OT: NBA Street Vol. 2

[Franklinnoble]

Franklinnoble's Unneccessarily Long-Winded Review of NBA Street Vol. 2

My gaming habits fall into three basic categories.

There's the turn-based and real-time strategy "conquer the Earth, or some other planet" type - Civilization 3, Age of Empires, etc.

Then there's the "Tycoon" style games - I lump The Sims, Sim City, and even FOF and TCY into this category (although you could probably separate the graphical and text-based simulations) - basically, any game where you manage some entity (a person, a city, a zoo, a railroad, an airline, a sports franchise) from the ground up.

Then there's the somewhat limited "arcade" style games - and for me, they're almost all sports. Currently, they're Madden NFL 2003 and NCAA 2003, Virtua Fighter 4, occassionally Gallop Racer 2001, and whatever else I periodically rent at Hollywood Video for my PS2. I rarely play arcade style games on the PC. Now that I think about it, the only ones I play are via my NES emulator (go figure).

In fact, I rarely use the PS2. Maybe I'm just getting old, but the more cerebral and in-depth strategy and management games do a lot more for me than most console games which often boil down to being able to mash the right combination of buttons in rapid sequence.

But there was a time, long ago, when sports "arcade" games basically ruled my life. Tecmo Bowl gave me a taste on the NES, but it wasn't until I played Madden on the Sega Genesis that I got truly hooked. And, for the most part, it was strictly football games.

With two exceptions. And they were both basketball games - and they are both now over ten years old. The first was an arcade game that soon made it to the Genesis - NBA Jam. If you've played it, skip the rest of this paragraph - I needn't say anymore about it. Quite simply, it was the most fun I've ever had with an arcade game... and who can forget trying madly to hit three shots in a row, just to hear that announcer say "He's on FIRE!!!" and then be able to dribble the smoldering basketball and basically make a bucket from anywhere on the court? Plus, it came out the year that Barkley and the Suns made the NBA finals... it sported a veritable all-star cast of potential players. You could play the Suns with Sir Charles and "Thunder" Dan Majerle (Suns fans LOVED that guy - I quit watching basketball when they traded him for John "What'd I ever do to earn the name 'Hot Rod?'" Williams. You could play the Bulls with Jordan and Pippen. I think the Celtics even still had Larry Bird. It was awesome.

Then there was the one and only PC-only arcade-style game I ever really spent a disproportionate amount of time with: Michael Jordan In Flight (you can now get it free here at the Underdogs ). It was the first 3D-style sports game, and (keep in mind, this is 11 years ago - running under MS-DOS) really broke a lot of ground for the genre. It was a very simple 3-on-3 style basketball game - basically, you could have a team with Jordan and two other generic players (no NBA licensing here).

I liked both of them because of the simplicity, I think - 5-on-5 just seems like too much to keep track of. 2-on-2 or 3-on-3 makes for a fun, casual gaming experience where you can really play to the individual strenths of everyone on your team (and the weakness of the players on the other team) without getting a headache from keeping track of 10 guys on the court.

So, this brings me to the point of the post. I'd seen the commercials for NBA Street Vol. 2 while watching the NBA playoffs. The graphics looked sharp. The moves looked, well, fun. And seeing the digitized Michael Jordan from 10 years ago dunking over some fool on a playground hoop was enough for me to go out and rent it last night.

I was up until 1:00 a.m.

I probably could have made this post about two sentences long: You must go out and at least TRY this game. It kicks ass. Not just any ass - we're talking Bruce Lee-style kung-fu ass kicking here. This game is the most fun you could have short of a six pack of drunken and horny underwear models.

I haven't even played all of it yet. In fact, I'm sure I've played less than a quarter of it. My wife is now a PlayStation2 widow for the next week, and she doesn't even know it. I can tell you that the parts I have played are just too much fun.

For starters - go into the game intros and play the tutorials. They help. A lot. The basic controls for the game are fairly intuitive, but the really good sh*t takes a little training. You could play this game right out of the box without touching the manual, but you'll have a lot more fun with it if you spend 10 minutes learning a little more about the finer points.

That said, the part I got sucked into was the "Be A Legend" mode. The premise of the game (as explained in the intros and tutorials) is 3-on-3 street basketball; everything from pick-up games to tournaments, in cities all over the country. You can jump right in and play an exhibition as an NBA team (I tried this for starters - took the Kings - I chose Webber, Stojocovichshtsts... sh*t, Peja, and Divac against the Nuggets - I wanted an easy win to get my feet wet). But the "Be A Legend" game is immersive. It sucks you in, and you'll find it irresistable once you get started.

You start out by making your own player. So, I did. Using a player creator similar to what you'd find in Madden (or even the Sims), you can basically pick your player's height, weight, body type, and clothes. If you're a chick, or always wanted to be one, that's even available. Everything down to varying shades of facial hair is there - so, I created an out-of-shape looking white guy that bears a strong resemblance to what I might look like if I actually tried to play basketball. Then you take your pool of attribute points (or whatever they call them) and assign them to yourself. What's neat about this is that each attribute (Shooting, Dunks, Blocks, Rebounts, Power, Steals, Handling - I think that's all of them) requires progressively more points as you move up to higher levels - so, level one "Dunks" will cost you 100 points, level 2 will cost you another 200, level 3 costs you another 400, etc. Basically, you have to spend your initial allocation carefully, and decide which strengths your player will have, or if he'll be well-balanced across the board. Basically, you can't afford to have more than level 3 of anything to start with (and buying that would probably leave you at '0' everywhere else). I'm a vertically challenged white boy, so, naturally, I gave myself "2" for Dunks right away.

You start play by choosing from a limited pool of other mediocre players to make up your squad (your team size is 5, but you have to choose your starting 3 at the beginning of the game, and that's who you're stuck with for the duration). You take these guys to the one court available (more courts open up as your reputation grows) and play pickup games. The coolest bit? You not only earn more attributes with every win, but you get to pick one player from the team you just beat to join your team.

I cannot over-emphasize how much this one little feature adds to the game. You beat a team, and you can take their best player for your own squad. This does two things for the game:
[list=1][*]It allows you to improve your teammates as well as yourself with every win.[*]It makes you really, really want to take on and beat better teams.[/list=1]

So, basically, your incentive is to win like mad, and you don't ever want to stop, because every win can net you more points, a bigger reputation, and better players.

There are other incentives along the way, and while they're just gravy for me at this point, they're still pretty cool. Certain victories will unlock throwback NBA jerseys that you can put your player in... so I'm running around right now in an old Connie Hawkins jersey (any Suns fans here?).

After a few pickup game wins, you can start participating in various tournaments and challenges. This is when the game really gets cool - because now you're starting to play against real talent - NBA players and various "boss" street players that you can stack your squad with (a word of advice - beat "Stretch" and add him to your team as soon as possible - it's hella cool from that point on). At this point, I've got myself, Stretch, and Amare Stoudemire as my starting three. And I'm quite formidable.

Like I said, I've only played a fraction of this game. I'm still in the early stages of the "Be A Legend" option - I've added a few more points to my dunks, shooting, and rebounding - but I've got a long ways to go with it. And I LIKE it. The incentives for improving your player and your team are addicting - it's everything a game like this should be in that regard.

I haven't even touched on the actual gameplay. Imagine, if you will, NBA Jam, with kickass PS2-style graphics. That's about the best way to put it. There are literally hundreds of possible moves, shots, dunks, combos, passes, blocks... you name it. Don't even try to preview all the moves - you'll hurt yourself. Needless to say, the depth in gameplay is there, in ample supply.

There's also an NBA challenge option, which I haven't even tried yet. And there's a ton of "Old School" greats that you can "unlock" at some point or another (including three different versions of Michael Jordan) - haven't even gotten to that, either. I'm salivating at the possibility of playing 3-on-3 with Michael Jordan (1992), Wilt Chamberlain, and Larry Bird on my squad.

Thank God for Hollywood Video's 5-day rentals - it'll take me almost to my next paycheck, which I hope to blow a potion of on buying this game (the first PS2 game I've bought in nearly a year).

I'm not sure what other consoles this game is available on, but if you want a great way to blow the weekend, go out and try this one on. You won't regret it.

[Calis]

I haven't even played all of it yet. In fact, I'm sure I've played less than a quarter of it.

Sheesh, you gathered all this from less than a quarter of playing?

You not only earn more attributes with every win, but you get to pick one player from the team you just beat to join your team.

Now THIS sounds very very cool. Winning Eleven had something simliar to this, but not quite as cool sounding, and I found that ultra addictive. It's like collecting Pokemon or something, this sounds like an awesome feature.

I'm not much into arcadey sports games, but I might give this one a try, sounds like it has some really neat features.

[Marmel]

You should work for game companies. Your review alone makes me want to buy this.

when I was an NBA fan, I was a big Suns fan. Thunder Dan was my favorite NBA player of all time, and I even met him at his restaurant in Phoenix.

[GrantDawg]

I HATE basketball, but I love basketball arcade games (why? I don't know). This one is tempting.

[Radii]

I alternate between my Magic jersey and Jerry West jersey on my guy(a 5'10 white guy with a mullet and lambchops, btw ).

I love this game, I flew through it on easy difficulty just to beat the create a baller mode and unlock everything I could, and am going to start going through it again on the hard setting. It's the best PS2 game I've had since Grand Theft Auto I think.

[Franklinnoble]

Originally posted by Radii
I alternate between my Magic jersey and Jerry West jersey on my guy(a 5'10 white guy with a mullet and lambchops, btw ).

I love this game, I flew through it on easy difficulty just to beat the create a baller mode and unlock everything I could, and am going to start going through it again on the hard setting. It's the best PS2 game I've had since Grand Theft Auto I think.

Yeah, I had the Jerry West jersey for a while, but switched to the Connie Hawkins jersey when I got it.

[sterlingice]

This sounds like fun. I may have to try it out.

I'm really anxious to see what NBA Jam gets resurrected to. If it's just another basketball game, blech. But if they can capture the old NBA Jam feeling, I'd definately get it.

SI

[Swaggs]

Originally posted by Franklinnoble
And I'm quite formidable.

Sure, sure...and next you will be telling us that you are colossal.

[Franklinnoble]

Originally posted by sterlingice
This sounds like fun. I may have to try it out.

I'm really anxious to see what NBA Jam gets resurrected to. If it's just another basketball game, blech. But if they can capture the old NBA Jam feeling, I'd definately get it.

SI

They're re-making NBA Jam?!?

I'd get it as long as they have the same guy doing the announcing...

"Whoooaaaaa.... Kaboom!"

That, and I want the "big heads" easter egg.

[Neuqua]

Great review Franklin,

I bought this game a while back and it has had all my attention on the PS2. When I'm not playing CM, I'm playing Street and vice versa.

It really is a blast to play, highly recommended.

Neuqua

[illinifan999]

This is an awesome game. I love it, I switch from my Dr. J jersey to my Nique jersey to my Walton. As for the NBA challenge, since I beat Be A Legend I started. It's fun. Pretty much the same thing except you play NBA teams.

[Pumpy Tudors]

I like the game a whole lot (I'm playing on Xbox), but I finished Be A Legend in a week, and now I'm doing the NBA Challenge, but I don't have my old team anymore. I miss having Stretch, Dime, and Whitewater with me. Oh well. Still a pretty good game.

[SuburbanPimp]

Alright, this is a dumb question, but I must ask it.

Can you pick up a retro Bullets jersey in the game?

I have been waiting for my store to finally get it in (so I can get a discount), but now I want it so bad that I MUST have it.

MY PRECIOUSSSSSSSSSSS!!

[Radii]

Originally posted by Pumpy Tudors
I like the game a whole lot (I'm playing on Xbox), but I finished Be A Legend in a week, and now I'm doing the NBA Challenge, but I don't have my old team anymore. I miss having Stretch, Dime, and Whitewater with me. Oh well. Still a pretty good game.

If you "create a team" you can put your guy + whoever you've won on it, I don't remember if you only have the old school NBA guys or if you have the street players too, my team is Magic + Michael + my guy. When you create a team, they're available for the NBA play.

[Pumpy Tudors]

Originally posted by Radii
If you "create a team" you can put your guy + whoever you've won on it, I don't remember if you only have the old school NBA guys or if you have the street players too, my team is Magic + Michael + my guy. When you create a team, they're available for the NBA play.

As a matter of fact, I just discovered that last night. You get the street players, too. I might put Magic, Michael, Dime, and Stretch on my team. That would be a force!

[Pumpy Tudors]

Originally posted by SuburbanPimp
Alright, this is a dumb question, but I must ask it.

Can you pick up a retro Bullets jersey in the game?

I don't remember seeing a retro Bullets jersey. I'm not positive, but I don't think there's one in the game.

[BigDPW]

I got a Created Baller with maxed out shooting (crown)... I haven't unlocked all of the jerseys yet but I love the classic Pistol Pete Jersey!!!

That light blue it tight and you can't beat the "PISTOL" on the back...

[heybrad]

I was close to buying this game and this thread pushed me over the edge last night. I bought it during halftime and it eased the pain after watching the Lakers lose. I created myself and I'm playing the Easy mode in Be A Legend. This game is fun as hell.

[Radii]

I thought there might have been an Unseld jersey but I can't remember for sure, hell, after the LeBron thing, how could they not have an Unseld jersey!

A friend of mine knows of a spoiler site that lists everything you can get, I can find out shortly I think if there's any bullets.

The Dr J jersey, incidentally, is a Nets one, not a 76ers one.

[Franklinnoble]

I don't think there's a retro Bullets jersey (sadly)

Also, I was a bit disappointed that Charles Barkley isn't amongst the "old school" players.

Stupid cat had kittens yesterday afternoon, and refused to nurse them... so I spent all evening helping the wife get the damned thing to nurse. No NBA Street until this evening. On the plus side, I didn't have too much trouble watching the Kings take game 6...

[Franklinnoble]

Originally posted by Radii

A friend of mine knows of a spoiler site that lists everything you can get, I can find out shortly I think if there's any bullets.

I hadn't even thought of that. (Doh!)

Google.com, here I come...

[Bee]

This game sounds like a lot of fun. I usually don't care much for arcade games, but this one sounds like it has some "team building" and "player building" involved that might peak my interest...

[Radii]

no Bullets jerseys

[Franklinnoble]

Found a few codes:
http://allps2.net/cheat_print.php?ga...+Street+Vol.+2

[fflix]

Here's the throwback jersey list, according to ign
Bill Walton
Elgin Baylor
Rick Barry
Jerry West
Moses Malone
Bill Russell
Walt Frazier
Oscar Robertson
James Worthy
Earl Monroe
Bob Cousy
Nate Archibald
Connie Hawkins
Isiah Thomas
Clyde Drexler
David Thompson
Dominique Wilkins
George Gervin
Michael Jordan (1996 Bulls)
Darryl Dawkins
Pete Maravich
Wilt Chamberlain
Larry Bird
Magic Johnson
Dr. J
Michael Jordan (1985 Bulls)

[Franklinnoble]

Why do we need two Jordan jerseys? Unless one of them is the #45 he wore for a while... that'd be kinda cool.

[Bee]

I can't believe they don't have the Unseld jersey...

[Swaggs]

You guys need to stop this. I don't need to buy another new game yet.

[fflix]

Another little thing I like about the game is that your created player is given a nickname in be-a-legend mode, which is then used by the announcer from then on. The nickname is supposedly assigned by your style of play. I don't how accurate it is, but still a nice idea.

[Marmel]

I rented it. Very cool game. Of course, it didn't come with instructions. How does the whole Gamebreaker thing work? How do you get a gamebreaker?

[heybrad]

Perform tricks to get points. When the points get high enough, you get a gamebreaker. To perform the gamebreaker, hold down 2 turbos on your next dunk (or shot). The gamebreaker gives you one point and takes a point from the opponent.

In my limited play last night, I never did figure out how to get to a level 2 gamebreaker. Anybody know how to pocket your gamebreaker?

[rexallllsc]

Originally posted by heybrad
Perform tricks to get points. When the points get high enough, you get a gamebreaker. To perform the gamebreaker, hold down 2 turbos on your next dunk (or shot). The gamebreaker gives you one point and takes a point from the opponent.

In my limited play last night, I never did figure out how to get to a level 2 gamebreaker. Anybody know how to pocket your gamebreaker?

Hit select, then get anothre gamebreaker.

You know, I wish I could play with gamebreakers off. I think they kinda suck :/

[Radii]

when you get trick points for various stuff, a bar along the top of the screen fills up. Doing a bunch of cool stuff gets you more points than just juking somebody and then shooting. doing turbo dunks (a name I made up... 2 turbo buttons + dunk on PS2 at least) is worth a lot of points, various combos are worth a lot of points. When the bar is full, you get a gamebreaker.

With a gamebreaker, if you use 2 turbo buttons + shooting, it does a little cinematic sequence and then you (virtually always) score. you score a point and the other team LOSES a point. Or if you shoot a 3, you score 2 and the other team loses 1.

In this game(this is something the first version didn't have) you can press select to "pocket" your gamebreaker. If you fill up your bar a second time, you have a Level 2 gamebreaker. That's worth more, your opponent loses 2 points when you score and you get 2 for a 2 pointer and 3 for a 3(I *think*... I know for sure the other team loses 2, I can't remember if you get extra points yourself).

You also get mass points for performing a gamebreaker 2, and the cinematic sequence is *really* cool, usually involving all 3 of your players and some wild ass dunk.


You only get a gamebreaker for a set amount of time. If you don't use it (or pocket it via select button) in a set amount of time, you lose it. I think that time is about 45 seconds. On harder modes when I have trouble winning, if my opponent gets a gamebreaker I will waste time, and shoot a full court shot(something with 0 chance of going in) with ~3 seconds left on the shot clock. If I get the rebound I run around again for the full duration of the shot clock, and the opponent loses his gamebreaker.


Basically, it's all about getting trick points. It's not a set number though. Maybe it starts with 75,000 trick points(it doesn't, random number I'm pulling out my ass),but if you screw up it will take more to get a gamebreaker. If you have, say, 70,000 trick points and almost anything you do will get you a gamebreaker, but you let the shot clock expire, you'll notice your bar drain down, essentially, the number of trick points you need to get it has gone way up.


That was a wildly long explanation for something rather simple :P That's what happens when I stay up til 2:30am playing OOTP.

[Franklinnoble]

Originally posted by Marmel
I rented it. Very cool game. Of course, it didn't come with instructions. How does the whole Gamebreaker thing work? How do you get a gamebreaker?

Play the tutorial. All will be made known to you.

[Pumpy Tudors]

My player's shooting skill is maxed out, and I use him to do almost nothing except shoot long range bombs. Since his shots seem to fall from the sky, Bobbito calls him "Satellite." Pretty cool!

[SuburbanPimp]

And of course, they're not going to put MOSES MALONE in a Bullets jersey...

Pssh...what's with all of those Sixers guys? Like THEY'VE ever done something. "Dr. J" my ass...

I bought the game anyway tonight and got Stretch. I'm rockin' a Cousy and black sneaks.

[mckerney]

Originally posted by fflix
Here's the throwback jersey list, according to ign
Bill Walton
Elgin Baylor
Rick Barry
Jerry West
Moses Malone
Bill Russell
Walt Frazier
Oscar Robertson
James Worthy
Earl Monroe
Bob Cousy
Nate Archibald
Connie Hawkins
Isiah Thomas
Clyde Drexler
David Thompson
Dominique Wilkins
George Gervin
Michael Jordan (1996 Bulls)
Darryl Dawkins
Pete Maravich
Wilt Chamberlain
Larry Bird
Magic Johnson
Dr. J
Michael Jordan (1985 Bulls)

No Wes Unsled? Damn, I'd risk my basketball eligability for one of those...

[tucker342]

This game sounds pretty good, I might have to check it out...

[illinifan999]

Has anyone won a tip playing single player? If so, what did you do? In my bajillion games I have never won a tip, even when I had Stretch against the short kid.

[Pumpy Tudors]

To win a tip, press your shoot button, I guess (I press B on XBox) when the ball is all the way at the top. It says in the manual that this is a timing issue and not about button-mashing, which is definitely true.

[Bee]

Picked the game up yesterday...I was pretty busy over the weekend and only got to spend a little time with it. Very impressed. The thing I like a lot is each game is relatively short so you can play a couple games without it taking half the day. I can sit down and play for half an hour and then go take care of other stuff. Very important for those of us who are married and have other commitments to deal with...

[Alf]

Is there any "Arcade style" NBA/basketball game on PC available ?

[Mota]

Great game, I played it until 4:45 am last night. I'm paying for it today.

[Bee]

Originally posted by Alf
Is there any "Arcade style" NBA/basketball game on PC available ?

I don't think there are any that are new. I think there are a few older arcade games out there that would qualify.

[condors]

i got it saturday and finished be a legend last night(got game mode)

looking forward to playing it on a harder setting

[Marmel]

Great game, but definitly a rental only game for me.

I breezed through the Be A Legend mode on the 2nd difficulty level, and now it is not as enticing for me to play. Glad I rented it first.

[Franklinnoble]

I earned the nickname "Ice Water" over the weekend. Still working through my "Be A Legend" game - I'm like Bee... married with other commitments, so I can only play for short bursts.

I've got Stretch and Osmosis on my team now. It's awesome... I just park Osmosis under the hoop when I'm on defense, and he blocks damn near everything - even most dunk attempts. I've got my created player maxed out on shooting, with high numbers in dunks, power, and rebounds (gotta catch all those blocked shots). It's hella fun.

[Kodos]

I don't like the Gamebreaker thing either.

[Franklinnoble]

Originally posted by Kodos
I don't like the Gamebreaker thing either.

Yeah... that doesn't do much for me... nice eye candy and all, but it's a bit too "Dragonball Z" for me. Besides, I don't do a lot of trick crap in my game... I just take it to the hole with authority, and if they double-team me, I kick it out to the open man and bury the long-range shot.

The hardest challenge I had to pass was the one where the winner was the first to 250,000 trick points. I basically spent the whole game eating up every shot clock with lots of dribbling... it was annoying.

[Radii]

I don't do a lot of tricks but I get a ton of trick points. All I do is this(note I'm still beating it on easy to get all the rewards, then I'll play it again on hard):

pass the ball, pump fake, pass the ball again, pump fake, if the guy goes up in the air, go around him and dunk while pressing two turbo buttons. I just keep doing that until I get two guys in a row to fall for a pump fake. No trick dribbling or anything else, that's it. Ending it with a dunk while using 2 turbo buttons(any two I just mash buttons) works and is good for a lot of points every time. I'll also try to pay attention to my teammates and if any of them are going up for an alley oop while I'm in the air dunking, I'll pass it to him, that "hook up" is worth a ton of additional points.

Using that method and that method alone, I'm good for 3 gamebreakers every game, and if I really try, 2 double gamebreakers every single game. And, using pump fakes I feel like I'm playing fundamental basketball!

Keep in mind, this is on easy. I think that is a ton harder to accomplish on the most difficult level.