November 16^th, 2004 (10:55pm) - Electronic Arts announced today that NCAA March Madness 2005 has shipped to retailers nationwide and is now available in stores.

NCAA March Madness 2005 features former Connecticut All-American Emeka Okafor on all packaging, and, for the first time in an interactive basketball videogame, allows users to control their favorite team as the floor general, calling specific plays and running authentic college sets. With the innovative new Floor General Play Calling System, which also features an innovative new timeout menu and unique new on-court animations on both offense and defense, NCAA March Madness 2005 has become the ultimate chess match, a test of strategy and basketball skill.

NCAA March Madness 2005 is loaded with everything that makes the college basketball experience unique, including authentic cheerleaders, mascots, crowd chants, and Dick Vitale and Brad Nessler calling the action. The game features the all-new Pontiac College Classics game mode, allowing users to unlock and play with their favorite teams of the past by replaying the most memorable games in college basketball history, as well as Arena Pulse, which rates the nation’s most hostile environments and gives NCAA March Madness 2005 a true college flavor. Users can compete in the EA SPORTS Maui Invitational, the nation’s premier real-life early-season college basketball tourney, which begins Nov. 22 at the Lahaina Civic Center in Maui with top programs such as North Carolina, Louisville, and Texas in action.

Developed in Vancouver, B.C., by EA Canada, the studio which is also home to the popular NBA LIVE and NBA STREET franchises, NCAA March Madness 2005 is available on the PlayStation 2 and the Xbox and is rated “E” for Everyone by the ESRB. The game’s official website is www.marchmadness2005.com.