NCAA Football 09: A Deep Dive into the PlayStation 3 Gridiron Experience

It's that exciting time of year when college football fever starts to build, and NCAA Football 09 for the PlayStation 3 aims to capture that spirit. This iteration by EA Sports builds upon the foundations of previous games, introducing enhancements designed to immerse players in the world of college football. While veterans of the series might find the changes subtle, NCAA Football 09 offers enough improvements to warrant an upgrade, especially for those seeking a deeper and more engaging experience.

Gameplay Enhancements

NCAA Football 09 retains the familiar control scheme that EA Sports football fans have come to expect. Executing runs, finding open receivers, blitzing the quarterback, and intercepting passes remain intuitive and accessible. However, several key changes elevate the gameplay:

Realistic Feinting and Juking System: The new system allows for more fluid and responsive movements. Players can now change direction and chain moves together mid-stride, providing greater control when navigating the field. Running the option, executing draw plays, and connecting with receivers become more effective and dynamic. The all-new dynamic gameplay engine allows players to break in and out of jukes, stiff arms, and spins in a swift, fluid motion.
Interactive Timeouts: Calling a timeout now offers a simplified coaching element. Players can select specific coaching options that provide temporary ability boosts to players. This adds a layer of strategy, allowing players to adjust their approach based on the opponent's tendencies.
Icing the Kicker: A fun, albeit potentially controversial, feature allows players to ice the opposition's kicker. Calling a timeout in the closing moments of the second and fourth quarters triggers visual and auditory distractions, simulating the pressure of the moment. While some may find it gimmicky, it adds a unique element to late-game situations.
Formation Audible Function: This new feature allows players to change the play at the line of scrimmage without altering the formation. This can mislead the opponent, creating opportunities for successful plays.
Bluff Play Art: By accessing the Coach Cam, players can display dummy play schemes to further confuse the defense.
Quarterback Quiz: This feature adds a layer of realism and consequence to poor decision-making. After throwing an interception, players are presented with a quiz to determine if they can identify the defensive play. Correct answers restore the quarterback's confidence, while incorrect answers leave him rattled.

These new mechanics enhance the overall football experience, making it more strategic and immersive. The game allows for wide-open, authentic college gameplay, enabling unforgettable plays by taking advantage of huge running lanes and utilizing personnel mismatches to pick apart soft zone coverages in the passing game. Players can also fake out the defense with a directional pump fake as they scamper for a big score.

Game Modes

NCAA Football 09 includes a variety of game modes, both classic and new, to cater to different play styles.

Dynasty Mode

Dynasty Mode allows players to take control of their favorite school as head coach, guiding them to victory through recruiting, team management, and on-field performance. The recruiting process has been enhanced, with assistants handling the initial stages and players making streamlined calls to prospects.

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The most significant addition to Dynasty Mode is the online feature. Up to 12 players can join an online dynasty, competing and recruiting against each other, creating an interactive fantasy league experience. Progress made online or offline can be seamlessly imported, ensuring that players' progress is not halted regardless of their preferred play style. The All-New Online Dynasty offers a complete revolutionary dynasty experience online with 60 years of continuous play. Online Dynasty includes full recruiting, redshirts, stats, NCAA news, custom schedules, and more. Up to 12 players across the nation can compete in your dynasty, so invite your friends to join and launch your legacy.

Campus Legend Mode

In Campus Legend mode, players take on the role of a high school athlete, earning scholarships, transitioning to college life, and striving to become a campus legend. While still enjoyable and compelling, this mode remains largely unchanged from previous versions.

Mini-Games

The Mini-Games mode offers a variety of addictive challenges, including familiar games like Option Dash, Bowling, and Tug of War. New additions such as Horse and Special Teams Challenge add further variety and excitement.

Option Dash: Players start from their own 20-yard line and score points for yards gained, touchdowns, pitching the ball, and keeping it. The goal is to accumulate as many points as possible within a two-minute time limit.
Bowling: Players start at their opponent's 10-yard line. Scoring on first down results in a strike, while scoring on second down earns a spare. Any other outcome awards a single point for each yard gained.
Tug of War: This mode focuses on field position, starting with the ball at midfield. Each player has only one down before possession changes. The first player to score a touchdown wins.
Horse: This new mini-game pits kickers against each other. Players choose the ball's placement, and if they make the kick, the opponent must replicate it or receive a letter.
Special Teams Challenge: Similar to Tug of War, this mode gives each player one down, which must be used to punt or kick a field goal. The first player to return a punt for a touchdown or successfully kick a field goal wins.

Mascot Mash-Up

The Mascot Mash-Up mode, now the Coke Zero Mascot Mash-Up, features mascots instead of players. The developers have added crazy, Mario sports-like moves, including flips, to inject more fun and interest. Although it may not be a mode players revisit frequently, it offers a lighthearted diversion. Fun with Mascots! Switch up your game with an arcade style of mascot vs. mascot and discover unique special moves like summersaults and back-flips as you go for the score.

Presentation

NCAA Football 09 excels in presentation, capturing the atmosphere and excitement of college football. The visuals are crisp and detailed, with fluid animations. Stadiums, mascots, cheerleaders, and school-specific details are well-rendered, enhancing the sense of authenticity. The sounds, including school fight songs, are exceptional and contribute to the immersive experience. The game features team-specific fight songs and cheers.

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Commentary is provided by Herbstreit, Nessler, and Corso, adding to the authenticity. A new feature allows players to customize stadium sounds, creating playlists of their own music and assigning them to in-game triggers. For example, a Colorado alumnus could set their school's fight song to play after every score.

A Wii Version: NCAA Football 09: All-Play

"NCAA Football 09: All-Play" ($49.99, Wii) marks EA Sports' debut of its new "All-Play" lineup, five Wii-specific sports games looking to bring more casual gamers into the mix. The game offers a friendly, laid-back presentation, arcade-style gameplay and a simplified "All-Play" control scheme that lets novice players simply shake their remotes to punt, pass and kick. But the Wii-specific version disappoints with a complete lack of online play and graphics that are simply too inferior to the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 versions. Any thoughts that "NCAA Football 09: All-Play" could be classified as a sports sim are quickly quashed by the main menu, which offers "Mascot game" as the top choice. Sure, playing 11 Albert the Alligators versus a team of Sparty the Spartans might be cute, but it's a feature better suited for a hidden cheat code than a game's primary option. A better choice is "Play now," which can default to your favorite college team playing at home against an archrival. The next step is to choose how much you want to control. The simplest option is to use only the Wii remote, letting the game guide player movement while the player simply gives the remote a quick shake for throws, tackles or jukes. The problem is you don't really feel like you're impacting gameplay much. For slightly more control, players can add the nunchuk and use its control stick for player movement while continuing with the shakes, but the contextual automation sometimes misses your intentions. On one play I decided to run the option, a popular college play in which the quarterback rolls out either left and right and can choose to keep the ball or lateral to his running back. In my mind I decided to keep the ball and attempt to juke past the approaching tackler, but the game interpreted the remote shake as my decision to toss the pigskin to my running back, resulting in a drive-killing fumble. Standard control is similar to the more intuitive "Madden" scheme, and it's the best choice for experienced players and possibly many beginners. Gameplay can be fast-paced and fun with this option. Touchdowns invite the scoring player to drum their remote and nunchuk to pump up the crowd, but these end-zone celebrations grow old quickly. Fortunately, this gimmick and the arcade-style trails on the football can be turned off. "NCAA Football 09: All-Play" features team-specific fight songs and cheers, but stadiums seem to be missing the little touches that make you feel at home. I expected to see "This is … The Swamp" in the corner of Florida Field, but it wasn't there. What's really surprising is the game's emptiness on the sidelines, which were inhabited only by the chain gang â no benches, players, photographers or sounds guys.

Issues and Drawbacks

Despite its many positive aspects, NCAA Football 09 is not without its flaws. Some players have reported random framerate stuttering, and the icing the kicker feature may be considered gimmicky by some. Also, the Wii-specific version disappoints with a complete lack of online play and graphics that are simply too inferior to the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 versions.

Ratings Breakdown

Graphics: 4.2/5 - Crisp and detailed visuals with fluid animations, though occasional framerate issues can occur. Everything looks crisp and detailed. The animations are particularly fluid. Every once in a while things get mucked up by random framerate shuddering.
Control: 4.6/5 - Silky smooth controls with remappable functions and an improved feinting and juking mechanic. Silky smooth! All of the functions can be remapped to your preference, and the improved feints and jukes mechanic is a welcome addition.
Music/Sound FX/Voice Acting: 4.8/5 - Nearly perfect sounds and authentic commentary, though repetitive fight songs can be grating. The sounds are nearly perfect in every way. However, the constant replaying of my alma materâs fight song drives my wife crazy!
Play Value: 4.1/5 - High replay value, especially with the inclusion of online dynasties. If you love college football, then youâre in for a real treat. The inclusion of online dynasties is a great feature.
Overall Rating: 4.2/5 - Great. Not an average. See Rating legend above for a final score breakdown.

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