NCAA Gamebreaker 98

Last updated
NCAA Gamebreaker 98
NCAA Gamebreaker 98 cover.jpg
Cover art featuring Warrick Dunn
Developer(s) Sony Interactive Studios America
Publisher(s) Sony Computer Entertainment America
SeriesNCAA GameBreaker
Platform(s) PlayStation
Release
  • NA: November 21, 1997 [1]
Genre(s) Sports video game
Mode(s) Single-player, multiplayer

NCAA Gamebreaker 98 is a video game developed by Sony Interactive Studios America and published by Sony Computer Entertainment America for the PlayStation in 1997.

Contents

Gameplay

NCAA Gamebreaker 98 has a game engine that is based on the NFL GameDay 98 engine, [2] but uses the appearance and playing styles of college football. [3] The game includes the Division I-A teams with their real rosters for the 1997/98 season, along with some historical teams such as the 1972 USC Gamecocks. [4] It was the first game in the series to include a playbook editor, enabling players to modify the pass routes and running assignments in existing plays. [5]

Reception

Reviews for NCAA Gamebreaker 98 were uniformly positive. Next Generation said that the game "borrows heavily from GameDay, but amazingly, the end result is a football game that has no equal." [3] Kraig Kujawa of Electronic Gaming Monthly similarly commented, "At first look, GameBreaker 98 appears to be GameDay 98 with college colors. And for the most part, it is. But after further review, the game shines because of its own merits." [6] GamePro concluded that "GameBreaker's superior graphics, fast gameplay, and play-creation option make it one of the better football titles of the year." [9] [lower-alpha 2]

Critics unanimously praised the game's play editor, [6] [1] [3] [9] but were divided as to what the game's strongest feature is. IGN centered praise on the play editor and Total Control Passing mechanic, [1] but Next Generation argued that the game's greatest improvement over NFL GameDay 98 is the ability to intercept passes, since this "completely change[s] strategies, defenses, and offenses." [3] Kujawa found the play editor the most impressive feature. At the same time, his co-reviewer Crispin Boyer dismissed it as "a nice touch, but one only hardcore fans will use", and was more enthusiastic about the "quick-and-dirty" arcade-style feel of the "hyperactive tackles and crazy plays." All four of the Electronic Gaming Monthly reviewers also criticized that the play diagrams used with the play editor are extremely difficult to read. [6] A number of critics expressed approval of the game's A.I. [6] [3]

Notes

  1. In GameFan 's viewpoint of the game, one critic gave it 87, and another 84.
  2. GamePro gave the game a 5.0/5 for graphics, 4.0/5 for sound, and 4.5/5 scores for control and fun factor.

Related Research Articles

<i>NBA Live 99</i> 1998 basketball video game

NBA Live 99 is the fifth installment of the NBA Live video games series. The cover features Antoine Walker of the Boston Celtics. The game was developed by EA Sports and released on November 4, 1998, for the Nintendo 64, and then on November 10, 1998, for the Windows and PlayStation. Don Poier is the play-by-play announcer. It was the first NBA Live game released for Nintendo 64. NBA Live 99 was followed by NBA Live 2000.

<i>Madden NFL 98</i> 1997 American football video game

Madden NFL 98 is a 1997 football video game. It was the last edition of the Madden series to be released for the Super NES, Genesis and Sega Saturn platforms, as well as the last Madden game to utilize 2D sprites for the players and referee, on 3D playing fields.

<i>NBA Live 98</i> 1997 basketball video game

NBA Live 98 is a basketball video game based on the National Basketball Association and the fourth installment of the NBA Live series. Its cover art features Tim Hardaway of the Miami Heat. The game was developed by EA Sports in 1997 for Windows, PlayStation, and Sega Saturn, while also being the final NBA Live game released for the Super NES, Genesis, and Sega Saturn.

<i>Nagano Winter Olympics 98</i> 1997 video game

Nagano Winter Olympics '98, known in Japan as Hyper Olympics in Nagano, is a multi-event sports game from Konami. It is based on the 1998 Winter Olympics and features 10 Olympic events including skating, skiing, luge, bobsleigh, slalom, curling, halfpipe and snowboarding. The game is part of the Track & Field/Hyper Sports series and would be the last licensed Olympic video game released on a Nintendo home console until Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games about nine years later.

<i>NBA In The Zone 98</i> 1998 basketball video game

NBA In The Zone '98 is a basketball game for the Nintendo 64 and PlayStation. It was released in 1998 and developed and published by Konami. It is the third installment of the NBA In The Zone series. The cover features Glen Rice of the Charlotte Hornets.

<i>Madden Football 64</i> 1997 video game

Madden Football 64 is a football video game. It was the first game of the Madden NFL series to be released for the Nintendo 64, as well as the first Madden game to be fully in 3D. Essentially an upgrade of Madden NFL 98 designed around the particular capabilities of the Nintendo 64, it replaced the 2D players with 3D models but lacked the full NFL licensing which was customary for the Madden series. While this lack of licensing significantly hurt critical response to the game, reviews were mostly positive, with elements such as the detailed player models and realistic gameplay garnering praise. The game has commentary by Pat Summerall and John Madden.

<i>Total Drivin</i> 1997 video game

Total Drivin, known as Car & Driver Presents: Grand Tour Racing '98 in North America, Gekisou!!! Grand Racing in Japan and as M6 Turbo Racing in France, is a racing video game developed by Eutechnyx exclusively for PlayStation. The game saw highly mixed reactions from critics due to its broad stylistic approach and unusual steering controls.

<i>MLB 98</i> 1998 baseball video game

MLB ‘98 is a Major League Baseball video game for the PlayStation developed by Sony Interactive Studios America and released in August 1997. It precedes MLB '99 and is the sequel to MLB Pennant Race.

<i>NCAA March Madness 98</i> 1998 video game

NCAA March Madness 98 was the first installment in the NCAA March Madness series. It was released on February 25, 1998 for the PlayStation. It is the sequel to Coach K College Basketball. Former Wake Forest player Tim Duncan is featured on the cover.

NCAA Football '98 is a video game of the sports genre released in 1997 by Electronic Arts. The game featured University of Florida quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner Danny Wuerffel on the cover.

<i>NFL GameDay 98</i> 1997 video game

NFL GameDay 98 is the third video game in the NFL GameDay series. It was developed by Sony Interactive Studios America and published by Sony Computer Entertainment for the PlayStation in 1997. On the cover is Jerome Bettis.

<i>NHL FaceOff 98</i> 1997 video game

NHL FaceOff 98 is a video game developed by Killer Game and published by Sony Computer Entertainment of America for the PlayStation. It's part of the NHL FaceOff series, and was the first installment to use polygonal players.

<i>NBA Fastbreak 98</i> 1997 video game

NBA Fastbreak '98 is a basketball simulator released for the Sony PlayStation in 1997. It takes place during the 1997-98 National Basketball Association season. It was published by Midway Games and GT Interactive. Originally announced under the title "Hardwood Heroes", the game was released with minimal changes as NBA Action 98 on Sega Saturn and Microsoft Windows, published by Sega. Another version was being developed by Z-Axis for the Nintendo 64 under the title "NBA Fast Break 64", with a prospective November 1997 release, but it was cancelled.

<i>PGA Tour 98</i> 1997 video game

PGA Tour 98 is a sports video game developed by NuFX and published by EA Sports exclusively for PlayStation in 1997. It was the last game in the series to not feature an athlete's name in the title until EA Sports PGA Tour in 2023.

<i>NCAA GameBreaker 2001</i> 2000 video game

NCAA GameBreaker 2001 is a video game developed by 989 Sports and published by Sony Computer Entertainment America for the PlayStation and PlayStation 2 in 2000.

<i>NCAA GameBreaker 99</i> 1998 video game

NCAA GameBreaker 99 is a video game developed and published by 989 Studios for the PlayStation in 1998.

<i>NCAA GameBreaker 2000</i> 1999 video game

NCAA GameBreaker 2000 is a video game developed by Red Zone Entertainment and published by 989 Sports for the PlayStation in 1999. The game featured former UCLA Bruins quarterback Cade McNown on the cover.

<i>NCAA GameBreaker 2003</i> 2002 video game

NCAA GameBreaker 2003 is a video game developed by 989 Sports and published by Sony Computer Entertainment America for PlayStation 2 in 2002.

<i>NBA ShootOut 98</i> 1998 video game

NBA ShootOut 98, known in Europe as Total NBA 98, is a video game developed by Sony Interactive Studios America and published by Sony Computer Entertainment for the PlayStation in 1998. It is the third installment of the NBA ShootOut series. The cover features Hakeem Olajuwon of the Houston Rockets.

<i>NHL Powerplay 98</i> 1997 sports video game

NHL Powerplay 98 is a sports video game developed by Radical Entertainment and published by Virgin Interactive and Sega for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation, and Sega Saturn in 1997. It is the sequel to NHL Powerplay '96; there was no "'97" entry in the NHL Powerplay series. After Virgin opted not to release the game for the Sega Saturn, Sega acquired the rights and published the Saturn version under the title NHL All-Star Hockey 98 so as to make it a continuation of Sega's own NHL All-Star Hockey series.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Boor, Jay (November 21, 1997). "NCAA Gamebreaker '98". IGN . Ziff Davis . Retrieved May 10, 2020.
  2. EGM staff (September 1997). "E3 Scores High with Sports Fans". Electronic Gaming Monthly . No. 98. Ziff Davis. p. 74.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "NCAA GameBreaker 98". Next Generation . No. 38. Imagine Media. February 1998. p. 113. Retrieved May 10, 2020.
  4. EGM staff (November 1997). "NCAA Football GameBreaker 98 [sic]". Electronic Gaming Monthly. No. 100. Ziff Davis. p. 76.
  5. Johnny Ballgame (December 1997). "NCAA Football GameBreaker '98 (Preview)". GamePro . No. 111. IDG. p. 197.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 "NCAA Gamebreaker 98". Electronic Gaming Monthly. No. 102. Ziff Davis. January 1998. p. 160.
  7. "NCAA GameBreaker '98". Game Informer . No. 57. FuncoLand. January 1998. Archived from the original on September 30, 1999. Retrieved May 10, 2020.
  8. Joe Kidd; The Rookie (December 1997). "NCAA Gamebreaker [98]". GameFan . Vol. 5, no. 12. Metropolis Media. p. 114. Retrieved December 13, 2020.
  9. 1 2 Johnny Ballgame (January 1998). "NCAA GameBreaker Scores Another Gridiron Victory". GamePro. No. 112. IDG. p. 112. Retrieved December 13, 2020.