Magic Johnson's Fast Break

"Work on my fast break? I'm up 114-3, Magic!"

If you ever need proof that NBA stars sell out quicker than NCAA tournament games, Magic Johnson's Fast Break is the perfect example. While it is not a horrible game, it is proof that sometimes a star will just try to milk out every penny of success that he possibly can. That is because this is not a game deserving of a man of Magic's caliber/legacy, and that is recognizable right from the get go. Like I said, it's not a bad game, it just is not as good as it should have been. Some basic design flaws keep it from attaining the greatness that is Magic Johnson, but it's definitely a nice experience.

Storyline - Basically, you're a basketball team, and you have to face a basketball team. That's probably the most original storyline you'll find in a sports game. Anyways, the main thing here is Magic Johnson appears to be your coach, so he'll give you pointers throughout the game.

Graphics - Well, the first thing you will notice is how plain looking the graphics are. You are treated to a gray title screen with neon words and a very unrealistic picture of a ''fast breaking'' Magic Johnson. Then you are treated to several more gray screens with words on them before finally hitting the game. The players are very small and animate very poorly. There are two players on each side, one team has red uniforms and the other have blue uniforms. The animation is poor when you are jumping, because sometimes they will jump, disappear, and reappear. The court is very drab looking, with brown and green colors. The nets don't appear to be connected to a pole, which is odd, and the scoreboard, while original, doesn't exactly inspire me.

Music and Sound Effects - There is a song on the title screen and opening screens which are pretty good, yet get annoying quickly. You also get to hear a song before each quarter that sounds a little differently yet a little of the same. It's a nice variety of music that really blends in well with the game. The sound effects are beeps which get annoying very quickly, especially after a while of eharing them. Every time you make a rebound or pass the ball, you will hear a beep. Every time you make a basket, a horn will go off. It's all right, but it does sort of get annoying after a while.

Controls - I never really figured out why it wouldn't let me pass or shoot the ball right after getting a steal. I've had many a back court violation and steals due to vigourously pushing a button and not getting the desired effect until seconds later.

Gameplay - The game is fun, as it's 2 on 2 basketball at its best. When you begin the game, you can choose from four game options. One player mode has two gameplay types, and two player mode has two gameplay types. Once you choose the game, you can choose from one of five difficulty levels. However, the only thing separating the difficulty levels is how well the computer shoots and how well you shoot. It doesn't actually affect the computer AI, so it's still really easy to run up the score if you know what you are doing.

Hence lies the biggest problem: you can stand right under the basket, steal the ball almost every time, and hit wide open threes. There's no challenge whatsoever in doing this, and very rarely will there be any fouls. The fouls are called at weird times, usually when there is actually no fouls being called. It's this kind of unbalanced gameplay that prevents the game from getting a higher score. It's still tremendously fun, and I love to see Magic's ugly mug congratulating me every time I sink a 3 pointer. ''Good shot!'' Damn right, Magic. You wish you had my talent!

Replay Value - I like lighting up my friend from 3 point land, but otherwise, there isn't too much replay value. I kind of outgrew this game, but I still play it from time to time.

Challenge - Well, like I said, any game that lets you steal a ball at will and shoot 3 pointers almost every time is not exactly awe inspiring. I once won 341-17 on the hardest difficulty level.

Overall - While not being on the level of this review, it's still a fun game that can be enjoyed by all. Have fun, and remember, ''Hit the boards!'' Thanks for the advice, Magic.

Reviewer's Score: 7/10, Originally Posted: 04/03/02, Updated 04/03/02