NBA Street

This article is about the first game in the NBA Street video game series. For information on the rest of the series, see NBA Street (series).

NBA Street
PAL region cover art
Developer(s)	EA Canada
Publisher(s)	EA Sports BIG
Platform(s)	PlayStation 2, GameCube
Release date(s)	PlayStation 2 NA June 18, 2001 PAL June 18, 2001 JP August 23, 2001 GameCube NA February 17, 2002 JP March 22, 2002
Genre(s)	Sports
Mode(s)	Single-player, multiplayer
Rating(s)	CERO: A ELSPA: 3+ ESRB: E OFLC: G

NBA Street is a basketball video game developed by EA Canada. It was released in 2001 for the PlayStation 2 and in 2002 for the GameCube. It combines the talent and big names of the NBA with the attitude and atmosphere of streetball. NBA Street was followed by NBA Street Vol. 2, NBA Street V3, and NBA Street Homecourt.

Gameplay Summary

NBA Street consisted of three-on-three basketball games. Asides from the basic structure of basketball, players try to collect trick points, which are scored through the use of almost every basketball game maneuver such as faking out defenders, shot blocking, diving for the ball, and dunking. If a team fills a special meter through flashy and effective gameplay, they get to perform a Gamebreaker, which is a special shot that not only adds to their score, but it subtracts an amount from their opponents' score.

Single player options included a user-created player touring famous American locations, picking up teammates from NBA rosters along the way.

The gameplay could be considered an "arcade" style of basketball in that it is not a true simulation, similar to the NBA Jam series. For instance, in-game players were able to jump high enough to grab three-point shots mid-arc (goaltending is permitted and is often used as a defensive strategy). Games on the default setting are scored not by traditional standards, as two-point field goals are worth one point, while made shots behind the three-point line rewarded two points. Instead of a time limit, the first team to score a predetermined amount of points were deemed the winner. However, variant options existed, such as matches based on trick points.

Reception

Reviews were mostly positive, and the game has a composite Metacritic score of 89 out of 100.^[1]

With the success of the NBA Street series, EA Sports BIG expanded to the format to football with NFL Street and soccer with FIFA Street.

Cast and Characters

30 current NBA teams were playable, with rosters from around 2000 and 2001. Michael Jordan, who announced his comeback from his second retirement with the Washington Wizards a few months after the PlayStation 2 release, is available on both the Gamecube and PlayStation 2 versions.

The game introduced several recurring characters called Street Legends, fictional basketball players who served as the series' bosses, each masterful in a particular aspect of basketball and representing a specific area of the United States. Their personalities and appearances were loosely inspired by real players, such as Stretch, the "cover athlete" who resembled Julius Erving in looks and abilities.

Street Legends

Biggs: He is the first street legend that you will confront in Circuit City. His homecourt is Beacon Hill (a real court located in British Columbia). He is a big muscular guy, known as an ideal, British Shaq. His mastery skill is his power he has, and he is also a pretty decent blocker. He is a good big man to use on your team.

Bonafide: He is the second street legend that you confront in Circuit City. His homecourt is Broad Street (a real court located in Philly.) He is the youngest, shortest street legend in the game, and is like the Hispanic Allen Iverson. His mastery skill is his speed, and he also has very good ball handling skills. He makes a great point guard, and is an excellent player to have on your team.

Drake: He is the third street legend that you confront in Circuit City. His homecourt is called The Yard. He is a pretty short guy, and is a modern day Jerry West. His mastery skill is shooting. His shooting makes him an excellent player, but the downfall is that he can't dunk! He is a good player to have on your team.

DJ: He is the fourth street legend that you confront in Circuit City. His homecourt is Venice Beach (a real place located in Los Angeles). He is a Jamacian, about 6'7 and is somewhat related to a Jamaican style Dominique Wilkins. His mastery skill is his dunks, and he's a not too shaby shooter. He is a great player to have on your team.

Takashi: He is the fifth street legend that you confront in Circuit City. His homecourt is Yakatoni Plaza. He is a freakishly tall Japanese guy standing at 7'8 very related to Yao Ming (even though he wasn't in the NBA yet.) His mastery skill is his blocks, and is a good center. He is also referred to as "Swat Team Captain"

Stretch: He is the final street legend that you confront in Circuit City (before Michael Jordan). He is the classic old school basketball player that is almost exactly like Julius Erving back in the day. His mastery skill is his dunking, and is a great shooter as well. He is an excellent player to have on your team.

Bonus Teams

     These are the teams that have to be unlocked in different parts of the game. 

Dream Team: Yeti (A Yeti Snowman), Magma Man (Rock Man), Greylien Alien (Stereotypic Alien) *unlocked by getting players in circuit city or beating all the hold the court challenges.

3LW: Naturi Naughton, Adrienne Bailon, and Kiely Williams. *unlocked by beating circuit city

Team BIG: A Team of unknown players. (Names found in game) *unlocked by beating circuit city

Team NYC Starbury Stephon Marbury, Skip to my lou Rafer Alston, and The Goods Lamar Odom *unlocked by beating circuit city

References

1. ^ http://www.metacritic.com/games/platforms/ps2/nbastreet?q=nba%20street

External links

• NBA Street series at MobyGames