• ID = PS0593
• STYLE = Basketball
• DEV. = Eurocom Developments Ltd.
• PUB. = Midway Home Entertainment
• R-DATE = May-07-2001
• ESRB = E / For Everyone
• PLAYERS = 1 player
• LIST PRICE = $39.99
  

Take the extreme approach to basketball, in both gameplay and presentation, with NBA HOOPZ. In the tradition of Midway's NFL BLITZ, NBA HOOPZ gives you NBA basketball with an emphasis on fast action and amazing plays. This game is the natural heir to Midway's NBA JAM, as the action constantly shifts from one end of the court to the other, but NBA HOOPZ focuses on 3-on-3 action instead of its predecessors' 2-on-2 format. Shaquille O'Neal stars in this title, which features over 500 of his motion-captured moves.

He's joined by many other NBA greats from both past and present seasons, some of whom will need to be unlocked. Gamers also have the option of creating their own players and picking their own teams. In addition to the 3-on-3 play, NBA HOOPZ features several other challenges for both single players and competitors, including versions of 2-Ball, Around-the-World, Twenty-One, and a Three-point Shootout.

• NBA licensed pros.
• Fast, arcade-style gameplay.
• Fire-bursting power-ups.
• Create-a-Player options.
• A ton of mini-games.

Amazon.com Review
NBA Hoopz is strictly for the basketball fan who thinks the sport is all about spectacular dunks, lots of shoving, and little or no strategy. With the goofy gameplay and hyper-exaggerated NBA player renderings, b-ball purists probably will (and should) dismiss this as the dumbest of arcade games for the PS2.

Hoopz is basically the latest generation of basketball games in the ultra-arcadey NBA Showtime or NBA Jam vein and has little in common with the more accurate simulations of the Live and Shootout series. In most respects it plays slightly better than the older arcade-style titles, if only because Hoopz is a three-on-three game.

Most gamers will immediately notice the enlarged heads and huge biceps on even the lankiest of NBA players. Also, the fast-paced action basically centers on hurling the ball around the court as quickly as possible without any regard for complicated play calling. In fact, most ballers can easily jump 25 feet above the rim for ridiculous, death-defying dunks that, of course, deliver the ultimate in sports fantasy.

Unlike most of the 2001 season of "real" basketball games for the PS2, Hoopz stretches gameplay with a few mini games. Included are variants on 21, Around the World, Three-Point Contest, and even the old-school 2Ball that features two-on-two team play. There are also unlockable courts for you to find. You can also easily create your own players and cause havoc throughout the NBA with wild league trades and customizations.

While the courts and backgrounds are decently drawn, the player models are disappointingly blocky and fail to capitalize on the PS2's graphics power. Hoopz gives players a backward walk and the give-and-go, among other moves, but the game's emphasis on shoving, steals, and strategy-defying action confounds these nuances. --Mark Brooks

Pros:
Very easy to play
Mini games and unlockable courts
Strictly for basketball neophytes

Cons:
Cartoony player graphics are uninspired
Little to no strategy required, which kills off longevity
Possibly too silly for its own good