Mario Hoops 3 on 3

"For People Who've Never Played Mario Sports"

Believe it or not, the Mario Hoops 3 on 3 import is actually the very first Mario Sports title I've ever played. Not a big sports fan in general, I nearly quit the genre after the passing of Acclaim's arcade hit, NBA Jam TE. I loved Jam's fast and frantic style and how the game twisted traditional physics by allowing its players to dunk from the free through line and--though be it rarely ever happened--sink a basket from the other side of the court. Surprisingly, it's these same features that made me fall in love with Mario Hoops 3 on 3.

The first of it's kind, Hoops let's players hone their ball-handling skills almost completely through the touchscreen. With a simple flick of the wrist your character will shoot, pass, dunk, block, juke, rebound, and even dribble. The depth of movement is so complete that the game includes a built-in training menu, just like sports games on today's next-gen consoles. Unlike most sports titles, the developers also allow you to through projectiles, elbows, and in rare occasions, even meteors! And the scoring system isn't the same either.

Whenever one of your three characters sinks a basket your team will be rewarded with a minimum of 20, 30, or 40 coins, depending on where and how the shot was made. And if you collect coins on your way to the basket (or by pulverizing the other team) that coinage is added to your score, making it easy to change the outcome of a game with a single shot. The feature can be wonderful or infuriating, depending on which side you're playing for. All-in-all the movement feels tight, natural, and even well-balanced!

Mario Hoops 3 on 3 also has a healthy does of Smash-Brothers-Esque replay value, thanks to unlockable characters of different speeds and strengths, bizarre court locals, and a plethora of head-to-head multiplayer options. You really haven't played basketball until you've dunked over Bowser while underwater or used a piranha plant as a basket. While not giving away any spoilers I can also attest that the roster doesn't consist completely of characters from the Mushroom Kingdom. Similar to the 'Cups' in Mario Kart, Mushroom, Flower, and Star tournaments are available to provide varying ranges in difficulty. And yes, the game does get very, very hard.

Not that Hoops doesn't leave something to be desired. No matter how good the other team's AI is, players are forced to constantly switch team members to really get anything done. Teammates wonder aimlessly, hording unused bomb-ombs and refusing to play any real defense. And as with every 3D Mario game, the camera has its own set of debilitating problems. Luckily, and most likely due to Square/Enix, your annoyances never looked or sounded better. The dramatic music is a perfect mix for championship games!

Problems aside, Mario Hoops 3 on 3 is an amazing experience that I'll continue to play for weeks to come. But unlike me, you should probably wait until you can buy it in your own region. I can't help but feel I've lost something in the Japanese translation. I give it an 8 out of 10.

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 07/31/06