As much as it fails in other sports, “street” just seems made for basketball. NBA Street V3 is a thrill ride.
My name is Dave Bivens, and I’m about 6’ 185lbs, and I can dunk on a 9’ hoop. Funny thing is, “Dave Bivens” in V3 is 6’ 185lbs, and not only can he dunk on a regulation 10-footer, but he can do so after leaving the defender in the dust, doing numerous tricks in the air, and getting his entire body over the backboard.
Stupid? Perhaps…but unlike the other sports (Football…baseball…soccer?…) that have got the street or “edgy” touch, street basketball is actually played. One only has to look to the And1 mix tapes to find similar, if not more realistic, adrenaline-fuel basketball. For me at least, it reminds me of playing 3 on 3 neighborhood ball with the hoop set at 7’5.” Frankly, it’s just a damn good time.
There are loads of different modes in NBA Street V3, but the true fun comes from what is the equivilent of a franchise mode. In it, you create a player with a very limited amount of stat points and attire. You pick up two no-name players and set off for street ball glory, playing other teams with similarly made up and poor players. From old school, to NBA rules, to skill point challenges, you can win a multitude of different ways. The real fun comes from the dunk contests, which you can also access out of franchise mode, and the tournaments. With each win you receive skill points that you can use to boost your skills or “pimp out” your wardrobe. Ultimately, as you unlock new courts with your improved street cred, you end up facing NBA superstars such as Kobe, Shaq, T-Mac, and LeBron, and better still, recruiting them to your team after you defeat there’s.
Graphically, the game still looks good after a year, although the people carry a “pinch of cartoon,” with them, and face mapping has improved greatly since NBA Street V3 was released. Also, while some of the NBA stars and legends look dead on, others like Jason Kidd hardly look like themselves at all.
Sound-wise, the announcer ranges from funny to pathetic, and one wonders how “gansta” this person can be with some of the comments he makes. Each game has a rap song playing in the background, and once again, there is a big range between songs that are good and songs that aren’t.
The only other complaint I have is a matter of rosters. They’re old. It’s been over a year now and deals have been made. Also, Michael Jordan apparently thinks himself too cool to be included in any basketball game, so the greatest player of them all is not included in the “legends” category of players. I wonder if he’s in baseball games…
Anyhow, when it comes down to it, NBA Street V3 is “just plain fun.” It doesn’t try to be deep or meaningful, but it doesn’t have to. NBA Street is easily the most fun basketball game I’ve ever played.