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As the slow trickle of Xbox 360 releases turns into a steady stream, at least two things are clear: one, your “next-gen” entertainment is a wee bit pricier, and two, the battle for your sports dollar is as intense as Bobby Knight’s glare. Publisher 2K Sports has jumped headfirst onto the Xbox 360 bandwagon, scrambling to deliver all of its major licenses within six months of the system’s launch. College Hoops 2K6 follows in NBA 2K6’s squeaky high-tops as a visually revamped version of the Xbox and PlayStation 2 games. Are the improvements worth the price of your average biology textbook?

Giving it the College Try

Since the core features are the same as its Xbox sibling, the biggest selling point of College Hoops 2K6 on Xbox 360 is its presentation. As the first collegiate title on the system, College Hoops 2K6 is the perfect opportunity to show that the 360 can sis-boom-bah better than any console before it. The heightened atmosphere of raucous college crowds, passionate pep bands, and unmistakable fight songs all distinguish the college game from its professional counterparts. While College Hoops 2K6 certainly captures the frenzied feeling of college basketball, the visuals fail to make the grade.

Cutting Some Corners

Player models are not nearly impressive as in NBA 2K6 on the system, which may be due to the sidelines and crowds being rendered with more detail. Of course, the NCAA license means that faces along with names have to be generic, but that’s not the biggest problem. All of the athletes suffer from body “blockiness,” a condition that even Dr. Gregory House can’t cure, and hairstyles look sprayed on from Ron Popeil’s Hair-in-a-Can. One of NBA 2K6’s touted features was “realistic cloth” that meant jerseys fluttered with movement. Here it seems any movement causes clothes to start swaying more than Shakira in one of her music videos. The effect is so overblown that a fly passing gas could trigger a few ripples.

Chants Encounter

The play-by-play commentary by Verne Lundquist is not as good as it could be, either. While he’ll rattle off team shooting percentages and individual player stats as the game wears on, the commentary tends to fall behind the action and team names are clearly “patched” into the dialogue with slight pauses before and after the name. The ambience of the arenas, however, is first rate. The boisterous crowd, rat-a-tat-tats of snare drums, cheerleader cheers, and the reverberating sound of the PA announcer all contribute to a lively atmosphere that you want to see in a college title. If you choose Syracuse, for example, the crowd will chant, “We are S-U,” “Here we go Orangemen,” and “Stop raising our tuition!” Okay, maybe not that last part, but there are also the typical “de-fense” and other bleacher stomping ditties.

Hardwood Hijinx

Animation is a noticeable improvement in this release, as players dive for loose balls, reach for errant passes, perform bounce and skip passes, hang on the rim for two-handed dunks, and more. The activity around the sidelines and in the stands also makes up for some of the underwhelming visuals, as the fans -- wearing face paint, sweatshirts, hats, and other examples of school pride -- leap up from their chairs, clap, and visibly react to the action. Cheerleaders shake their pom-poms and mascots strut their stuff on opposite ends of the court, and coaches nervously pace the sidelines. Yet the close-up views of coaches are not flattering, as few are recognizable by sight alone. More laughable is the model for Greg Gumble, which even Stevie Wonder would say looks nothing like the CBS sportscaster.

King of the Court

Where College Hoops 2K6 excels, as in the “lesser” console versions, is its on-court action. Once again, the developers have given users the tools they need to customize the action to their style of play, whether it’s a slower-paced game that focuses on the fundamentals or an up-tempo game with more fast breaks. A total of 31 sliders are available to tweak such areas as shooting, attributes, gameplay, and fitness. The coach, rivalry, practice, and legacy modes are back, as is the Pontiac Tournament. Legacy is the deepest of the modes, allowing players to create a coach, sign a contract with one of 40 small-market schools (such as Colgate or Howard University), and try to develop a successful career without getting fired. Players are also free to choose from all the programs in the legacy mode’s “open” option.

March Sadness?

College Hoops 2K6 certainly doesn’t skimp out on things to do, with online support via Xbox Live, a staggering choice of 325 college teams, and an assortment of bonuses to unlock by completing in-game and long-term challenges. As an Xbox 360 game, however, College Hoops 2K6 is not enough of an improvement to justify upgrading your existing copy on Xbox or PlayStation 2. The player models look more plastic-like than the cast of Desperate Housewives, and there are no new game modes or significant features to warrant the price increase. Unless you passed on College Hoops 2K6 the first time around, it’s best to save the money for another upcoming sports title that makes better use of your shiny new system.