ZeroTolerance of ZTGD writes: The fever of March Madness is everywhere. Fans of college hoops look forward to this magical time each year, and even common people such as myself find the 64-team bracket addicting. EA Sports has decided to capitalize on this with their first Xbox Live Arcade effort, which takes their staple franchise and strips it down to its most basic premise. NCAA Basketball 09: March Madness Edition is exactly what it sounds like; it takes the retail game and delivers the 64 teams that have made it into the tournament and lets you play out who will take home the crown. This is a perfect way for gamers who are only mildly interested in the phenomenon to participate without dropping sixty bucks on a game that may only place twice.
Pros
+ Looks and feels great
+ Only fifteen bucks
+ Addictive as real brackets
Cons
- Shooting still sporadic
- No online play
NCAA Agrees to $20 Million Settlement in Video Game Likeness Case
Makes me wonder how they will compensate in future games. Give each player a percentage point or two?
Settlement marks first time NCAA will pay student-athletes for likenesses
With CBS and Turner experiencing record TV ratings for the 2011 NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship, the video game industry is sitting on the bench during March Madness and ignoring the Final Four and the massive fan base it attracts annually. And publishers like Electronic Arts and Take-Two Interactive are leaving all of that potential money on the table.
