erennial college basketball winner College Hoops 2K once again crushes its competitor with an emphatic dunk, but that’s not to say this dynasty isn’t starting to show signs of wear.

College Hoops 2K8’s great mix of realistic on-court action, ESPN-quality game presentation, and first-rate crowd dynamics keeps the game head and shoulders above the competition. You can take your alma mater on a championship crusade, build a legacy by coaching your way up the ranks until you take over a powerhouse program, or create your own school to contend for the NCAA crown, editing every aspect of your nascent university (except for your jerseys – a questionable exclusion).

On the court, this year sees the reintroduction of Maximum Passing, which helps you target that open player in the corner much easier. The only area the proven gameplay buckles is in the low-post action. Getting your player to move with the grace and power of a Roy Hibbert on the block can be a tiresome affair, as the controls are needlessly complex.

The Legacy mode is deeper than ever before, which in this case can be seen as a hindrance. Scouting now revolves around the Amateur Basketball League. You can auto-scout these games, but then you cannot garner more recruiting points. Playing with a bunch of players you’ll never invite to your campus ultimately feels like a waste of time; there are better ways of improving recruiting, as evidenced by NCAA Football 08.

The best addition to this year’s game is easily 2K Share, which allows you to share rosters, legacies, and game settings with other players online. College Hoops 2K8’s gameplay options are rounded out by the forgettable minigames, a problematic play designer that needs more fine-tuning, and the stellar online mode, which once again features tournaments and seasons.

This may be the only game that college fans need to care about, but College Hoops 2K needs to step up its game next year to avoid leaving the court with a towel over its head instead of a basketball net.