NBA review:
Handheld gaming has never been a hotbed for sports titles, and that’s being kind. Sure, the occasional golf game is pretty good, but the systems have never really had...
NBA preview:
If it seems like it was just 18 months ago that Ninja Gaiden was released for the Xbox, that’s probably because it was. In the year and a half since the game’s release,...
NBA review:
It does, however, provide competent gameplay, and a satisfactory audio-visual component. The multiplayer, though, is well implemented. There is something remarkable about being able to play against someone miles away on a portable. If you plan on using the game’s online component, NBA is a good purchase. Otherwise, wait for more capable basketball games to be released.
NBA review:
If you enjoy videogame hoops and simply must have it for your new handheld then it’s probably worth your time and money. Serious fans of the sport will likely want to wait for something better to come along, at least something with more reliable shooting mechanics and much better A.I.
NBA review:
I’m not the biggest sports fan out there, but if pressed to sit in a crowded bar or at a friend‘s place while a big game is on, I always tend to root for the little guy nonetheless. The same goes for sports video games in general. My take is “Why play a sports game when you can either go out and do it for real or glue your peepers to the tube any hour of the day for your fix?”, but hey, try and tell that to a diehard sports fan and you’ll get your head handed to you, eyes first. Anyway, Sony’s NBA on the PSP jumped out at me not only because of the generic-sounding title, but because the screenshots I saw were pretty impressive. This was easily the best-looking handheld b-ball game to date in my book. But I took a ‘wait and play” approach just to be on the safe side. The final product is a decent game on the surface with an innovative shooting system and some fun mini-games but one you hit the boards and find the quirks, the game is a bit better looking than it is playing, especially against the computer.
NBA review:
So I wouldn’t say that NBA is any worse than its predecessors (with the exception of the double-tap to shoot) but it doesn’t solve many of the glaring issues that exist with this type of game. Still, It’s portable and online at the same time; two features that will go far towards selling copies of this particular game. -- Nik Dunn
NBA review:
However, once the total package is considered, NBA falls near the bottom of the standings. Cleaning up the AI, tightening the analog control, and refining the shot mechanics will go a long ways towards making the next version a contender. Right now, 989 should probably be glad it’s the only game in town.
NBA review:
A few mini-games are here as well, including the 3-point contest and Skills Challenge from the All-Star game along with ‘Paint’, an NBA version of Tony Hawk’s Graffiti in which two players try to paint the court their color by making shots. Nice diversions, but none of these mini-games are worth more than a passing glance.
NBA review: