NBA Ballers
Xbox- Publisher: Midway
- Release Date: Apr 5, 2004
- Also On: PlayStation 2
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The most enjoyable aspect of this game is actually playing basketball. As such, the in-game animations are jaw-droppingly entertaining!
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Despite the storyline and innovative one vs. one vs. one gameplay, NBA Ballers is a few balls short of the full rack that NBA Street Vol. 2 happens to be.
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Rags to Riches mode is a solid, funny "reality" show feature in Ballers, and it's a great combo of simulation and sports action elements that just adds more to the package.
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Computer Games MagazineA truly unique experience. [Aug 2004, p.6]
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It's fun enough to hold your interest for a little while, but the repetitive play will cut that time far shorter than the game's excruciatingly long load times.
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Electronic Gaming MonthlyThe player models - especially the detailed faces - look amazing, right down to Allen Iverson's tats and Larry Bird's disturbingly tight shorts. [June 2004, p.92]
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A great title that will suit fans of both the sport, and those of us who just like a little arcade-style action in our diet. The controls are fluid, the graphics are terrific, and sounds, well it all depends on your tastes.
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NBA Ballers gets better as you master it. Given the sheer amount of unlockable content, the replay value appears substantial.
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I played three games before reading the manual or even checking out the controller config screen and was shouting at the screen and having the time of my life.
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A fresh spin on the NBA that brings great depth, dynamic gameplay, and fevered multiplayer to the video game court. [May 2004, p.92]
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Minor gripes aside, welcome to basketball in the new millennium. Ballers is the title for basketball fanatics and sports fiends alike.
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Ballers is, sadly, less than the sum of its parts.
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Ballers' best perks are its astonishingly hi-res textures (almost too hi-res-seeing the pores in the faces of player models isn't exactly a pleasant thing), its depth of customization, the wide variety of smoothly animated street moves, and the intriguing 1 vs. 1 vs. 1 mode.
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The game could've benefited from online play and maybe just a little more touching up on some problems with the moves, but overall it's definitely got the thing for bling-bling.
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games(TM)Each confrontation is generally exactly the same and victory is sometimes dependent on whether the irritating catch-up AI decides to beat you or not. [Oct 2004, p.120]
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Midway has done a great job at combining a fun style with a solid underlying gameplay design to create a unique basketball game experience.
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Original concepts don't happen often in video games -- especially sports titles, and Ballers delivers. The more hardcore a basketball gamer you are, however, the more you may be brought down by the gameplay snafus. This is style over substance personified, baby.
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The game has its moments, but ultimately its repetitive gameplay will see this game collecting dust after a few weeks except for those gamers demanding to unlock everything.
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NBA Ballers may feel a slight sting when it comes to longevity. Sure, the career mode has plenty of game play involved, especially when maxing out your player and his crib. But where do you go from there?
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The over-the-top style and theme of the game along with some of the ridiculous moves you can pull on an opponent give the game a tremendous amount of appeal to the gamers tired of the "ultra simulators" that we've seen for years on end.
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A game that anyone can pick up and play and have fun with instantly. But the more you learn about how to execute certain moves, the timing involved, the hot spots on the court, the secret shots, and the counters, the more you realize how incredibly deep Midway's baller really is.
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Eighty-four hyper-detailed players are represented, or you can create your own baller and go rags-to-riches, racking up pimp-wear and "Scarface"-worthy real estate.
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My complaints are only two; the computer is too freaking hard at times, and Xbox Live was nowhere to be found. But other than that, NBA Ballers is all up in the hizzouse!
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Official Xbox MagazineBallers aspires to be about street culture and cred, but it has all the authentic urban flavor of Jamie Kennedy. [May 2004, p.81]
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NBA Ballers has struck a brilliant chord with what is hot in today's culture.
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The visuals in NBA Ballers are excellent. All the other NBA games have striking player models but they don't compare to the ones in Ballers.
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Play MagazinePhatty houses, cars, jewelry...women - if you've seen it on MTV Cribs, you're going to see it here. [May 2004, p.68]
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PlayboyVictory is accompanied by flashy jewelry, fancy cars, and the truest measure of a champ, a larger posse. [Mar 2004, p.39]
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The player renderings are nothing short of unbelievable. We don't know how many polygons they used to make every sneering taunt and celebration come to life, but we can assure you, it's somewhere between a lot and a shitload.
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The Custom Baller options are extremely deep and the visuals are stunning in 720p. Even though this is primarily a one-on-one game, NBA Ballers shines when you have a crew.
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Why couldn't Midway just have added the option to play full court two-on-two as well as the one-on-one? It just doesn't make sense.
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While the story is small and does follow a pretty straight path, it adds a lot to the game. You will find yourself playing just to see the next storyboard and actually getting into the idea of becoming rich and famous.
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Xbox Nation MagazineAn amazing sports game that plays like a song and has all the makings of a classic hit. [May 2004, p.89]
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It's slick TV format and the story will keep fans interested and wanting to beat the game.
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The gameplay is solid and fun for any skill level, but what's really amazing is just how good this game looks. The faces are scarily accurate.
Awards & Rankings
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33
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72
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#72 Most Shared Xbox Game of 2004
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User score distribution:
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Positive: 7 out of 11
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Mixed: 2 out of 11
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Negative: 2 out of 11
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AndrewP.Jul 4, 2005
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DarthTheSithKnightMay 26, 2004
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JasonK.May 1, 2004It's awesome!!!