March Madness starts early

Electronic Arts began shipping NCAA March Madness 07 today. This year's edition features Adam Morrison of the NBA Charlotte Bobcats on the cover. This year will also be the first that the March Madness franchise appears on Xbox 360 and EA is taking advantage of that fact using a complete ESPN integration package. The integration package will allow players to watch college basketball game highlights, segments from Pardon th e Interruption and Around the Horn, interviews and analysis from SportsCenter, and more, all via Xbox Live. Fans will also be able to download and listen to ESPN radio podcasts as they play NCAA March Madness 07, including segments from Dan Patrick, Mike & Mike, Stephen A. Smith and others. All this is in addition to live ESPN Radio SportsCenter updates every 20 minutes, the ESPN Ticker and ESPNews. The game will also be available on Playstation 2. Both versions of the game will feature the new atmosphere system and Intensity Control. Feel the intensity rise, then watch as each player responds differently, trying to maintain composure. As the atmosphere heats up your player composure ratings affect the all-new Intensity Control that changes momentum by allowing you to pump up the crowd, motivate your teammates, raise your own composure or even intimidate your opponent. Plus, become immersed like never before by interacting with student sections, school mascots, cheerleaders, and even the band. It will also feature a full strategic control system including custom playbooks through the Floor General Playcalling system, the EA SPORTS Lockdown Stick that allows your players to pressure the ball, force turnovers and pester opponents on the court, and an enhanced Dynasty Mode with new School Pride and Recruiting features that let you build your school into a national powerhouse. NCAA March Madness 07 is rated E for Everyone and will be available soon. For more information, you can check out www.marchmadness07.com.

Live Arcade goes Boom

Electronic Arts announced that it will be launching a new game for Xbox Live Arcade today. Boom Boom Rocket, a rhythmic music game conceived by EA's Pogo.com and developed by Bizarre Creations, will be EA's first title on Xbox Live Arcade. In Boom Boom Rocket, players trigger rockets to the beat of the music while traveling through a 3D cityscape. The better the player times the explosions, the more spectacular the fireworks effects. The fireworks are choreographed to 10 original tracks created by Ian Livingstone. Players can play in single player mode or go head-to-head against a friend on the same console. The game features three modes of gameplay: Normal, Speed and multiplayer head-to-head. Each song is choreographed into three skill levels to ensure that everyone can join in t he fun. Successfully chain fireworks to fill the bonus meter and activate the psychedelic bonus mode for extra points. Players will also be able to unlock new firework designs by mastering each music track and can utilize the connected online element and see how their scores compare with other players on the Boom Boom Rocket leaderboard. Boom Boom Rocket will be available for download on Xbox Live Arcade this Spring.