NBA STREET V3
(star)(star)(star)
Publisher: Electronic Arts
Platform: XB/PS2/GC
Genre: Sports
Rated: TEEN
This arcade-style NBA franchise was the first to bear Electronic Arts’ urban “Street” branding, and it’s still the only one in the lineup (which now includes “NFL Street” and “FIFA Street”) that feels like an organic extension of the sport, not a canned marketing ploy.
For anybody who has been to the concrete courts in Venice Beach or New York City, the vitality of street ball is undeniable, and once again EA manages to bottle that spirit in this very playable, very fun baller.
“NBA Street V3” is a fusion of NBA superstars and the 21-point, three-on-three street sport, as headliners such as Shaquille O’Neal and LeBron James run ankle-breakers not in packed arenas but on real-world courts such as Rucker Park and Brighton Beach.
There are returning “NBA Street” original characters, as well 25 NBA legends. You can opt to just jump in and play a few games with the superstars, or you can enter a lengthy career mode to create a superstar of your own and see if he can hang with the likes of Isiah Thomas and Julius Irving.
The biggest innovation in “NBA Street V3” is the Trick Stick, which assigns eight special moves to the right analog stick. You have up to 32 skills to drop as you hammer toward the basket. This system can be intimidating to casual players. If you can string a series of Trick Stick moves together, you’ll earn not only more points, but also more Gamebreakers.
Gamebreakers are still the ultimate thrill of the series, and now you control them. Use these unstoppable moves to grab double (even triple) points for an outrageous basket. There is nothing more satisfying when playing a friend than ending a match on a Gamebreaker, because once you nail it, your opponent has no recourse. He must sit there, useless controller in hand, and watch you take the game.
“NBA Street V3” offers an impressive customization element, allowing you to create a court and player from the ground up. Your personalized baller can be draped in vintage jerseys, blinged-out jewelry and even your own line of custom kicks. You can keep spending earned bonus points to acquire more gear, making sure you’re always macking. And your court truly becomes your personal playground, as you dress it up in your own colors, with customized surfaces and backboards. It takes some serious time to build up a player and court — maybe even too much — but if you’re a fan, there is some extreme satisfaction waiting for you when you finally reach design nirvana.
The PlayStation 2 and Xbox editions of “NBA Street V3” allow you to challenge players across the country. But the Internet-less GameCube features an unbeatable exclusive — at least for Nintendo loyalists. Mario, Luigi and Princess Peach — three of the Big N’s top superstars — are a playable squad.
Watching Mario dunk on Kevin Garnett is a treat and should help the GameCube edition sell quite well. The GameCube needs exclusives such as this.
