They may share the sport’s name, but otherwise the basketball played in the NBA and NCAA couldn’t be more different. The professional game is a grim, 82-game slog played by mercenaries under a cloud of bad attitudes and an often grousing fan base. Conversely, each college hoops season brings with it a joyous romp through a 30-odd match schedule full of ups and downs in front of wildly enthusiastic crowds - topped by the single most riveting championship tournament ever created.

Similarly, this year’s College Hoops NCAA 2K7 and NBA 2K7 share many of the same attributes, especially splendid on-court gameplay and deep team management modes. The schoolbound edition, though, throws some campus-style goodies into the recipe, likely to please even the most demanding console coaches.

The PS3 version has been released just in time for the start of the NCAA tournament, which begs the question - would hoop fanatics rather be in front of their TVs watching the matchups or playing them? Either way, virtually every Division 1 team is available to use. Sure, anyone can win with Duke (well, maybe not this year) or Florida, but it takes a man’s man to turn Rider or Stony Brook into big-time programs.