NBA Courtside 2002

Remember kids, it's not how you play the game--it's whether you're first. It's good to be first.

If you have a GameCube, then you know there's very little in the athletics department to get excited about. Is it the younger, not exactly simulation-friendly audience Nintendo skews to that keeps the GameCube from teeming with sports games? Whatever the reason, NBA Courtside is the first basketball sim to make it to store shelves for the Cube. If you love basketball with a passion, chances are you'll find Courtside to be mildly amusing. If you don't have that sort of deep-rooted and detailed love for the sport, you may love Courtside. The game is highly playable and looks pleasant enough, but (yes, there's always a but) lacks many of the goodies veteran gamers have come to expect from both the "serious" sims and more seasoned arcade fare.

The first foul that could easily be called against Courtside is the lack of a franchise mode. Sorry wannabe GMs and owners, your chance to build a squad and guide them from playoff ticket holders to championship ring bearers didn't make the cut. While it's true that this is the first year for Courtside on a new system, that's no longer an excuse for omitting a feature that has becomes as essential a part (at least to decent percentage of the market) of videogame basketball as hoops and slam dunks. Yes, you can trade, cut, and sign players throughout a season, but no franchise mode means playing without the feeling that you, and you alone, created the ultimate dream team with blood, sweat, and a lot of button mashing. Fortunately, Courtside does feature standard modes of play including quick play, season mode, and arcade.

Arcade mode plays as the name implies. Realism and strategy get benched in favor of inhuman athletics and gameplay that comes off like NBA Showtime or the like. The three on three action features players that can easily leap above the hoop, across the court, and run at near lightning speed while dribbling like a Harlem Globetrotter. A player's real-life stats are also almost completely disregarded, as making shots seems to be a matter of simply judging when to release the ball. Speaking of shots, the blatant unrealism of arcade mode is enhanced by the appearance of special hotspots on the floor. If your player makes a shot while standing on one, up to six points can be scored, depending on the distance to the hoop. All in all, Courtside's arcade mode, while fun, lacks some of the ludicrous, over the top razzle-dazzle of the ultra-silly NBA Action or the current arcade hoop king NBA Street.

Skills mode is basically a practice session for those not accustomed to the timing and controls of the game. It consists of a three point contest and simplistic mini-games. Nice, but it's quite uninspired and easily forgettable.

Of course, it's the season mode where a basketball, or any sport game for that matter must shine the most. Courtside does shine in some areas, but it's not quite as bright as it could've been. While the controls feel comfy, occasionally the responsiveness seems to slow down when playing defense against a ball handler that plays down low. Also, when the Cube plays offense, it seems content to pass the rock with total disregard for the position of open players. The ball follows a path that gets it to the man closest to the rim, but not necessarily to the man with the best look at the hoop. Armchair coaching is also hampered somewhat by the same generic plays being available to all teams. The AI based defense suffers as well as GameCube controlled opponents are generally not very aggressive. Way too often ball handlers go unchallenged by attempted steals and the defense doesn't put any effort into blocking shots. Easy shots can almost always be made since offensive players are left wide open. Oddly, Courtside is also missing zone defense, which the NBA now makes full use of.

Most of the nagging gameplay and AI issues can be overcome by using the multiplayer options. When playing with a group of up to 3 friends, the fast action and easy controls make for one of the most instantly rewarding games available.

Where Courtside scores its biggest points is in the visual department. The players animate quite smoothly and all of the courts and stadiums are nicely rendered. It's of note that Courtside's version of Madison Square Garden (the only arena I've seen a pro game at) is definitely not built to reflect reality. It's pleasant to look at, but doesn't seem exactly accurate in its scope. Fortunately, fans more concerned with the on-court antics will barely notice the background visuals and minor hiccups. Players are usually highly detailed and sport most of their tattoos and correct hairstyles. However, I noticed something odd that came to my attention when playing with the painfully tragic New York Knicks; lankier players like Houston and Camby have disturbingly huge biceps. All the 'roids in the universe couldn't give the smaller guys the bulk they display in Courtside. Interestingly, the digital counterparts of beefier players in the NBA seem to be better proportioned.

Courtside sports all the usual in-game sounds we've come to expect from modern basketball sims. Dribbled basketballs, squeaky sneakers, and a noisy if somewhat tired sounding crowd are all in the game. The announcing and color are also delivered competently and in a timely manner. Like most basketball games, the announcing does get repetitive quickly, but it doesn't detract from the experience.

In the drive for the videogame basketball ring, Courtside is probably a lower placed seed in the playoffs. If you have a lot of buddies, or you are not a hardcore stat-checking basketball fan, give Courtside a shot immediately. Those of you without friends or basketball loving siblings should definitely consider waiting until another, more polished, basketball product arrives. There are minor gameplay faults and at times the AI appears to be sitting out for the season. In other words, veteran gamers may be put off by a title that doesn't feel as developed as it should have been. While it is fun in short spurts, there are too many issues to make it a first round pick. For now, though, it's the only game in town for the Cube and in this case being first is a small victory.

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