By Gary Kearney

Sport games that are over-the-top versions of popular sports are difficult for developers. I mean if they take the game too far then it loses the basic appeal of the real sport it's based on. However if you don't make it wild enough then gamers don't have much reason to play it. Me, I would rather go overboard and create games like SSX. You know, games based on something real but at the same time doing things that the laws of physics just will not allow to happen. Another problem is that after a successful run in a series it can be hard to keep the fun and originality around that make the series a hit in the first place. All of the points are a concern with EA's newest entry in the NBA Street game. How does the newest in the series hold up? One way to find out is to keep reading...

NBA Street Homecourt is the forth game from EA to feature 3-on-3 arcade-like NBA action but the first to grace the PS3. If you're an old school gamer you will remember fondly the NBA Jam games. These were the best examples at the time of how to take a sport everyone knows and mash it up until it's all action all the time. NBA Street reintroduced the outlandish basketball gameplay a few years ago and it was well received. But with Homecourt they did something I wasn't sure gaming companies knew how to do anymore and that's making the sequel more fun than the original.

The first thing anyone will notice about Homecourt is that it looks amazing. The players are as detailed as any characters in any game to this point. The animation is so fluid and smooth it is ridiculous! (Maybe a little less smooth at full 1080p, but still sweet.) Each court has it's own personality and style, and each one is beautiful. This just might be the best looking PS3 games so far. I can't say if it's pushing the mighty Cell processor to any limit, but I can say these are truly the graphics and animation of a next generation game. (I also played the game on the 360 for a little while and it to looks wonderful.) Part of the look of Homecourt is this a color filter that makes everything look like the sun is just setting. It is a great look for the game and really sets it apart from any other game out there.

Homecourt is not getting by on just its looks either, the controls are the best in the series so far. It seems that a decision was made to cut back on some of the complexity of the controls and to focus on a more accessible game. Of course this doesn't mean that you can pull off every maneuver right off the bat, no, it does still take some time to hone your skills. There are still dunks that will make jump out of your seat, and now you can even launch yourself off the back of a kneeling teammate for even funkier dunks. I laughed out loud and had to pause the game the first time I saw a dunk where my character went up for the dunk, hung onto the rim while holding the ball with his feet, and then flipped over to dunk the ball with his legs! It really has to be seen to be believed!

The soundtrack is mostly hip-hop with some light rap mixed in. It fits the style and feel of the game. There are no announcers trying to come up with funny things to say, which is nice. The players trash talk each other and they actually are pretty funny.

In The End, This Game Hath Been Rated: 91%. NBA Street Homecourt is pretty much a no brainer for anyone looking for a fun exaggerated game of hoops.