NCAA Football 09 - first look

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Online dynasty mode and rattle-able QBs highlight another great recruiting class

Also on the field is a new quarterback composure system. When a junior college transfer is rattled on his first visit to a powerhouse school, the play diagrams will start to wiggle and shake as you try to read the play before the snap. When his composure hits rock bottom, you won’t even be able to see the diagrams and will instead be shown simple question marks.

Outside of traditional gameplay, EA is hoping to make its title more appealing to John Q. Consumer with a new Mascot Challenge mode. Furverts will be able to pick a roster filled with their favorite mascot, be it the Saluki of Southern Illinois University (which more than one GR editor claims as his alma-mater) or the ever-alluring South Carolina Gamecock, and duke it out with over-the-top spinning and flipping animations. It looks to be a decent pick-up-and-play option for younger children or inebriated adults.

Personally, we would have voted for a roster of classic teams or ESPN Classic matchups or teams that feature all the previous Heisman winners, but those have been left out. Still, with online dynasties as well as the addictive campus legend mode, NCAA Football 09 looks to be deeper than ever, just the way we like it. We’ll have hands-on impressions for you soon.

Apr 30, 2008