How to set up a ‘March Madness’- style tournament in NBA2K21
Video gaming is a popular pastime and something that millions of people all over the world use as a means of relaxing. After all, there really is nothing like coming home after a tough day and losing yourself in your favorite title for a few hours. The great thing about video games is the sheer choice of genres available.
While first-person shooters, RPG’s and driving games always do well, sports is the video genre that attracts a lot of attention. This has been helped greatly in recent times by the rise of iconic franchises such as FIFA, which offer next-level sporting action to players.
Of course, one other major sporting game franchise to mention is the NBA2K series from developers Visual Concepts. This is now on pretty much everyone’s list of the top sports video games franchises to try out. Beginning with the very first instalment on the Dreamcast in 1999, it has since sold mega millions worldwide. The most recent NBA2K game is NBA2K21, released in September 2020. This once again impresses fans with its in-depth gameplay, realistic graphics, sharp sound and thrilling on-court action.
It is also notable for the option it gives for players to get a taste of college basketball. While the number of college teams is limited to 10 in NBA2K1’s MyCareer mode, it is still a nice addition for many. It is a fairly limited gameplay option, though, which sees you play just nine games in college ball before heading to the NBA draft. This has caused many players to set up their own version of the famed March Madness tournament to get a true taste of the college game. But what is March Madness and how do you go about recreating it?
March Madness explained
If you only follow basketball casually or do not pay much attention to college ball, you might not know what March Madness is and why it’s so much fun. It basically refers to the annual competition held each March to find out which team is top dog in college ball. Many matches take place over a few days, which leads to plenty of drama and games to catch.
It is also great for people who like to bet on sports, due to the number of games played and the associated betting opportunities. The massive number of games and the format means that the variety of bets that can be placed is huge. In addition, underdogs and favourites can quickly reverse their fortunes, meaning that a bettor with a keen eye and good deductive skills can get ahead of the competition. Read this ultimate March Madness betting guide if you need a more in-depth rundown of what is involved.
Recreating all this craziness via the NBA2K21 video game is a lot of fun. It also lets you see how the results pan out when you are in charge. But how do you set it all up?
Setting up a March Madness competition in NBA2K21
One look at 2021’s March Madness schedule shows how much fun recreating this competition can be! The good news is that it is easy and quick. The secret is making full use of the custom teams that other players have created, which mimic all the current college teams. To begin with, start a MyLeague session and opt for user-created roster mode. Next, search for online team rosters, using either the ‘NCAA’ or ‘college’ keywords. You can then find all the college teams you want to include in your March Madness tournament to download. There might be a few options for each side, so a good tip is to go with those options with the most downloads.
After the teams are there, make yourself the user-controller of each team before going into Dynasty mode. When in this game mode, check that each team has the right kit and details. If any do not, then you can go to the ‘relocation’ tab to download the correct details. To turn this all into a March Madness playoff format, just make all playoff series durations one game only. It is also worth deselecting salary caps and trades. You can then begin to enjoy the fun and see who eventually wins out!
NBA2K21 is a fun game to play
While some reviews have not been overly positive about NBA2K21 since its release, it remains a fun game to play and it allows players to really get to the heart of NBA action. The addition of college teams is a nice touch and this gets even better if you download the full roster of college teams that other players have created online. By using them to set up a March Madness competition as explained above, you will really get the most from this title.