something. LOL. Anyway, great job as always. Keep up the good work

Great gameplay and graphics!!!
This is the best FIFA since 1997!!! It has a whole new game engine, and it realy gets close to the real sport. The passing, defending and even shooting is very well recreated. Your player will only shoot if the ball is close to his feet, just the way it is supposed to be! The defense is great, the final scores are usualy 2-1 or 2-3 at the most, like the real sport.
The drawbacks: NO COSTUMIZATION. You're unable to create custom teams or custom formations. Also some of the world's best clubs are not available like Argentina's Boca Jr. And also some big absents like Holland in the country teams. It would have been nice to have all of these features available in the other EA titles.

Better than ever!!
Fifa soccer series was going in to a deep hole with their last games released (2001,2002, world cup). The graphics were amazing but the gameplay was not equivalent with the game graphics and presentation. I have been a soccer games fan, and I play winning eleven series that is a lot better, fifa 2003 give me more features to compare it with WE series. The gameplay have improved a lot and the action is more intense. If you want to play the best Fifa soccer game ever try it. ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

In baseball, if a pitcher starts losing control the manager yanks him. It’s a smart thing to do because baseball tends to flow in streaks. This is why EA Sports came out to the mound and pulled the ailing Triple Playseries. Never a critical favorite, it was too arcade and not enough simulation. Triple Play just wasn't performing, and fans were beginning to notice what the other baseball sims were doing better (almost everything). So rookie MVP 2003 trots out to the mound for its day in the sun. It’s a step in the right direction.

MVP looks great. The field, players, and animations are all smooth and realistic looking. Instead of placing the camera directly behind the batter in the default view, they’ve gone for a slightly tilted camera that better simulates a batter’s view of the ball screaming in. The only graphical glitch is that the batting box is too small visually. Curves don’t break correctly, change-ups don’t drop enough, and this just plain looks weird. However, the mini-diamond that shows the situation (including how much of a lead the opposing team's runners take) is just about perfect.

Rather than simply demanding you keep your eye on the ball, MVP has a batting box that predicts where the ball will go. This makes hitting too easy and pitching a bit too hard. A pitcher has too little time to get the ball icon within the strike zone. Other sims do it better. The other problem is with fielding. You have decent control (they avoided World Series Baseball’s rookie error) but changing players is neither quick nor easy and the game forces your player to dive when you don’t want to. Tossing it back to base isn’t as intuitive or smooth as it should be either. You’ll get used to it but, again, other games do it much better.

MVP is a strong debut but it just isn’t a contender for the Hall of Fame.--Andrew S. Bub

Pros:

• Great graphics
• Realistic baseball action
• Franchise mode

• Pitches don’t "break" correctly
• Fielding system is out of whack
• Franchise mode lacks initial draft

Amazon.com Product Description

Deep within a vast underground weapons complex known as Force Valley, one faction of humans tries to gain the upper hand by creating super-enhanced cyborgs. One of their experimental cyborgs, Magin, escapes and creates an army of enhanced weaponic monsters, turning Force Valley into a Metal Dungeon. Players must assemble their teams to plunge into the depths and root out the monsters.

Players choose from five character types--fencer, striker, analyzer, caster, and broader--for building their teams, which may be further enhanced by finding or buying chips and implanting them into characters. Players can add to their team by finding and reanimating the corpses of fallen warriors and transforming them into one of five unlockable character classes. Metal Dungeon can be played by a single player (who may control up to six characters) or by multiple players each controlling their own character and their actions simultaneously. ... Read more

Reviews (12)

Don't buy this game!
Overall, a huge disappointment. The AI stinks and the combat system is terrible. Graphics are the only decent part but cannot overcome serious flaws in the game ... keep this game at arms length.

dumbest game on earth
this game is so stupid you should not buy it. i wouldnt get this game even if it costs a dollar. the games view is a sky view and it looks like a little kids game. you dont even tell your characters what to do when battling they do it without you telling them. you dont control the fighting. this game is just plain out dumb. i advise you not to waist [money] on this game like i did because it [is bad]!!!!

It has a few good points, but....
Many people have said it already: this game is repetitive. Much of the game uses the same graphics. The "real time battle system" is novel at first but gets boring after a while. The game has decent music but it gets old after a while. Like I said the repitition kills it.

What the game has going for it is randomness. You won't get bored exploring the dungeon, because it's always different. The item chests are all random, so you could get stuck with bad equipment, or get lucky and find something cool.
There's also some strategy to the game. You get to make up a party of up to five characters, and you get to pick the class for each of them. (You can also pick a face type, and alter the body shape, but these features are kinda a joke.) There are also five other "hidden" classes you can change to part way through the game.

One cool thing is when your party dies their bodies are put into a cyrogenic morgue thing, and you have to start a new party to retrieve them. Only problem is it's to easy to just load your game. Just be sure to save often.

Bottom line: this game has it's good points... but they don't out weigh the bad ones. Probably the only people who'd like this game are those who play Diablo II for hours and hours, just trying to find items and make characters.

Blah!
This is almost too bland to call it an RPG. It is highly repetitive. Level after level you combat the enemy, collect some stuff, repeat ad naseam. This is the second worst game for Xbox (see Pulse Racer for first place on this one).

damn u capcom
this just flat out ..., unless u like to be bored.
it has no battle system--its all automatic.
i couldent stand it for 2 hours - - - - i literaly threw all ... to the salvation army [like they would have an x-box for the poor] ... Read more