Being a long-time Madden football fan, football titles from EA Sports have become a rule of thumb for cyber football and a basis for comparison of all other football games I have played. With that said and my lack of experience with the NCAA Football series, I eagerly rushed to meet Madden’s college football cousin with lofty expectations and a hunger for some mean, crash’em up football with the biggest schools in the nation. NFL and college fans alike will find plenty to like about this game. I mean, who would pass on having Rocky Top blare in their living room??

The most frequently asked question is one I’m going to answer up front. Would-be buyers want to know how much like Madden this football game is. My answer has two spins. Yes, NCAA Football 2004 plays and looks a lot like Madden football -- it looks a lot like the past two Madden iterations, in fact. The spin? Yes, NCAA Football 2004 plays and looks a lot like Madden football *upbeat/cheery tone* with college teams instead of NFL teams! Being likened to the king of football titles is no put-down, but at the same time the differences in gameplay are minor and don’t offer a different experience. This is a package that college fans will be very happy with, but others will be quick to point out the lack of changes from NCAA Football 2003 and how Madden NFL 2004 offers more improvements.

The onset of the game is the typical EA Sports intro with a barrage of loading screens, updates to the EA Sports Bio, a random movie (yes, they seem pretty random), and a menu layout that I’ve seen so many times that it’s engraved in my mind like the Windows toolbar, which is a positive considering they chose a simple and easily recognizable menu design. Once to the menu, the only thing left to decide is what type of game to play. It comes down to team building or actual gameplay in the end.

In NCAA Football 2004, there are different types of on-the-field football to choose from other than exhibition or season. There are rivalry games, classics, and even a mascots game. Rivalry games are those key annual match ups like the Tennessee Volunteers against the Florida Gators, which is a huge SEC (South Eastern Conference) game. Rivalry games are an important addition because it’s a part of college football tradition. The College Classics are classic games from the past that allow gamers to be placed into scenarios that have a dictated outcome that the gamer has to ensure occurs. While it doesn’t matter how the team accomplishes their win, the point is that they do win. Some of these are pretty challenging, like the twenty-one point comeback BYU made against SMU in the 1980 Holiday Bowl (otherwise known as “America’s Most Exciting Bowl Game”). Last and possibly least is the Mascots game. In this spin of the game of football, gamers choose two teams for a game of football, and each player is dressed as their respective mascot. It’s a little goofy and mildly entertaining to see dogs and gators running around on the field. Any additional mode is welcomed.

With any selection, gamers are placed onto the field of play in one of the most refined simulation-style football games. The controls are tight and don’t allow for wild arcade-like plays. Old veterans may have uncovered a bug or two to take advantage of by now, but the heart of the football game is tough strategic simulation play. Gamers will not sit down and run wild on defenses no matter how good a running back is. Tackles are plenty and tapping juke or spin won’t fool linebackers and safeties often.

Coaching offenses and defenses has long been a full-time job in the football world, but in a video game the head coach is plenty capable of flipping through the playbook and choosing plays on the fly, and this is where strategy plays one of its biggest roles in NCAA Football 2004. Running the offense is a crucial and sometimes frustrating task. Running the same play repeatedly will not work (this largely depends on the type of play, of course). Offenses that rely on the run too much will find the defense stacking the line. Passing too much will spread the coverage. Meeting the balance is the goal because it will allow for the running game to produce ample yardage that the team can rely on, and at the same time the passing game will move the markers with consistency. The offense will be down in the other team’s red zone in no time.

This is easier said than done depending on the talent levels between teams. In a game against the hated Florida Gators, I found myself punting often and going three-and-out (three plays and no first down leads to a punting situation if you’re intelligent) every time I got the ball back. This can seem very repetitious, but strategy buffs know the real warfare is going on even in what seems like a stalemate of sorts. In low-scoring games, the objective and key to victory can be in time of possession of the ball. I shouldn’t have to say this, but keeping the other team’s defense out on the field is a good thing. When the fourth quarter rolls around, the team that has been on defense the most will be tiring out. Offenses can run loose in the fourth quarter in what can seem like a strategic victory.

All of this is not to suggest that high-scoring shootouts and exciting plays are rare in NCAA Football 2004 because that’s simply not the case. Taking on smaller schools with teams like Miami and Ohio will most certainly lead to some 50-3 blowouts. Even in huge match ups like Auburn against Georgia, there are bound to be run-away games where one team is totally annihilated. This is the ever-so-unpredictable nature of football where several factors, like injuries, are at play. Strategy is essential, but so is talent and having the manpower. This also leads to the very enticing challenge of building up a small school into a nationally recognized dynasty.