NBA Street V3

NBA Street V3 Description

One IP-widening mutation piloted by industry third party giants Electronic Arts in recent years has been the 'Street' franchise. Part of the EA Big umbrella brand introduced to include the new franchises of SSX et al., the 'Street' moniker has spread to versions of EA's NFL/Madden portfolio, and a FIFA version is soon to be released. But it was as a variant of their long-running NBA-licensed series that the subtitle first debuted. And unlike the rather more frivolous NFL Street, NBA Street is grounded a little more in reality. Street Basketball, or Streetball, is a real and equally popular, if less official, version of the sport. In New York basketball mythology, Rucker Park in Harlem and The Cage in Lower Manhattan are every bit as famous as Madison Square Gardens. Big Streetball games at any of New York's famous courts have been known to draw bigger crowds than some Knicks games. Just as Michael Jordan is a league-personifying hero to NBA fans, 'The Goat' is an equally legendary figure for Streetball devotees. On the opposite coast of the USA, Los Angeles has a Streetball scene to match New York's, and Atlanta and Miami are big centres too. But why do flashy basketball spin-offs from EA look like NBA Street V3 now, when in 1994 they looked like NBA Jam? Streetball has been getting more mainstream exposure and this has not escaped the notice of the marketing svengalis at EA. Basketball-only sneaker company And 1 has recently popularised the culture with a series of Mixtape Tour DVDs. These in turn started when the company's owners saw then streetball legend Rafer Alston play and wanted to get him exposure. The plan worked and Alston now plays in the NBA. Other NBA players known for their streetball prowess and who still play in the off season include Stephon Marbury (street name: Starbury) and Allen Iverson. To this day, Jason Kidd and Gary Payton insist they couldn't hold a candle to their childhood friend, Streetball player Demetrous 'Hook' Mitchell, just released from prison. The And 1 Mixtape DVDs have done a lot for Streetball, to the extent that some players are now even getting paid. Building on the success of the highly praised series, NBA Street V3 has definitely advanced in terms of content and features. It is still 3-on-3 play, with the 'gamebreaker' and tricks that featured in previous games. The way tricks are controlled has been changed - instead of the more limited method of button presses, the right analogue, or Trick Stick is used. Used in conjunction with the usual two Turbo buttons, the eight directions on the stick give players access to more tricks than ever before. Similarly, the gamebreaker mechanic has been given the treatment. You must charge up the gamebreaker by stringing combos together, but once unleashed your player takes to the air and you team-mates get involved as well. The game boasts 25 NBA players, favourites from past games, the Beastie Boys (who as well as supplying one of the EA TRAX also appear as a playable team!). If that's not enough, players can also create their own players choosing from more than 1,000 customisable assets. The same philosophy applies to courts - on top of the 12 authentically modelled courts, players can build their own, choosing the location, surface, backboard and net styles. Like this year's NBA game, there is a dunk competition thrown in too. DJ/streetball player/trainer connoisseur Bobbito even provides the commentary, which also lends some authority to the proceedings. And on Xbox, online play is available for the first time. If you like basketball or basketball video games, NBA Street V3 looks a pretty sure bet.

Trick Stick - NBA STREET V3's all-new Trick Stick provides gamers with complete control of the rock. Perform 40 dribble tricks on demand by combining turbo buttons and pushing the right stick on your controller of choice in various directions. String together tricks into sick combos and use all-new on-screen visuals to build up to a jaw-dropping Gamebreaker moment.

Gamebreakers - Having made the STREET franchise famous, the game-changing Gamebreaker moments are back as the ultimate interactive three-man show. Build a Gamebreaker by stringing together combos, and then get your teammates involved in a three-man aerial dunk assault. Your opponent will be left in awe as you leave your mark on the scoreboard and take over the game.

All About The Tricks - NBA STREET V3 is packed with all-new tricks that take the game to a whole new level-mix and match trick combos and we'll really see whether your game has any flavour. Then take your dunks and combos to the next level with mad interactive mid-air Gamebreakers.

Sweet Players, Big Game - Your favourite NBA heroes of past and present, complete with bold new hyper-real player models, are at your fingertips. Choose from top stars from each NBA team, 25 NBA legends, and a cast of past STREET favourites to prove if you have game.

Bold Expression Through Customisation - Express your style by building your own hoops persona with more than 1,000 customisable assets including hairstyles, gear, and accessories. In NBA STREET V3 there's plenty of room to express yourself.

Authentic Courts - Twelve carefully modelled authentic courts from NYC to Cali to Europe, including Rucker, Venice Beach, Mosswood, and Brighton Beach. Whether you go for a court set in the scorching summer sun or the harsh darkness of night, no detail is too small in this diverse collection of streetball's most hallowed grounds and hot up-and-coming sanctuaries.

Build Your Home Court Advantage - Build and customize your home court from the ground up. Add your own flair by choosing from hundreds of different options including location, court surface, net, and backboard styles. The all-new Court Creator allows you to define your personal playground. Then take it online and try to hold it against challengers.

Dunk Contest - The dunk contest hits the street as an all-new game mode in NBA STREET V3. Show if you've got what it takes to execute big air slams, as NBA STREET V3's Dunk Contest allows ballers to link together combos in mid-air and take your best shot at impressing a three-person all-star panel of judges.