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NBA Street V3

Dark Tournament

Review by: Christopher Troy

1-2 Players, 1-6 with Multitap or Online(Broadband only) sports game

Company: EA/EA Canada

Version: US

System: PS2 (Exclusive)

Rated: G (Everyone)

EXTERNAL EXAM

No million dollar contracts. No major endorsements. No state of the art arenas. No rules. It doesn’t matter what you make on the street, who you play for or with, or where you’re from.

You’re worth nothing.

James. O’ Neal. Marbury. Baker. Garnett. Idolize them all you want, but the minute the game starts, you better be ready to do your best, or you’ll be chasing those pipe dreams for the rest of your life. Here, respect is won. How? Through blood sweat and tears. Welcome to NBA Street Volume 3, where dreams are made, or crushed. Hope you’re ready.

DVD VISION TEST

VIDEO: Anyone familiar with this franchise will automatically recognize the rehauled graphics. The original character models from the first two installments were very cartoony which is no longer an issue (except for the Nintendo All Star team found on the Gamecube verison.) Now instead of living caricatures, the NBA starts depicted in this game actually look like their flesh and blood counterparts, right down to jerseys, tattoos and haircuts. The love for the new graphics didn’t stop there as the courts and lighting effects in the game share the insane amount of said realism level (Prepare to drool as leaves fly over the court). While I won’t go out and say it’s the best looking game out there now, it is easily one of the best looking sports games to grace the current round of consoles.

AUDIO: Here is a mixed basket if you ever had one. Let us start out with the announcer. At times, this guy is hilarious; but after awhile he gets on your nerves.

For the soundtrack, EA has hooked the game up with various hip hop remixes, rareties and songs exclusive to the game. However not everything is worth listening to, because for every Beastie Boy’s track there is a bomb dropped by some obscure Lil’ Kim Wannabe. While some tracks are catchy (like the “Jump Around” remix) the soundtrack is slim and repetitive in the end. Also worth noting is that none of the tracks have lyrics during games, only when your in one of the game’s menus do they show up.

As for the in-game sound effects, this is where the audio department shines. All the proper sound effects one would expect to be in a B-Ball game are present, from every swoosh to block shot, to the crowd’s jeering and cheering, which improves the game’s overall audio presence.

CONTROLS: As if beautiful graphics weren’t enough of a treat, the controls are just as great. Each verison shares what EA has dubbed the “Trick Stick”, the second analog stick on each systems controller. Used to perform crazy-ass tricks, the stick will lead you into point boosting combos, and makes for awesome visuals. There’s nothing like bouncing the ball off you’re opponents back, off the backboard, to your teammate, and passing back into your hands for a rim shattering dunk. The shoulder buttons are used to assist in performing these tricks, and with enough practice, taking flight, jive playing and jamming all become second nature.

EXTRAS: Only a ton. Unlockable characters, teams, clothing, and courts are all available. Plus there’s some footage of what’s new in the game, trailers for other EA BIG games, and a shameless Beastie Boy’s plug for this game.

WIDESCREEN REVIEW

CINEMATIC EXPERIENCE: This is a joke right? We’re talking about a basketball game here, not Final Fantasy.

The only thing that counts as cinemas I guess, are the various intros of the courts you play on, and some random demos of your character getting his game on. They're all presented in the in-game graphics, all look spiffy, but that’s about it. If you’re looking for a reason as to why your character is playing basketball, or if they're on some kind of quest to avenge a fallen loved one or pet then well, ummm... what kind of nut job are you? Go play Xenosaga II or something...then at least you can ponder why you bought such a bad game.

BEST PLAYER(S): While those with a Gamecube can brag about how great it is that they have their fat Italian plumber, his dumbass brother and their easily kidnaped princess playing hoops exclusively for their verison of the game, the Nintendo Team is far from the best. Nor is it the 2004 champs, the Detroit Pistons. The best team, once unlocked, is without a doubt, those Hip Hop Pioneers from Brooklyn, hot off of their multi-platinum album “To The 5 Boroughs”, The Beastie Boys, all dressed in Knicks jerseys. This is a shout out for all you who remember white hip hop videos before Mr. Shady busted onto the scene.

CHEAT CODE YOU NEED: None available at this time.

CHEAT CODE YOU WANT: How about having the Beastie Boys available from the get-go. Or maybe each console having their own all-star team a la Soul Caliber 2. (C’mon, Master Chief banging boards with KG would be hot!)

FAN SERVICE: How about having your user name written on the team’s jersey of your choice, or making your own pair of Reebok shoes, or making your own court? The game offers a lot and features many of the returning street legends from the past, as well as a whole slew of new NBA Legends.

FINAL EXAM

Before we get this thing started, let’s set the record straight. Despite my PhD in anime/Japanese nerdom, I’ve been a BIG fan of arcade style hoop games since Midway’s NBA Jam series. But as time went on, the franchise died out, and if I wanted to continue ballin’ off an actual court, I would have to stick with whatever EA, Sega, or Sony put out each year, which for the most part, were different types of simulators.

So believe me when I say Streets V3 is by far THE BEST non-sim hoopies game I’ve ever played. A perfect hybrid of NBA Jam and EA’s Live series makes this game a must buy. The game is near perfect, and the flaws in it aren’t enough to make me put the controller down for hours.

EA BIG’s 3^rd installment of its popular street series is back, and rebuilt from the core. Abandoning the old graffiti influence style, V3 showcases all new, more realistic graphics and includes several new features, including a court creator and the ability to play online (Assuming you pick up the PS2 or Xbox verison). With a new career mode, and tons of unlockables, NBA Street V3 is posed to maintain its crown as the champ of basketball games.

V3's biggest problem lacks in the A.I. department. While it’s usually consistent during the game , every so often a computer controller player will throw up a 3 pointer in an only dunks contest. Once you master a difficulty, you've more or less got the game beat (I myself am currently on a 58 game winning streak, having only played 58 games). And while it may not bother some players, the lack of customization isn’t as deep as EA’s Def Jam Vendetta: Fight for NY. While I can hook myself up with some seriously tight threads, there’s no way I can make my baller look anything like myself, something Vendetta, and many other EA Sports titles offered.

Now that I’m through with that, let’s look at what the game did right, which I’m happy to say is a lot. While my character looks nothing like me (other than the fact we’re both tall as hell white boys), he still looks goods. In fact, EVERYTHING looks good in this game, from the character models (The Beastie Boys may not be as jacked in real life as they are in the game, but they are recognizable the minute they show up to play) to the courts, to the insanely well done lighting effects. EA’s decision to ditch the graffiti look for a more realistic one was wise, and I cannot stop applauding them for doing so. I suggest watching every court intro cinema, just so you can marvel at what art the wizards at EA were able to conjure up.

When it comes to customizing your very own court the possibilities are much more open than what the create a baller mode offers. The more points you earn, the better you get to make your court. And I’m not just talking about two hoops and everything in between, you get to trick out your neighborhood,. the surrounding area, seating, and what’s hung up in your court. All very nice, and a welcome addition.

However, beauty is only skin deep. EA decided that it needed to rework some of the controls for this game as well, which was another wise move. The trick button has been replaced with the trick stick, which is the R3 button on your PS2 controller. This allows the player to string together combos which will score you even higher trick points. With your winnings, you can increase your skills, making even sicker moves possible which can be seen best with the new game breakers. By positioning your teammates and yourself at the right points on the court, you can unleash a 3 man jam, linking together as many dunk styles as possible within seconds. The better the jam, the more points you get and the more your opponent will lose. This continuous cycle of rewards only gets better as the game goes on.

The career mode is where it’s at in this game. Your goal is simple enough. After “X” amount of weeks, you need to gain enough respect to get yourself signed to a nice fat NBA contract. The means of doing so are anything but traditional. While there’s the all purpose 21 point games, you’ll also be forced into dunk only games, games without gamebreakers, first to score “X” amount of trick points, dunk contests, and others. Best of all, you get to choose what type of game you want to play as the game goes on.

Although this game does have a few snags here and there it is, without a doubt, the BEST basketball game on the market. While purists may dislike the arcade style gameplay, there isn’t a reason why any basketball or sports fan in general should pass up this game.

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