NCAA Football 07

NCAA Football 07 continues its PlayStation 2 run with enhancements to each phase of the college game. The popular momentum meter found in previous installments returns with added emphasis, as each play from scrimmage has the potential to increase or decrease a team's all-important impetus to win the game. Fans of the Superstar mode in Madden NFL 06 will be able to embark on a similar path with the game's new Campus Legend feature. Players must manage their star athlete's hectic schedule by committing time and energy to scholastic pursuits, practice, and parties. The on-field action has also undergone tweaks on both sides of the ball. Defensive-minded players can call hot routes to stop offensive drives, while hotshot quarterbacks can pinpoint their throws with the precision passing system. The kicking game features a new interface supporting analog control, allowing players to place the right amount of touch or finesse on their field goal attempts. Over 100 new formations have been added to the playbooks to incorporate a variety of team-specific schemes and trick plays. Additional features include 11 training-oriented mini-games, annual spring games for scouting underclassmen, and full ESPN integration.

BOTH SIDES OF THE BALL

D-Pad or Left Analog Stick = move player
X Button = sprint
Square Button = dive
Triangle Button = jump, intercept, catch
Circle Button = spin, switch player
Select Button = call timeout
Start Button = pause

OFFENSE

BEFORE THE SNAP

Circle Button = fake snap
D-Pad Down + D-Pad Left or Right = cycle man in motion, send man in motion
R2 Button (hold) = coach cam - show cams
Right Analog Stick Up = coach cam - show routes
D-Pad Left or Right = coach cam - rotate left or right
L2 Button = quiet the crowd
L1 Button + D-Pad Down or Up = slide protection - bunch together or fan out
L1 Button + D-Pad Left or Right = slide protection - shift left or right
X Button = snap the ball

RUNNING WITH THE BALL

L2 Button = stiff arm left or right
Right Analog Stick Left, Right or Down = juke left, right or back
Triangle Button = cover up ball
L1 or R1 Button = small jukes

QB OPTION

R2 Button = pitch ball
L2 Button = fake pitch
X Button = hand off to fullback
Square Button = QB dive or slide

PASSING OR RECEIVING

L2 Button = throw ball away
R2 Button = pump fake
Triangle Button = catch
Square, Triangle, Circle, L1 or R1 Button (hold) = bullet to receiver
Square, Triangle, Circle, L1 or R1 Button (tap) = lob to receiver

DEFENSE

BEFORE THE SNAP

Circle Button = cycle through players
L2 Button = pump up crowd
L1 Button + D-Pad Down or Up = adjust line - bunch together or fan out
L1 Button + D-Pad Left or Right = adjust line - shift left or right

AFTER THE SNAP

X Button = jump the snap
Circle Button = switch to player closest to the ball
L1 Button = swat ball
Right Analog Stick = big hit
R1 Button = strafe
R2 Button = strip ball
L1 Button = swim
L2 Button = spin left or right

KICKING GAME

KICK OFF, PATS AND PUNTS

Left Analog Stick Up or Down = adjust height
Right Analog Stick Down + Right Analog Stick Up = adjust power and direction
L2 Button = abandon kick or punt

RETURN KICKS AND PUNTS

Triangle Button = fair catch ~ Keith Adams, All Game Guide

Another year, another edition of EA Sports' college football series. This fifth installment for the PS2 is the best of the bunch, but it isn't too different from previous games. The "Race for the Heisman" mode has been replaced by "Campus Legend," which is similar but involves choosing a major, maintaining good grades, and trying to be popular. Other new features include a momentum meter, spring games and spring drills, online clubs, and actions such as slide protection and jump the snap.

The Campus Legend mode isn't quite as in-depth as it may sound. Each week during the football season, you must select an activity to perform on weekday nights. You can run position drills that use up two nights, allowing you to earn skill points to improve your created player. Other options include hiring a tutor, studying, or attending a social event. Studying will keep your grades up, because if they slip, you may be suspended, forcing you to simulate games instead of playing them. Attending social events is one way of gaining popularity, but you don't actually "attend" them. You simply select the option and move onto the next day. All off-field options are made through menu screens accessed via items found in your dorm room.

Once the Campus Legend mode is complete, custom players can be exported to Madden NFL 07 or you can become a coach in Dynasty Mode, which hasn't changed significantly over the past few years. You still need to spend a lot of time recruiting during the off-season, something that is actually quite enjoyable. Gameplay is also essentially unchanged, with the exception of new kicking controls and a momentum meter that swings back and forth as teams make big plays on both offense and defense. EA claims that players will perform better with momentum on their side, but it's hard to say how much of an impact it has.

Despite relatively few changes from its predecessor, NCAA Football 07 is an entertaining football game that has an on-field atmosphere that surpasses the Madden series. The college game simply feels more exciting with the fight songs, mascots, and rowdy crowds. There is nothing quite like being the visitors at a football powerhouse like USC, trying to pull off that big play on offense while the boisterous fans cause the controller to vibrate and your television screen to shake. These are the moments that make players smile, and they are regular occurrences in NCAA Football 07. ~ Jonathan Sutyak, All Game Guide