NCAA Football 2001

release: July 26

One of this year's most significant enhancements is its Advanced Player Control (APC). The APC will allow players to perform the same All-American moves that are executed by the actual collegiate stars for each position on the field. Players will now be able to call for the ball when controlling the receivers and once the ball is in their possession, they'll have complete control over the player, even going as far as controlling the length of the athlete's stride.

These new enhancements should help ensure that the gameplay is better than ever before. The running game, defensive player logic, and improved defensive pursuit angles are three specific areas that were paid special attention and should help make NCAA Football 2001 the most authentic college football experience this side of the real thing.

Aiding in the game's realism and authenticity, EA Sports will once again allow players to select from any of the 140 Division 1-A and 1-AA teams, plus the teams from the EA Sports All-Time Top 25 Teams as voted on by EA customers.

The most popular feature of EA Sports' previous college football games has been its Dynasty Mode. This mode has always been a fan favorite and is now more in depth than ever before. Players will now be able to expand their recruiting pool to include junior college transfers, as well as high school players.

The new Bowl Championship Series ranking system will also be implemented into the game so there's no doubt as to who the best team in the nation is at the end of the season. The number one and two ranked teams in the BCS rankings will be pitted against each other in the FedEx Orange Bowl.

In addition to the Orange Bowl, NCAA Football 2001 is the only game in town to feature the Nokia Sugar Bowl and the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl, which are part of its bowl roster that features over 20 bowl games. However, if you get stuck in anything other than the Orange Bowl, it means that you just didn't have what it took to be #1.

What's more, if you don't believe in the BCS rankings system, the game allows you to compete in a new Bowl Game Playoff mode. This allows teams to participate in a single elimination, do-or-die tournament to determine the true National Champion.

Another facet of college sports that has always been implemented fairly well in EA Sports' videogame representations has been the college atmosphere. Things will once again be all good in this area as the game will feature many features that will help recreate a true-to-life atmosphere like the Momentum Meter, additional college mascots, a new Hang Time Clock, and dynamic crowd cheers and chants.

Other new features include a new Situation Mode that allows players to create any college football scenario, new Create-A-School Enhancements like the ability to use Greek alphabetic letttering, fraternity logos and names, plus the ability to create unique uniforms (jerseys, pants, helmets, and more). There's also a new Custom League Mode and Player Name Editor. The Custom League gives you the chance to setup your own league complete with custom teams and players and the Player Name Editor permits you to name the players on any team, including the top 25 teams of all time.

(Dave Zdyrko)