Video Game Review: NBA Courtside

NBA Courtside

Graphics:	8
Sound:	6.5
Story:	None
Fun:	7
Controls:	7
Overall:	7

NBA Courtside was the first Basketball title to hit the Gamecube shortly after release date, and it is a pretty good game. It doesn't stand up there with other titles such as NHL Hitz and NFL Blitz, but the difference is huge. This game is a simulator of basketball, not a cheesy clash of mayhem and violence like those titles. Some more serious sports gamers will appreciate the fact that there is an out of bounds rule (it took a while). Hallelujah! Many people like myself have been waiting for such a basketball game. It doesn't have some of the rules an ridiculous pushing and shoving, it has every rule in the book. This gives the game a plus. Remember, this ten point grading scale is not like a standard grading scale. A seven out of ten is not a C like many of you are thinking. 5 is basically means average, but we all want games above average, and this is one of them. Below five is a bad game. I was surprised to discover when I put this game in the Gamecube that they had an out of bounds rule. I lost because I was so used to running against an invisible wall that protects you from the boundaries like in previous Bball games. Obviously, one of the best things about this title are the complete set of rules. That is all I have been writing about! Courtside has the same format as other basketball games. Other than arcade mode and career and all of the other similar modes, there is a street mode, where you can play with no rules, a single point scoring system, awesome courts, and so on and so forth. However, the street mode basically the same style as career and arcade mode, just with different modes. The thing that makes this fun is because it is a basketball game. If you have ever played NBA Jam in the arcade or on your Sega, it is very similar. Another cool thing to add to this title's list of cool things, you get to play with five players on each team. You can only have two real people playing on each team, so you have to put up with a lot of CPU stupidity and under handed tactics. Five people per team adds more realism, which is what makes this game so special. I haven't played a title this realistic when it comes to rules, but maybe I haven't gotten out much. It is fun, and if you ever played NBA Jam, you know you won't get bored quickly. The graphics are full of excellent facial mapping, so every NBA player looks exactly like they do in real life. You will find most every NBA player in this game (not old basketball players). Kobe looks perfect by the Gamecube's graphic standards, and so does Shaq. The player's height, width, and everything else are nearly perfected. The game runs incredibly smooth, and all of the animations are stunning. Courtside loses on it's actual moves the players do. Some of the dunking seems a little slopped together, and there are no dribbling moves you can do like in Courtside's competition, NBA Street. This game, doesn't show off what the Gamecube is capable of, and it hasn't been displayed sufficiently with almost any current sports title. The sound is fine but lacks any realistic sounds from the players except for a strange yelling sound after dunking the ball. It also would have been nice if they had better music. It didn't get me in the mood to play it. Is it a buyer? Buy it if you have played other titles like NBA 2K2, or NBA Street, and NBA 2K3. Of the ones I have played, I like Courtside the best. It deserves it. "All of the rules and five player. Yes!" -Niloc

Archive note: The original publication day is unknown; this review existed by March 30, 2003.