NBA Ballers: Chosen One

Rememember when arcade hoops games were so much fun, just pickup and play? I Remember playing NBA Hangtime in college with my friends, we did 2 on 2 action and it was the best of what Midway did, arcade sports! As of late, Midway has kind of turned me away from their titles. And with E.A.'s serious hooper called NBA Street, Ballers seems to fall short in the fun factor category. NBA Ballers on the XBOX was Midway's first return back to arcade hoops since NBA Showtime, and while I did like Ballers quite a bat, the Chosen one gets away from the fundamentals of the game, and it's just simply not that fun to play. The first issue is the graphics. This simply is not a next gen looking game. The courts look sweet enough, but the players look fake, and their faces and skin looks too fakey fakey to be taken literally. Motion caputred moves get the job done, but once again, things are way over done and nothing looks amazing to knock your socks off. NBA Street Vol 3 looks better and that game was out quite a some time ago. The main issue with the game is that you don't have to check the ball out after a rebound. So basically the game consists of you "if you wanted" standing under the basket for a rebound then instantly going up for the dunk with no reason to take the ball back or play defense. This problem takes away zero strategy on both offense and defense. Checking the ball is a standard for all street hoops game, especially for 2 on 2 or 1 on 1 battles at 1/2 court. The gameplay is fair, but pulling out special moves seems to complictated for it's own good and the 360 controller is not implimented as well as it could have been. But even when you leave out the special moves and stick with jumping, blocking, and dribbling, the game still feels lathargic and the lack of any real strategy thanks to not having to checking the ball out, ruins the game. I had the most fun going online and playing with people, you can 1 on 1 and 2 on 2 battles against people onilne ,but once again, the gameplay still is ruined. If you can request people to check the ball out after each rebound, makes the game to be more enticing.

I love arcade hoops titles, the classics like NBA Hangtime, Jam and Showtime will always be missed. It's too bad the step to next gen has been a step back for fun, at least with Midway's hoops titles. The Chosen one can't even get the basics down right and ruins the game. Might be worth a rent or two with some friends, but other than that, you might as well keep playing NBA Street Vol 3 or wait for Street 4...

Graphics: Players faces look like their real counterparts and the facial expressions are nice, but the bodies look fake and their bodies are way over done. What is that, paint gloss over their bodies?

Gameplay: Performing special moves are tricky, and just not fun to pull off or watch as you do them. With the new midway rule of not having to check the ball out, you can stand there and wait for a miss, then go up for the next shot. Um, no Midway, this ruins the game.

Sound: Good music, good sound effects, not much chattering.

Fun Factor: A few games online might be fun for a bit, but once again, the lack of having to check the ball out after a miss, takes any fun that there was available, out of the game completely.

Overall: Stick with NBA Street Vol 3, you can pick that game up for under 20 bucks now and it's still the better game of hoops. Better luck next time Midway. Bring back NBA Hangtime and I'll be happy.

Great Game Fun to play, multiplayer triumph but the controls are too complicated for this style of game. Eventually you'll learn all of the moves

This video game is fun to play even for me who is the worst at video games. I love the dunks and graphics are sweet!

› Go to Amazon.com to see all 5 reviews  3.6 out of 5 stars