College Hoops 2K7

After spending years playing second fiddle to the pro version both in quality and sales, College Hoops 2K7 has finally emerged from Shaq’s shadow. The on-court action is, naturally, what matters most, and this is where 2K7 shines brightest. Defense is even tighter than NBA 2K7’s and team play is vital. Both AI teammates and opponents are smart enough to switch, double-team, pressure, and run plays all on their own. A new “team unity” feature also makes you coach more intelligently: the more seniors on the floor, the better they play together. (Alternatively, having a senior ball-handler keeps everyone on the same page, too.)

Speaking of coaching, it’s a critical job on collegiate hardwood. You can run basic plays with the D-pad, but during timeouts, you can make pinpoint substitutions (sort your players by three-point ability, that sort of thing) and pick two “points of emphasis” per half that give your team a temporary boost in that area. There’s even a separate Coach Mode that puts you in first-person view on the sidelines, letting you run the entire show without actually donning a uniform.

Though the presentation is as the sublime as gameplay on Xbox 360 (no surprise given Hoops’ NBA 2K7 heritage), the Xbox version is a couple steps behind even for older hardware. Coach Mode isn’t as good on Xbox, the controls aren’t as sharp, and of course, the visuals can’t compare. But at $20 for what is basically last year’s quality game on original Xbox or $60 for the irresistible package the 360 title offers, there’s a lot to love on either platform. — Ryan McCaffrey