So begins another year of the March Madness series, and once again, so begins another run at college basketball greatness. NCAA March Madness 2005 makes a good case this season, in some areas more than others.

Graphically, things really seem to look the same as last year. Sure, there are some brand new dunk animations that’ll thrill the “Phi Slamma Jammas” out there, but really, the players themselves don’t look all that much better. In fact, I think the crowds got even less into the game (at least visually). You can see an attendance difference when your ball club’s doing well or not, but it almost looks like they go through the motions when it comes to crowd interaction. I will say that it’s cool when the camera shakes at a noisy arena, but you have to be either playing as/against a team whose crowd cares that much about college basketball.

The audio feels the same way. Brad Nessler and Dick Vitale are behind the mics again for March Madness 2005, but a lot of it is rehashed from the year before. Don’t get me wrong, the two definitely call a great game, and almost never fall behind the action. However, things seem to be stuck in that proverbial wheel of going through the motions. The crowd definitely sounds like it’s into the game (although it may not look it).

The new thing this year aurally is the pep band music. No longer will you just listen to the same old fight songs and such. In 2005, the band plays hits ranging from the 70’s to today. However, while the songs are good, they seem to be slow. I’m looking for songs that make me wanna get out of my chair, yet not every song did that for me. I used to be in pep band, I should know.

NCAA March Madness 2005 really improved the gameplay over 2004. Last year, it really felt like you could go 1-on-5 much of the time. This year, defenses are much smarter, and the “pro hop” move isn’t as effective as it once was. The result is a much more “team emphasized” game. And as such, EA Sports even has a name for this year’s gameplay. This year, you call your plays through the Floor General system. With a simple press of the D-pad, you can call nine different offensive/defensive plays. Floor General even shows you where the point guard needs to go to deliver the pass. I found this to be a much more effective way of running offenses and defenses. It especially helps out that the A.I. is smart on both sides of the court. Whatever play you call, your teammates will be sure to execute. To some, it may seem like it slows down the offense. To others (myself included), it adds to the realism that is college basketball.

The game modes are pretty much the same as before: Play Now, Mascot or Rivalry Game, Tournament Modes, Season, Dynasty, and Online. New to 2005 is the Pontiac College Classics where you relive some of college basketball’s greatest moments. This year’s Dynasty mode is updated so that you have to recruit players within the season. The other thing you’ll deal with in Dynasty mode is Player Violations. I had to suspend a player cause a damn booster was paying his cell phone bill. Freakin’ boosters (you know who you are)!

March Madness 2005 also sports a Practice mode where you can hone your freestyle moves and such. Otherwise, it comes down to the four degrees of difficulty: Junior Varsity, Varsity, All-Conference, and All-American. You can also adjust the difficulty with the countless number of sliders dealing with everything such as shooting, ball handling, etc. Like I said before, the A.I. is enhanced on both ends of the court, which is a definite plus.

Much like the pep band music, NCAA March Madness 2005 really feels slow. I’d advise you to change the Game Tempo slider, because the default setting is way too slow. However, it’s not just the actual game; everything feels weighted down. The game menus especially are on the slower side. When you call a time out in a game and try to make a substitution, it really feels delayed going from menu to menu. I’m not sure how it feels on the Xbox, but I’ve got to believe it’s faster than the PS2 version.

Otherwise, the rest of the mechanics are pretty solid and standard. As mentioned earlier, the Floor General Playcalling system works wonderfully with the D-pad. You control your freestyle moves with the right analog stick, and can make an off-the-ball switch by pressing down on R3. The memory card won’t be too bogged down. The same cannot be said for the loading times.

All in all, if you’re a fan of the March Madness series, NCAA March Madness 2005 is a no-brainer. For those of you looking for a good college basketball sim, definitely give this one a try. The game itself is pretty good, even though it feels like it’s going through the motions a bit.