As far as basketball games are concerned, EA’s forays into next-gen gaming have felt a bit lacking. While until now they’ve been limited to two NBA Live titles, what we’ve gotten have been stripped down experiences with a fresh coat of paint slapped on. However, NCAA March Madness 07 is looking to change that. As the first entry for the series on a next-gen console, NCAA March Madness had a lot to prove, and does a fine job of separating itself from other lackluster next-gen EA Sports efforts.

The game offers a deep dynasty mode and some innovative new in-game features to amplify the intensity of the crowd and add to the feel of the courts. NCAA March Madness 07 is a solid entry to the series and introduces some great features that should become mainstays when it comes to virtual college hoops.

Things are a little different in March Madness 07 right from the get-go. The interface starts you out as a single player on a half court shooting baskets which you can do however long you want. Once you decide to start a game you are then put in a mini-game where you must earn a set number of points to achieve an intensity boost at the beginning of the game.

The intensity factor in the game plays out very similarly to the momentum featured in NCAA Football 07 with some key differences. Whereas in NCAA Football, gaining momentum was a team boost that would shift between the teams in a tug o’ war. However, in March Madness, intensity works mainly in terms of the individual players and how they each play the game. If a character is playing poorly and losing the ball and fouling often, then he’ll lose his composure and play worse. Adversely, if you play well, then you’ll gain a boost in your composure and play even better.

Another added element is Impact Moments. Impact Moments play out when you outperform your opponents on the court, and you’ll gain the option to play to the crowd or trash-talk the other team, or boost your selected player’s composure by a lot. When you get the crowd pumped, each of your players will get a nice boost in composure and when you trash-talk, you drain the opposing team’s composure a bit. The intensity elements are a great touch and add a great dynamic to the games, giving you a real feel of the emotion and atmosphere of a college game.

The Dynasty Mode has also been tweaked a bit to implement more of a sense of school spirit, another nod to NCAA Football 07. The Dynasty Mode allows you to balance your school’s sports budget and practice schedules. A new addition to the formula is School Pride, which will allow you to build new facilities on campus like weight rooms as your team becomes more popular and gets more school spirit.

Graphically, NCAA March Madness is a bit of a mixed bag. The character modes are superb and sport some good animations. The arenas and crowds are also great-looking and dripping with atmosphere. However, some of the player animations can seem a little awkward and contrast the fluid looking ones, and the framerates can get very boggy at points, slowing down the drive of the game.

The commentary is also pretty good, with Dick Vitale offering up his same brand of over-the-top excitable commentary with Brad Nessler playing his straight man in the booth. While they do repeat themselves often and say a few things that don’t make a lot of sense given the action on-screen, you won’t really notice with the roar of the crowd.

The crowds are easily the best part of the sound department, working dynamically with what happens on-screen, getting louder and more intense when you’re on a scoring run and getting audibly upset at bad shots or fouls, even to the point of booing.

NCAA March Madness 07 is an innovative entry to the series, and adds a fun and interesting new dynamic that holds it above the rest. Check it out as you get ready for tournament time.

Gameplay: 8.5
The new composure features are a great touch that shift the dynamic of the game and how well your team plays, as is the school pride addition to the Dynasty Mode.

Graphics: 8.0
Graphically, March Madness 07 is a very pretty game, with great looking player models and detailed courts. However, the framerate is pretty boggy, and ultimately pulls you out of the experience.

Sound: 9.0
The commentary is competently done by Dick Vitale and Brad Nessler, and the roar of the crowd sounds great and adds to the intensity.

Difficultly: Medium

Concept: 8.5
The added composure features are a great new element, giving the gameplay a fantastic dynamic, and the new additions to the Dynasty mode are a great touch.

Multiplayer: 8.0
The standard multiplayer elements are here, but the added ESPN Radio and video highlights that you can stream online are a nice added bonus.

Overall: 8.5
NCAA March Madness 07 is a great first entry for the series on the Xbox 360, with great dynamic gameplay and a robust Dynasty mode. Far and away the best basketball game EA has released for a next-gen system.