Tricks increase your Gamebreaker meter, an easy way to quickly pile on points. What’s amusing is that in the time it takes to build this to its peak via tricks, the player could have easily scored, got back on defense, and prepped for a quick steal or block. A flashy crossover doesn’t put points on the board, and it’s far too risky to make it worth the time.
The game has a fairly well constructed story mode called the Homecourt Challenge. Mildly addictive, you’ll build up a created player (using one of the most bizarre create-a-player interfaces ever) on his way to the NBA. Early on, you can increase one stat to its fullest. The smart player uses this on their shooting skill if they’re looking for quick wins. With a little ingenuity on the defensive side, you’ll never lose by draining two pointers revealing NBA Street's unforgivable shallowness.
An additional mode, Back to Basics, eliminates the need for a Gamebreaker or fancy tricks. It’s pure street ball, though it still relies on the crutch of defensive blocking. Without goaltending, timing a jump and blocking a shot is far too simple. It’s the only way to stop a deadly shooter, and eliminating this would simply destroy the game at its core and also remove the tiny sliver of defense present. Street makes it far too difficult to pull off a legitimate block, and even going for a loose ball is hard to judge.
Barely a step above the supposed simulation that is NBA Live, Homecourt continues this franchises lack of refinement. It’s obvious that far more time was spent creating atmosphere than improving core game play mechanics. A new color filter is hardly a way to cover up the blatantly weak effort on the court.
NBA Street Homecourt is rated E (Everyone) by the ESRB. This game can also be found on: PS3.
Article comments