NBA Street

"NBA Street is a sports game for both sports and non-sports fans alike..."

Sports games...some people love them, and others hate them. Although the PS2 is less than a year old, it already has its fair share of sports games, especially basketball ones. But there's one game that stands out in particular, and that game is NBA Street.

NBA Street is brought to you by EA BIG, the creators of SSX, a VERY popular release title. Just like SSX, NBA Street features beautiful graphics, combined with hours of fun and pretty easy controls. There are some people who look at the previews of this game and immediately think ''NBA Jam.'' In a way, they're right. It is a no-rules, street ball game, featuring high flying alley oops, monster blocking, and amazing tricks. But NBA Street is so much more than NBA Jam ever was, and I'm here to tell you why.

The game's premise goes as follows: You choose your team, and your three players to represent that team on the court. The games go to 21, with 1's and 2's, rather than 2's and 3's. Just like in real street ball, rules are almost non-existent, including goal tending. But here's the catch...NBA Street is the first basketball game that wants you to put more emphasis on trick moves rather than just running in for a dunk. That doesn't mean you should JUST use tricks, but rather that you should include them in on your scoring pattern. You have four turbo buttons, and each one, when combined with the trick button, gives you a different trick. You can mix and match, holding 1, 2, 3, or even all 4 turbo buttons at a time to get different moves. The more tricks you do, the better your trick score builds. The same applies to dunking. When combining tricks and shots, you usually make ''combos'', which jump your trick score dramatically. Next to the trick points is a bar know as the ''Gamebreaker Bar''. When enough tricks/combos are pulled off, you can activate the Gamebreaker shot. If you can make that shot, not only do you get that amount of points, but that also subtracts that amount from the other team! So if you land a two point Gamebreaker shot, your opponent loses 2 points as well, totaling up to 4 points gained for you! Sounds complicated? It can be, but after a few games, you'll know exactly what you're doing.

If just going one on one isn't enough for you, the game has a few features that'll keep you playing for hours on end. The City Circuit mode is a one player mode, in which you take your ideal team and lead them to victory over other NBA teams. After each victory, you have the choice of adding a player from that team to your team, or getting character development points for a created player. After certain sections, you'll face special challenges against made-up players. If you succeed, not only do you unlock that player, but you also unlock the court you were playing on. Although the game starts with 3 courts, you can unlock another 9, totaling 12 courts in all.

Hold The Court mode is another interesting idea that's fun to go with. Each court has its own streak of wins and trick points. If you can best the wins-in-a-row or the trick points, you can unlock extras for the create-a-player mode. That's 2 extras unlocked on each court, with a total of 24 to unlock! Not only that, but as your win streak gets longer, the competition gets tougher, challenging you to hold your record.

Creating a player is extremely fun in this game, because you've got a bit to work with. After each game you play with your team, you have the choice to get development points. With enough, you can boost your created player up to Superstar Status! You can choose from faces, looks, shoes, height and weight, and even nicknames that Joe ''The Show'' will shout during the games.

Speaking of Joe ''The Show'', he's the announcer on the court, spicing up the games with his witty comments. If you have trouble beating the computer, go to Joe's school to learn how to b-ball like a master.

With all of these options and the replay value alone, this game should definitely be a purchase. But EA BIG has matched the game play with outstanding graphics, excellent controls, and awesome sounds/music. My only true complaint with this game is how difficult the computer can get sometimes. The computer on Easy is like playing against a dummy. But when moved up a notch, it becomes more than a match for you. Not only will it continually do tricks and combos to boost Gamebreakers, but it'll do what it can to outsmart you. And in some cases, it'll do just that. In order to beat it on Hard mode, you better be a pro at the game!

Overall, NBA Street is probably my favorite sports game on this system. I'm not a big sports fan, but I love this game. Whether you're a sports fan or someone who hates sports, I think everyone can find enjoyment in this title.

GRAPHICS(9/10): This game features some of the best graphics I've seen on this system. The player models are pleasant to look at, some of them being so close to the real thing that it's scary. The backdrops of your games are also done in unimaginable fashion. Sometimes, you just want to stop b-balling to look at the surroundings. You can see everything from a few fans cheering on, to cars driving by, and even to things like leaves blowing through the court. And the weather does change in the game, sometimes raining, sometimes snowing.

SOUND(9/10): Everything on the court sounds realistic, from the feet shuffling to the players talking trash. Joe ''The Show'' also puts up some interesting commentary through the game, letting you know about things like your score and your Gamebreaker bar. The music is fun to listen to as well.

CONTROLS/GAME PLAY(9/10): I know there are some who won't agree with me on this, but the controls are simple once you've played a few times. The only thing that may be a little complicated is remembering which combinations pull of certain moves. Still, it's a breeze to play the game.

OVERALL(9/10): This game has it all. A challenging one player mode, a create a player mode, and challenges for you to complete along the way. Aside from the computer being difficult at times, this game is fun to play whether you're by yourself or with a friend.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 07/13/01, Updated 07/13/01