- Play against the very best in the game -60 current and 24 all-time legends, for their incredible homes and property.
- Realistic graphics, players moves and reactions -watch players' celebration moves when they score big.
- Go from rags to riches by creating your own player and putting him up against the world's best ballers.
- And see their embarrassment when their skills are denied.
- Features expert in-game commentary and an explosive hip-hop soundtrack.
Midway Games takes it to the hoop like no one else with NBA
Ballers! Set within the highly stylized celebrity life of NBA
superstars, this hoops title takes it to the max with court time
at your favorite players' lavish homes. Features 60 current and
24-all-time player legends, each vying to prove their skills on
the court! Do you have what it takes to play with the best?
From the Manufacturer
---------------------
NBA Ballers features current NBA stars such as Tracy McGrady,
Chris Webber and Kobe Bryant, and NBA Legends including George
Gervin, Magic Johnson and Wilt Chamberlain. By focusing on
one-on-one match-ups, Midway Sports Asylum is able to build each
and every NBA baller and NBA Legend with his specific skill set
in mind. Shaq will own the paint, Larry Bird will be raining
three-pointers and Iverson will be breaking ankles with his
killer crossover. With more than 5,000 polygons per player and
facial motion-capture technology, no basketball videogame has
ever given the gamer more realistic looking players than NBA
Ballers.
The explosive soundtrack found in NBA Ballers features hip-hop,
R&B and a hip-hop/rock mix with in-game commentary by World
Freestyle Champion rapper MC Supernatural and on-the-court beats
by DMC Champion DJ Rocky Rock.
Additionally, new facial animation technology provides the most
accurate NBA player facial expressions, including mouth movements
that sync-up with in-game audio to reproduce recognizable words
from players' mouths while stylized player models deliver
unmatched realism and detail to the game. Each player model
features the athletes' realistic body style based on actual
height and weight.
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Review
------
This isn't just a game about basketball. It's about the NBA
lifestyle and the pursuit of becoming rich and obnoxious. Through
a mode dubbed Rags to Riches, gamers will make the journey from
no-name street baller to the king of the NBA court. Whether
you're dropping dimes at Kevin Garnett's residence, breaking
ankles on Scottie Pippen's yacht, or making legends look like
punks at the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, you'll gain
respect and the ever important bling bling that comes with it. By
winning tournaments, you'll procure cash that can be used to
purchase clothing, tattoos, and vehicles.
Going into this review, I really didn't know what to expect from
this lifestyle angle. Truth be told, I was convinced that it was
going to be one of the cheesiest things I've ever laid eyes on.
Thankfully, Midway went out of its way to make this experience
thoroughly engrossing, highly interesting, and above all,
rewarding to the player. Not only does it give you a glimpse of
the players' lives, it delivers a story (yes, this is a sports
game with plot), and brings out the collector in you. The number
of unlockable items isn't nearly as extensive as I would have
hoped (especially in character and crib customization), but you
usually find yourself unearthing things of value – like hidden
players and videos that give you a behind-the-scenes look at the
NBA.
The action on the court is equally as impressive. Basically take
the setting of Julius Erving and Larry Bird Go One-on-One and
insert the high-flying gameplay of NBA Street into the mix. The
controls are silky smooth, the computer nents prove to be
extremely skilled, and the moves that you can perform would make
a Globetrotter stare in amazement. Not only can you bounce the
ball off of your nent's face (which gives you a split second
to break for the hoop), you can use their back as a springboard,
and toss the ball to a friend stationed courtside to set up an
alley oop.
From a technical standpoint, I absolutely love how the ball
cursor is used for rebounding. The realism that accompanies
stealing is equally as handy. In other hoops titles, I always
find myself jamming on the steal button to try to knock a ball
out of a player's hands. In this game, loose balls are not
randomly decided. If you get your hand on the rock at the
rtune time, you'll strip it free. On a negative note, I don't
like how the Act a Fool dekes are randomly produced. I often
found that the moves my player would perform would go against my
drive.
All told, my complaints are few and my praise is high. NBA
Ballers is a fresh spin on the NBA that brings great depth,
dynamic gameplay, and fevered multiplayer to the video game
court.
The Edge
Both versions of Ballers excel in different ways. Online
gameplay is exclusive to the PlayStation 2. Given the intensity
of the one-on-one play, talking t through the headset is
sweet thing. While the Xbox lacks online, it lights up the screen
with amazing HDTV support. It's a beautiful game to begin with,
but viewing it in 480p or 720p is truly a to behold.
Concept:
Combine the grit of street ball with the flash of MTV Cribs to
create a unique and rewarding one-on-one basketball experience
Graphics:
A visual slam dunk that features realistic character models and
unbelievable animations
Sound:
An excellent collection of underground rap tracks and a catchy
theme song by DJ Supernatural
Playability:
Finely tuned, perfectly balanced, and incredibly responsive.
Ballers' gameplay is right where it needs to be
Entertainment:
It's a great multiplayer experience, and the bevy of unlockable
content gives single player legs
Replay:
High
Rated: 8 out of 10
Editor: Andrew Reiner
Issue: May 2004
2nd Opinion:
I must admit that I was a little wary of a b-ball game that only
featured one-on-one play, but Midway's NBA Ballers is
surprisingly engaging. The play mechanic is solid, with silky
smooth controls that offer great battles against both human and
computer nents. I would have liked to see some more variety
in the move set, and more depth in the lifestyle content (tours
of the homes or yachts you play at would have been nice, and I
wish I could have designed my own MTV-worthy crib), but what's
here is more than enough to please most NBA fans. The lack of
online play for the Xbox version is a complete bummer, but in the
end it doesn't really matter, as the online play isn't as
engrossing as I had hoped. If you have to choose, go Xbox just
for the high-definition support, but either version will
entertain.
Rated: 7.75 out of 10
Editor: Andy McNamara
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