Ashes Cricket 2009™

Release date: 7 August 2009

Publisher: Codemasters

Developer: Transmission Games

It's England versus Australia on UK turf in Ashes Cricket 2009.

• Play in a full range of matches in stadia around the globe, including the full 2009 Ashes Series, International Test matches, One Day Internationals and 20 over games

• Take part in the epic sporting struggle between England and Australia with dynamic and intuitive controls in realistic and authentic gameplay

• Bowl your opponents over in online and local multiplayer modes

What It's Like To Play

Presentation

Just like TV

A licence from the England and Wales Cricket Board, Cricket Australia and the Marylebone Cricket Club, means that everything is up-to-date and accurate, and you can play as one of 12 different teams - not just England and Australia.

Commentary comes from Tony Greig, Jonathan Agnew and Shane Warne, while Sir Ian Botham guides you through the tutorial mode. The level of detail pored into the match presentation is impressive and TV-style touches such as Hawk-Eye replays will delight fans.

The main attraction is the ability to play through the 2009 Ashes Series with meticulous accuracy. Test matches, One Day Internationals and 20/20 matches are also available, and there are three levels of difficulty.

Gameplay

Just like real-life

The two components of a cricket game, batting and bowling, are both easy to pick up and have underlying complexity. At the crease, the batsman controls his position with the right stick and the direction of his shot with the left stick. Pressing the appropriate action button plays defensive, attacking and lofted shots. Advanced players can use the L1 and L2 buttons to play the shot from the front or back foot respectively.

Bowlers can select between swing, seam and slow delivery types - different variations of spin for spinners - and select the length with the right stick. They must then stop a meter before it hits the red segment to bowl with accuracy.

At a catch opportunity, the action slows and the fielding player must press the X button at the correct time to take the catch.

Multiplayer

Building a partnership

Up to four players can get together for any of the match types in local multiplayer; online, you can play limited over matches.

Overall, Ashes Cricket 2009 is a detailed and absorbing recreation of the biennial test series between England and Australia, and the ability to play as other nations, in other match types, adds longevity.

The TV-style presentation, official licenses and Hawk-Eye add polish and provide a wealth of statistics between overs - just like in real life.