It's that time of year again. The leaves have turned color, the snow is starting to fall and college hoops are going to be back in action very soon. While the real March is still a few months off, EA's NCAA March Madness license is back with the 2006 model. This release marks the eight straight installment of the franchise and before playing there are a couple of questions that need to be asked. Is innovation in the playbooks? Does the series feel all that different from NBA Live? Is Dick Vitale still as bald as a bowling ball? The answer to each of those questions is "Yes."

Gameplay:

Let's get one thing straight. It's pretty important that a sports series which has had as many sequels as March Madness to stick with a formula that works. If by chance you played the '05 edition, then you should be pleased to know that you'll be able to slip right back into your gym socks and hit the court. Newcomers will find the gameplay easy enough to get into as well, especially if you have played any of the NBA Live series.

One of the biggest changes to come about in the newest addition to the March Madness franchise is something known as the "lockdown stick". When you find yourself on defense, cozying up to the guy with the rock becomes an extremely important and often overlooked task in a basketball videogame. Without proper defense you'll find yourself on the losing side of the scoreboard in no time. That's where the "lockdown" comes in and with it you will close that window of opportunity for the offense to make a play. Sure they can still get around it, but stepping up the D makes it much more difficult for them to get to the basket. This little feature is also a momentum stopper and can often end a drive in its tracks.

Another new feature is the inclusion of some Senior Leadership, and I don't mean the kind you find at a nursing home pep rally. If you find yourself in a game that you happen to be struggling in, your best bet is to get the ball to your lead player. If you can get his momentum to change and find his way into the zone you'll see an overall improvement in not just his performance, but the entire teams. The effect is subtle, but very effective when used correctly and can often save you from a seemingly oncoming defeat.

Apart from these gameplay additions, things are basically the same as they were last year and in some previous efforts. Heck, any EA basketball game feels eerily similar lately, but it's not like that is such a bad thing, especially since they have relatively good control. Offense and defense proved to be equally adept and responsive gameplay-wise, but some sketchy glitches popped up on me from time to time. From unwarranted flagrant fouls to strangely induced backcourt violations, I gave my opponents several trips to the line for almost no reason at all. I eventually was able to work my way around these instances, but still found a bad call pop up now and then.

Fans will be pleased with the amount of modes that are included in March Madness 06 and there is plenty to tinker with until the real courts start filling up. You can Practice of course, but also dabble with an eight team Season Mode, take on 64 teams with Tournament Mode, or play some "classic" games with College Classics Mode. There are also Rivalry, Mascot and March Madness Retro Modes to tinker with as well as some online play. I don't know if I just had bad luck or what, but I was only able to find a couple of games online. They ran relatively lag free, but unless you have a buddy with the game, you may find it lonely out there.

The most predominant of modes in the game is undoubtedly the Dynasty Mode. If you enjoy picking a team and sticking with it through thick and thin, then this is the game mode that you'll want to tinker with. The gameplay remains the same, but there are more stats and injuries to keep track of. The game can get a little unrelenting when it comes to wounded players, violations and overall team roster, but even so this mode will keep you playing for a long, long time.

Overall the gameplay is pretty much unbroken from the past endeavors, though the addition of senior players and lockdown fit in nicely. There are some glitches with the gameplay and they can stack up in the dynasty mode, but for the most part the game plays wonderfully. Offline and online multiplayer is always a bonus if you can actually find a game. This is a game built for fans of previous March Madness games or those following the EA NBA series that are looking for a rich college atmosphere.

Graphics:

NCAA 06 March Madness a slight graphical improvement over last year's installment, but it still doesn't look as good as it could. Player animations and models look very nice and all though I wouldn't exactly call either "realistic". Some glitches also find their way into the mix as well so don't be surprised if you see the ball momentarily disappear or player's limbs clipping each other. The courts all look very nice and are finely detailed though the designs for the crowds are still stuck in the 90s.

Audio:

Dick Vitale and Brad Nesser are back again this year, and the commentary is basically the same as it has always been. There are times where the two have some great chemistry and seem to work well together, but others where they seem to ramble on and get sidetracked. It's acceptable for the game flow most of the time, but I had to shake my head a couple of times due to what they were saying and when they were saying it. The soundtrack is typical college hoorah music with some catchy beats that suit the game's theme well. Sound effects are generic for the most part though the audio for the crowd can get pretty overwhelming at times, and I mean that in a good way.

Conclusion:

I may be in a minority by saying it, but do we really need a new sports installment every single year? I know that the teams and such change with every season, but with such little development time for a game, it's very hard to expect a "better" experience than what the previous year offered. For the most part that's something that NCAA 06 March Madness suffers from. It plays very well, there are several modes to tinker with and there are a couple of new features, but in the end it doesn't feel wholly different from the 05 March Madness or even the NBA Live series for that matter. It's getting to be about time for the graphics and audio to be overhauled as well, though each department does their job well in this game. If you're a fan of college hoops or just like a good basketball game, you really can't go wrong with this one, just don't expect that much fresh content.