NBA All Star Challenge

"This is your chance to duke it out, one on one, with an NBA legend in an empty gym!"

Introduction:
This game is...well, interesting. Oh sure, you'll love this game if you get a kick out of watching old NBA legends duke it out one on one in an empty gym with mediocre graphics, but for those other people out there, if just might not be fun enough. Sometimes, it seems like the chances of you making a shot are completely random. This is a turn off for me when it comes to basketball games, and All-Star Challenge has committed this Cardinal sin. Overall, this game is fairly enjoyable, but keep in mind this isn't one of those classic games that you'll remember forever. This is one of these ''Hey, I'm bored as Hell, let's play this since there is nothing else to do'' games.
Overall: 5/10

Graphics:
Even though it IS a Gameboy game, the graphics aren't that impressive. Every game takes place in the same old gym, which isn't that great looking to begin with. The only part of the game that really shows how good the graphics can be is the Free-Throw mode. Here, there is pretty good detail taken into the hands, ball and hoop. Overall, the graphics aren't anything fantastic or revolutionary, but they get the job done in my opinion.
Graphics: 6/10

Sound:
Now, to the bad part. The sound is very annoying in this game. All from the Title screen music (exhilarating at first, annoying after 15 minutes) to the in-game sound is enough to make you cry. While playing one on one, the only things to plague your ears are the sneaker squeaks and the ball bouncing, which aren't that great sounding. There's NO OTHER sounds during the game. If you score, they play an awful sound and the same for a rule violation. Truly horrible.
Sound: 2/10

Gameplay:
The game is mediocre except for one fatal flaw...the shots. It is impossible to make predictions on when you will make it. Chances are, if you release the shot from the height of your jump, you will make it. But, if you take the same EXACT shot twice in a row, you might not make it. The odds you will make a basket are completely random. While playing, you will will notice it is INCREDIBLY hard to pull down a rebound. The fixed camera makes it hard to see where a ball is after a missed shot. You'll jump up for the rebound and see it bounce around in front of you, which can be VERY frustrating when in the middle of a close game.

Also, I find it weird that two NBA All Stars would be having a One on One match with NO ONE around at all. No refs, no fans, no cameramen, nothing! The One on One games are also VERY easy. If you have played at least 5 games, you should have no trouble whooping up on the AI in ANY mode. This makes the game a little too easy in my opinion.

There are a few different modes of play, other than the aforementioned One on One. One is Accuracy Shootout, where you choose spots to shoot from and have a certain amount of time to see how many baskets you can make in that time limit. I guess it's okay, but nothing great. Then there's Free Throw practice, or whatever the Hell it is. This totally useless feature lets you shoot Free Throws. Exciting, eh? Tell me about it.
Gameplay: 4/10

Here are some other scores I give it (without lengthy explanations):

Replayability: 7/10
Fun for road trips or something to do when there's nothing else handy.
Fun Factor: 6/10
Can get a little repetitive, but overall a decent game.
2 Player: 1/10
Good luck finding someone else who has this game.

So, in conclusion, this game may not be worth your money. But it doesn't matter because it is probably only for sale on Ebay for $3. As you can see by my ratings, it is fun, but has it's downsides. So if you want a cheap thrill, NBA All Star Challenge is your game.

Final Score: 3.666667
Rounded GameFAQs Score: 4/10

Reviewer's Score: 4/10, Originally Posted: 01/25/02, Updated 03/11/03