Late game AI is also a huge issue as the AI has no idea how much time is left or the specific game situation. Down three points with 40 seconds to go, the AI shouldn’t waste 30 seconds and fire off a shot in the paint with 10 seconds to play. Nothing can destroy a game like bad late game AI – and unfortunately it’s a glaring issue with NCAA Basketball 10.

Dynasty mode, which allows you to build a team through recruiting, still needs a lot of work even though it’s obvious some time was devoted to fixing this mode of play. Recruiting still feels more like work which is something a game really shouldn‘t strive to do. Some form of “:quick recruiting” needs to be put in place because I am sick and tired of emailing and doing other menial tasks each week with the kids I have targeted for a scholarship. There has to be a better way to handle this without tuning it completely over to the AI. NCAA 10 isn’t alone in this as even the gold standard college game, 2K’s College Hoops 2K8, has a long and drawn out recruiting model that grows tiresome. Recruiting is a vital component of any college game, but it also needs to be a fun part of it, too.

The sim engine is better, if not a bit too predictable. Gone are the days when a #16 seed beats a #1 seed in the NCAA tourney and you’re left with a Final Four of Morgan State, Baylor, Oregon State and Valpo. Now, the #1 seeds make the Final Four nearly every year. That’s not ideal either but it’s better than Cinderella being commonplace.

The tourney selection AI still has major issues, though. If you are playing as a Mid Major team – you better win your conference tourney because an At-Large bid won’t be in the cards. When a 16-16 Illinois team with no signature win gets in over a Marshall squad that goes 27-3 and beats two ranked teams, something isn’t quite right. I don’t know why these college games don’t allow the user to manually select the teams or even manually enter the Top 25. If the AI is going to struggle, why not allow users to do it?

With all of the annoying little issues with the game perhaps the most glaring is the shocking lack of multiplayer features. Not only does the game lack an online multiplayer dynasty feature – something that we saw in NCAA Football two seasons ago, but the game even lacks local multiplayer dynasty functionality. So – any dorm room or apartment leagues that would seemingly flourish with this feature are dead on arrival. That’s criminal. It’s particularly annoying because hot seat/head to head online play is pretty darn fun and by far the best way to enjoy the game.

I get the sense that the development team is doing all it can with the tools at their disposal. This is, above all else, the best college basketball game EA Sports has ever released, but EA is also charging 60 bucks for this game and it's clearly not receiving the same level of attention as Madden or NCAA Football or NBA Live or NHL or FIFA. College basketball games historically sell fewer copies, which is all well and good, but charging full price for something that lacks the features we come to expect is a swift kick in the groin to users.