NCAA Football 11

NCAA Football 11 (Preview)

Last year, NCAA 10 made a conservative play for non-gamer football fans with Team Builder: a browser-based application that served as the game's Create-a-Character, Team, and Stadium Modes. No purchase was necessary; anyone could create a team from the color of the end zone to the style of the shoelaces. Team Builder drew a lot of attention from the sports blogosphere, but judging from NCAA 10's average sales, it was more a first-down for the franchise than a touchdown. So to one-up Team Builder, NCAA Football 11 throws deep, bringing Online Dynasty Mode almost entirely to the web. Will it connect? And what is Online Dynasty Mode anyway (hey, last year, 350,000 Madden 10 players played online only once; it's a legit question)? Online Dynasty is a private league between you and your friends in which players can be traded, championships won and bragging rights rewarded. It spans multiple seasons (thus, "Dynasty"), so team and player development are key. It is play online, natch. With NCAA 11, all components of Online Dynasty -- except the actual on-the-field time -- will be accessible in compatible web-browsers. Recruiting players is here, from the meet-and-greet phone calls to offering acceptance into your football program and scholarships; assembling rosters is polished and simplified with the use of the mouse and keyboard; setting game times with friends is as simple as sending an online notification; and everything from Team Builder is back, along with the ability to migrate over Team Builder teams and stadiums from NCAA 10.