Score
Gameplay:	9
Graphics:	9
Sound:	7
FunFactor:	9
PlasmaFactor:	9
Overall:	8.6

NBA Street V3 Review
February 28, 2005 by Peter Skerritt

by peter - February 28, 2005

One of the keys to a successful series of games is to be able to refine and maintain the core gameplay while adding more features to make each experience more exciting than the game before it. The Tony Hawk series has been able to do this, for example, by adding new move and play modes while keeping the addictive point-driven and combo-driven gameplay at the series� core intact. The same can be said for EA�s NBA Street series. The first game introduced features like ball-handling tricks and Gamebreakers to a pick-up style of street basketball. The sequel added a few tricks, some new modes, and additional �legendary� players while maintaining the core gameplay engine that players really enjoyed. Now, with NBA Street V3, the ante is upped even further with the introduction of online play and a deep single-player campaign that very open-ended and almost never goes the same way twice.

B-Ballin' and Shot-Callin'

For those players familiar with the NBA Street series, NBA Street V3 will be a welcome homecoming. It�s a 3-on-3 format, with various tricks, passes, dunks, and more. While tricks used to be only controlled via various combinations of turbo buttons and the trick button, EA has now introduced the use of the right analog stick-- or �Trick Stick�-- which performs various fakes and stunts when pressed in various directions, with or without the use of turbo buttons. There is a variety of different parameters that can be set to determine the winner of a game, such as reaching a set score, trick point amount, or even being the first to successfully complete a Gamebreaker�which is no longer a gimme. Although there are occasionally some issues with switching to the player that you want to control on defense in a pinch, the controls are basically solid and responsive, which is a must for games of this ilk.

Speaking of Gamebreakers, there�s a new wrinkle to how these are performed. To brief the uninitiated, a player�s Gamebreaker meter fills gradually as the player links tricks together successfully before scoring. Once the meter is full, players can initiate a Gamebreaker. In earlier games, the Gamebreaker was pretty much automatic and the only caveat was getting the shot (or dunk) off before time ran out; however, in NBA Street V3, players take full control of the Gamebreaker as soon as it begins. Using the right analog stick, players can pull off a few moves in mid-air as time slows way down. Depending on the position of the other players on the court, the player can either finish the play or can try to pass off to other teammates in mid-air�which increases the effect of the Gamebreaker and its difficulty. In close games, these Gamebreakers can almost literally mean the difference between a victory and a loss, especially if a player can manage to include all three players in the play and score the biggest point differential.

Building on the Be A Legend single-player mode from the previous Street title, NBA Street V3 introduces the Street Challenge mode, which allows players to create their own player, build a team and home court, and then earn credibility and respect by participating in various events. The Street Challenge lets players choose which events that they want to participate in. At one point, there may be a choice between a slam-dunk contest, a 250,000 trick point challenge, or an old-school game that disallows Gamebreakers. As players progress from day to day in the 60 days of the challenge, more game types, venues, and unlockables will open up. Players will also square off against more difficult opposition as the competition moves from street players to elite NBA talent with serious skills. It�s really never the same game twice, no matter how many times through a player takes this mode� its open-ended style ensures lots of replay value.

It's All About The Visuals...

While there are certainly more realistic-looking basketball games out there, NBA Street V3 definitely brings the urban feeling of street basketball to the PS2 with great results. The players have recognizable facial models, but maintain the slightly cartoon-style look that the series has been notable for. The various courts and venues are even more impressive, with real-life courts that look remarkably like their actual counterparts. There are also plenty of customization features for created courts, ranging from banners to court logos. The game glides along at a solid and consistent frame rate, and there�s nice use of lighting to be seen whether the venue is outdoors at sunset or indoors under the lights. There are also plenty of player animations for all of the various tricks, dunks, and shots that players can pull off over the course of the game.

Bobbito Go Home!

For all the good that NBA Street V3 has to offer�and that�s a lot of good�the sound is, well� not so good. While the sound effects are solid, the music is mediocre in its variety and the commentary is in-your-face awful. The music tracks are mostly what players would expect of EA TRAX, save for a couple of decent �old-school� tracks from De La Soul and Pete Rock�s sweet remix of House of Pain�s �Jump Around�. For those players who grew to hate Bobbito Garcia�s over-the-top and rather pointless commentary in the previous game, be prepared to hate him much more. Garcia�s comments only rarely have anything to do with the event at hand, and instead are all over the map with pointless one-liners that rapidly become annoying. The commentary is one area that EA has lagged behind in, compared to what Midway did with the NBA Jam / NBA Showtime series and their man on the microphone, Tim Kitzrow. For the next installment, let�s hope that Bobbito is replaced.

As Cool As The Other Side Of The Pillow

For fans of the NBA Street series, there�s little doubt that NBA Street V3 will satisfy� but gamers who are just now getting into the Street phenomenon will also find a lot to like. It�s got adjustable difficulty for players of all skill levels and seemingly endless gameplay and customization options. Throw in the addition of online play, and this extends the replay value to near-infinite levels. Obviously, basketball purists may still flinch a bit at the sight of a game with double dunks, towering blocks, and unbelievable fakes� but fans of basketball in general and fans of arcade-style sports games in the vein of NBA Jam will be quite satisfied.

Around The Back And PlasmaFactor!

EA should be commended for continuing to grow and evolve the NBA Street series, instead of just making a few adjustments every year and turning the games loose on the public� which is why the PlasmaFactor score is so high for this latest Street game. The addition of the Street Challenge mode is huge for solo players, as it's so open-ended and has so many different modes of play contained within it. There�s a ton of stuff to unlock, too, which makes working through the Street Challenge very much worth the effort. For multiplayer matchups, there�s a ton of different options� and the ability to play online means that connected PS2 users never really have to play alone. With so much to do and so much to play with, NBA Street V3 could be the only arcade-style basketball game that players will need for some time to come.

 

The Last Shot...

There�s not much else that can be said about this game. It�s easily a worthy sequel in the series; in fact, it�s the best one yet. Aside from some issues with the sound�especially the poor commentary and a more varied soundtrack�this game sports few major issues and easily brings fans back to the series after a formidable challenge from Midway�s NBA Ballers. It will certainly be interesting to see how EA decides to try and improve the next game in this series, but there�s no real reason to worry about that now. After all, by the time most players have had their fill of NBA Street V3, the next game may already be upon us.