NCAA Football 12 (Microsoft Xbox 360, 2011)

The only college football video game in the country returns to the high-def gridiron for the 2011-12 season. The goal of NCAA Football 12 is to present onscreen action that plays with on-field authenticity, and that looks like a Saturday afternoon broadcast in the heart of the season. Topping the list of the "2012" game's technical advancements is a new tackling system, which relies on momentum for realistic hits and take-downs. Dozens of real-world teams are available for play, including many hometown favorites and all of the Game-of-the-Week contenders, re-created with actual team names, uniform options, and playbooks. As in earlier editions of the annual offering, gamers can create custom players to add to their favorite team, or to guide through an entire collegiate career.

Gamers may also choose to draft and field the game's pre-designed fictional players, focusing instead on building a dynasty for their favorite team. Top schools enjoy traditional gameday celebrations as their squads take the home turf, including the University of Oklahoma's "Sooner Schooner" covered wagon and Georgia Tech's "Ramblin' Wreck" old-time automobile. Highlighting the game's graphical improvements, a new "high dynamic range" rendering process produces more realistic lighting effects. The process better accounts for the eye's natural adjustment to different levels of brightness, especially when playing in an afternoon field, half-covered by shadow, or in an artificially lit night game. Additional presentational upgrades include 3D-rendered grass on the field, higher-resolution crowds, new Nike-brand uniform options, and additional player-customization choices.