NCAA Football 2009 demo hits Xbox Live

by Justin McElroy { Jun 19th 2008 at 9:00AM }

We love sports games. No, we don't really play them that much, but we like the insight that they give us into the mind of the non-gamer. The way we feel when we comb through various combinations of acronyms and numbers is how we imagine non-video game fans feel when they look at any shelf of game titles. ("Tracy, he asked Santa for God of War, do you think Gears of War is close enough?") So understand that when we tell you that there's a demo for NCAA Football 2009 on Xbox Live we don't really know what we're saying.

Is that one of the good ones? Does it have new stuff? We can't tell you. All we gleaned from Major Nelson is that the game has "unique college-style animations" and you know what that means: Post-touchdown beer bongs. So at least you've got that going for you. Hopefully the more knowledgeable among you will let us know how the demo fares in the comments.

Tags: demos, ea, ncaa-football, xbox-live

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

The Dom @ Jun 19th 2008 9:19AM

Great, can't wait to download this tonight!

Rick @ Jun 19th 2008 11:49AM

For those that don't know, NCAA 09 has a Locker feature this year that will allow us to share roster files freely. Having all the names in the game should add a ton of replay value and enjoyment. Just don't pay anyone for rosters this year. They will be widely and easily available FREE.

Karlito @ Jun 19th 2008 9:20AM

I will check this out even though i have hated the ncaa footballs series. Imho gears is just as good as god of war.

Brian Armstrong @ Jun 25th 2008 9:42PM

how do you get the free rosters?

Buckshot @ Jun 19th 2008 9:22AM

Ryan Palmer with the tackle. Texas FTW!

Brian B. @ Jun 19th 2008 12:51PM

Two images on the Horns on the homepage at once!

RC @ Jun 19th 2008 9:23AM

I love playing video games and I love sports, played em all in high school. Am I totaly out of touch with the average video game nerd on these sites? Do none of you also like sports?

Vcize @ Jun 19th 2008 9:27AM

The only thing I love more than videogames is football.

Oh yeah, and my wife, in case she reads this.

danny. @ Jun 19th 2008 9:46AM

I love baseball (go Cubs!), but as far as playing sports, I only wrestled. Unfortunately, they'll never make a game out of that... maybe in some olympics comp., but they'll never make a good one.

FOXHOUND @ Jun 19th 2008 9:50AM

Big sports fan here... ESPN and Fox Soccer Channel are usually on for at least 2 hours in my household(s) and work.

Problem is, videogaming wise, it's a mixed bag. Especially on the Wii... because I've only bought TIGER WOODS PGA Tour'07 for it; since the other sports games(that aren't Backyard Sports-type stuff for the kids)weren't worth buying compared to the other two consoles. But IGN reported TW PGA TOUR09 has online connectivity, and that 2KSports is bringing NHL to the Wii; so it should be worth at least renting...

tmacairjordan87 @ Jun 19th 2008 9:51AM

Basketball guy here (shock!). Although I do like most of the other major sports and I can play all of them decently I have a hard time watching sports on TV except for basketball.

Fernando Rocker @ Jun 19th 2008 9:59AM

Am I the only one who loves soccer?

=(

xFenixKnightx @ Jun 19th 2008 9:59AM

I love me some sports too! Football, Basketball, Baseball, MMA and Boxing is all I watch. My TV is contantly on Sportscenter or ESPNEWS. :P

I would have to say watching Playoff Basketball is my favorite though.

xFenixKnightx @ Jun 19th 2008 10:11AM

Soccer sucks! I'm from Houston where the MLS team we have here the Houston Dynamos have won back-to-back Championships but I still dont like it. Playing it is definitely fun but watching...God no!

Fernando Rocker @ Jun 19th 2008 10:16AM

Oh, dude... the Euro Cup is very fun to watch. Same with the World Cup.

ViagraFiend @ Jun 19th 2008 10:17AM

Watching Basketball is like watching Wrestling.

Its entertainment, but in your mind you really know its all rigged.

Vcize @ Jun 19th 2008 10:20AM

I've thrown a touchdown in the swamp (Florida field for all you non-fans), so that should say something about how much I enjoy sports.

xFenixKnightx @ Jun 19th 2008 10:26AM

Yeah the whole referee fiasco in the NBA is kind of sad but I still love it. This past season was one of the best.

tmacairjordan87 @ Jun 19th 2008 10:27AM

I'd watch soccer if the score wasn't 1-0 most of the time and if the players were a little tougher. I can't count how many times I see a player fall and have to get carried off either by his teammates or a stretcher, even when it's a minor hit.

Also, the flopping in soccer is terrible and this is coming from a basketball fan. Like when that french dude headbutted that italian guy (or other way around? whatever), you would have thought the italian guy just got headbutted by superman judging from how hard he hit the ground. I couldn't stop laughing at how the refs didn't see what he was doing.

Come to think of it, most of the really bad floppers in basketball are european and other foreign players. What's with you euros and not liking to get hit?

Vince UK @ Jun 19th 2008 1:43PM

Rugby

OMGOMG @ Jun 19th 2008 2:01PM

Fernando, I used to hate soccer as well, but FIFA 08 turned me on to the sport. I've watched at least 5 or 6 complete games of Euro 2008. Whoever voted you down is just being mean.

OMGOMG @ Jun 19th 2008 2:15PM

@Viagra

Don't remind me of the absolute bullshit the 06 Finals were.

Let's just say this was called a foul on the Mavs.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=fydhtOSlfW0

Those finals were fixed, and it pisses me off to no end.

Vcize @ Jun 19th 2008 9:23AM

Download now. Why do I always get my hopes up that EA will get their act together and go back to the old days?

Vcize @ Jun 19th 2008 9:26AM

That should say "downloading now".

Mez Jr @ Jun 19th 2008 11:40AM

I actually felt that NCAA '08 was a really solid game. Not a whole lot of upgrades for the on-field stuff, but the Dynasty was heavily upgraded, I loved the recruiting. And the Campus Legend, which I hated in the past was actually "ok".

I was going to forgo this years though until they added the one feature I have been waiting for... Online Dynasty.

tmacairjordan87 @ Jun 19th 2008 9:54AM

Heh I just sent NCAA 08 back to gamefly today. I'm not a huge college sports guy (which doesn't sit well with a lot of people around me since I live like an hour or so away from University of Florida), and even though the game was basically Madden without player names, I did enjoy the dynasty features like recruiting.

Vcize @ Jun 19th 2008 10:25AM

Whereabouts are you? I'm in Gainesville.

And hopefully this comment doesn't show up 3 times (stupid comment system).

tmacairjordan87 @ Jun 19th 2008 10:30AM

I live on the border of Citrus and Marion counties and I go to CFCC in Ocala, so gainesville is about a half hour drive from my college and about an hourish from my house.

Joe Muha @ Jun 19th 2008 9:57AM

Yeah, looks cool. I am the buyer for Sam's Club. You might find this interesting if you are an NCAA fan:

http://www.checkoutblog.com/entries/2008/6/11/cheer__cheer_for_old____well_whomever_y.aspx

Deric Lee @ Jun 19th 2008 9:57AM

NFL > NCAA
No playoffs, no go.
Boise State got ripped off a couple of years back. The BCS is a joke.

I say use the BCS to decide the top 12-14 teams to be in the playoffs, thats a good compromise.

Oh, and GO SEAHAWKS!!

ViagraFiend @ Jun 19th 2008 10:19AM

Agreed. I hate the Bowl system. I'd watch it if there were playoffs.

Vcize @ Jun 19th 2008 10:23AM

Agreed that an 8 team playoff would be ideal.

But shut up about Boise already, seriously people. Were you one of the schmucks talking up Hawaii and Colt Brennan last year as well?

Trust me, nobody wants you watching college football anyway so you're not missed.

Deric Lee @ Jun 19th 2008 11:21AM

No, I'm one of the people that lives in Twin Falls, ID and roots for the local team(that and the Vandals suck).

So bite me.

Mez Jr @ Jun 19th 2008 11:52AM

I actually like the no-playoff BCS system. Every game matters so if your team does well over the course of the year you are rewarded. Instead of rewarding a team who gets hot at the right time. PLUS it makes every game matter. So teams that have clinched their division championship or a playoff spot start sitting guys and we are stuck with irrelevant games at the end of the year.

Though, IMO what they should do if they DID do a playoff would be 8 teams. Each of the BCS conference winners and 2 at large spots, open to either non-bcs schools, ND, or a school in a BCS conf that's a runner up. Combine this with requiring every BCS conf to have a championship game (Big East, Pac-10, Big 10 I'm looking at you) that would take the place of the first round of the playoffs. Non-BCS schools would have to be Conf. Champs as well.

Vcize @ Jun 19th 2008 11:58AM

Ah, the Vandals. A nickel to anyone that can tell me what school that's the mascot for.

It's Idaho. The Idaho Vandals. Never heard of them? Well, that's the same team that played took a one-score deficit into the 4th quarter of their game with Boise State in '06.

Of course, in every other game they proved themselves to be barely worthy of being called a divison 1A football program, but against Boise they were as competitive as ever. Imagine that.

Vcize @ Jun 19th 2008 1:50PM

Mez Jr just stole my identity.

I swear dude, I your post reiterates my feelings exactly.

Cal @ Jun 19th 2008 10:12AM

Grr me want FIFA 09 demo... I'm guessing they'll wait 'til after Euro 08 though, otherwise EA can't quite milk the Euro 08 game for all they can...

dibbage @ Jun 19th 2008 10:24AM

Sports gamers are gamers too! :(

Seriously though, theres nothing like a mindless sports game to break the monotony that is the endless sea of FPS games.

Chris @ Jun 19th 2008 10:39AM

I played this a little bit, this morning.

I'm really liking the new playcalling and pre-snap system now.

As far as the playcalling goes, you can either take the highlighter and choose your play (as we're used to), OR.....you can pick a play by hitting its respective button (A,B,X,Y). This should really help with those screen watchers who like to glance at which play you've just picked.

As far as the pre-snap goes, there is now what's called a "Bluff Play". If you have the play that you've just picked memorized and you want to throw off your opponent, you can show off a "Bluff Play". This is basically showing a false outline of what your play is going to be.

For example, if you've just picked a running play, you can show off a PASSING Bluff Play so your opponent thinks that you're going to throw the ball.

I hope that I've made this understandable. :P

Yipcanjo @ Jun 19th 2008 11:39AM

Is it just me, or does that NCAA Football '09 screengrab (above) look pretty wonky? His right arm (our left) looks shriveled. Just awkward.

Just another aggravating football game, I fear.

bigC24 @ Jun 19th 2008 12:02PM

Don't judge a book by it's cover. ;)

Erik Johnson @ Jun 19th 2008 12:31PM

All the soccer titles on Gamefly are either low or very low availability; which leads me to believe that yes, some people like soccer.

Brian B. @ Jun 19th 2008 12:53PM

Or no one likes soccer and therefore they don't stock those titles.

Nintendo Power @ Jun 19th 2008 1:44PM

Dynamite journalism, McElroy, way to connect with your readers. *thumbs up*

Rondo @ Jun 19th 2008 1:46PM

I played NCAA 08 a ton and just got the demo this morning. It plays a lot like last year's madden, which is a good thing.

Passing in NCAA 08 was absolutely horrible, on higher difficulties you basically had to run it every down because the defense cheated so much. You would throw it to an open guy and either a linebacker would jump 10 feet into the air to catch the ball, or the guy closest to the receiver would break towards the ball at inhumane speeds and make the interception.

On the other hand, if you did option running plays every down you could easily score 100 points in the game. It was probably the most broken football game to date.

I am happy to say these problems are gone from what I can see from the demo. The difficulty is on a lower setting, but you can tell the defender and receiver AI is much improved...AWESOME!

Mikeymike @ Jun 19th 2008 1:50PM

Does anyone else see the picture?

The dudes arm look completely deformed....

Mikeymike @ Jun 19th 2008 1:51PM

*looks

Mikeymike @ Jun 19th 2008 1:51PM

*looks

Vcize @ Jun 19th 2008 1:52PM

Well, I got a chance to try the demo at lunch.

Some new fluff, but the same broken gameplay. Defenders still warp 15 yards and superman leap in an instant to break up some passes while watching the fly right through their stomach on others. All the old bugs and such are still there...meh.