ESPN NBA Basketball

by ESPN

Product Features

• Can be played ONLINE
• 1-2 Players (Multitap up to 8 Players)
• Digital or Analog Control
• Vibration Function
• Pressure Sensitive

Product Details

• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B0000ACP8U
• Product Dimensions: 7.5 x 5.3 x 0.6 inches ; 3.2 ounces
• Media: Video Game
• Release Date: October 21, 2003
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (43 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #19,441 in Video Games (See Top 100 in Video Games)
  • #23 in Video Games > PlayStation 2 > Sports > Basketball

Product Description

From the Manufacturer

It's a new game, a new year and a new attitude! While it might seem like a simple game, basketball at the NBA level is an ever-evolving phenomenon. To some, pro basketball is all about an image - how you look on the court and how good you look when playing. To others, the NBA game is all about speed - crossing over a flat-footed defender and initiating the fast break for the finishing slam. In basketball, it takes offensive precision and determined defense to capture the victory, and no video game takes all the excitement and realism of the NBA to the next level quite like ESPN NBA Basketball.

Key Features Include:

• ESPN Presentation--Get ready to experience the most anticipated presentation known to date! With detailed visuals, a variety of eye-catching callouts and commentary from Tom Tolbert and Kevin Frazier--why settle for anything less!
• Isomotion Unleashed--Competition in the NBA is on both sides of the court! Not only unleash the most skilled crossovers and unbelievable jukes with an all-new ball handling system, but also completely lock down opponents with rock solid D!
• 24/7 Mode--Time waits for no one so be prepared to compete in real time -- 24 hours a day, 7 days a week! Hit the blacktop with your create-a-player and take on challenges from NBA players and legends or compete in drills to win a variety of unlockables!
• Real NBA Pace--Replicating the awesome quickness and athleticism of the NBA, humble opponents with more deadly crossovers and dominant slams during extremely quick fast break outlets and other NBA plays!

Product Description

Iverson's Got Nothing. ISO Motion. 24/7 Mode. Excellent NBA game.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars And I thought NBA Live was good..., February 29, 2004

By 

C. Conard "ExtremeAvalanche" (Fort Collins, CO) - See all my reviews

This review is from: ESPN NBA Basketball (Video Game)

A couple of months ago, I was sitting in my room playing NBA Live 2003, perfectly happy with the game that I had. It was simple, the graphics were pretty, and the game was generally fun. Then I met up with ESPN NBA Basketball. I was shocked at how much better it was than NBA Live 2003 or 2004. The sound was incredible, the gameplay was awesome, and the graphics were indescribably terrific! New this year is 24/7 mode, which will keep you busy well, 24/7. It lets you make a player, and then you go face to face with pros in all sorts of events, from normal 1-on-1, to Bomb Ball. You start out as a playground hotshot, and you build until you are the best streetball player out there! Trust me, this thing is a whole game in itself. What's even cooler is that it's run by your PS2's clock. At night, the courts and events change, and at night, you can play historic game, where you go up against legends like Larry Bird or Clyde Drexler. The streetball courts are awesome, and I think that this is better than the amazing NBA Street game by EA. Also, I was happy that all the rosters were updated, because I am a huge Denver Nuggets fan, and this year they have new uniforms and about halfof their team is new, including Carmelo Anthony and Andre Miller. The graphics and sound are the best ever in a sports game, and this is hands-down the best sports game ever made!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars ESPN NBA Basketball, December 12, 2003

A Kid's Review

This review is from: ESPN NBA Basketball (Video Game)

This is the best 2004 basketball game out this year. It's not flawless, but it's a lot better than NBA Live 2004. Live has a horrid player rating system, which is one of the main reasons it's bad. For examle Jalen Rose is 75, and Karl Malone is a 70. The only players over 90 in live are Duncan, Garnett, McGrady, and Carter. You would be lucky to find a 60 off the bench. Also in Live, the shots look goofy, the players walk in baby steps, and the Dunks stink. Frustrated about Live, I bought ESPN. ESPN has a much better rating system. Jalen Rose and Karl Malone are both 84's in ESPN, and your bench ranges from about 60 or 65 for your worst player, to about 75 or 80 for your sixth man. Some other players with more realist ratings in ESPN are, Kidd at a 94, and Pierce at a 93.It also has pretty fun gameplay. IsoMotion is better than Freestyle in Live also. The camera angles are decent, and so is the commentary. It really does look like a game on ESPN! The graphics are so-so, but it really looks like a ESPN game being broadcast, with the scoreboard and everything! The dunks in this game are not bad, also. This game is challenging, but it's not very hard. Remember to go to the pause menu just before starting the game, and use the game sliders to your desire. Here's how I rate the game.
Grapics 7/10
Gameplay 8.5/10
Fun to play 9.5/10
Looks like a real ESPN game(scoreboard etc.) 10/10
Realistic 8.5/10
Rating system 9/10
Camera Angles 8/10
Dunks 8/10
Overall 8.5/10
ESPN All in all is a very good game, great job Sega! This is the best 2004 NBA game on the market this year. This is coming from a person who has owned both games. ESPN NBA Basketball leaves NBA Live 2004 in the dust!!!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars So much promise, yet little delivery, November 7, 2003

By 

Robert Pace "Hugs and Curses." (Smithtown, NY) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: ESPN NBA Basketball (Video Game)

Once again Sega has managed to capture the NBA's graphics and excitment and put it all on one CD. ESPN 2004 looks awesome, the ESPN settings and menus as well as the player faces, expressions and uniforms are phenomenally recreated, but as with all games, there is a set of issues that may only bother me.

1) The pregame intros are gone. Now you see your players tie up their shoes and get right to the tip off. The courts are spectacular, and it goes without saying that graphically I do not believe that Sega/Visual Concepts can be beat.

2)The defenses are kind of weird. It's relatively possible to block about every shot that comes near your defender, and on the flip side you can have about every shot blocked. The AI offense isnt much better, most cpu controlled teams, when not on a fast break, will attack the basket via the point guard relentlessly. Sometimes you block it, most times you foul...but thats another point.

3) Fouls are out of control. I have the foul meters turned practically off and I cannot stop the fouls. Every shot in the paint is either blocked or a shooting foul is comitted. I shoot approximately 50 free throws per game. The spin moves and isomotion are absolutely worthless to drive to the hoop as every time you try to spin, deke, juke or otherwise not run straight you commit a charging foul. My point guards drive to the hoop and usually foul out by the half as they commit charges on every spin move.

4) The difficulty level is absurdly unbalanced. I play the game on All-Star, the 3rd of 4 settings and Im lucky to shoot 25% from the floor, and VERY lucky to hit a 3 pointers once a game. I can't hit open jumpers, cannot drive to the hoop and don;t even want to mention the amount of steals I have against me. I consistently lose by 30 points a game and am frustrated by the third quarter. If I set it to Pro, the 2nd level setting, its an easy game where I can blow my opponent out by 40 points and Im bored midway through the second. The defenders buy ever pump fake and never play decent defense. There is no balance.

5)The sound....why bother? If you've ever played a Sega b-ball game it's the same cliches and mindless chatter as usual. Not improved at all.

With graphics this great, you'd expect a great game to follow. Sega has got to come up with a game that's more playable. I own 2k2 and 2k3. Both had the same issue with difficulty level balance, and for some reason I hope that this will change every year, and every season I'm dissapointed. I will probably continue to try and play my season out, but if the game does not become more manageable, I will most likely play about 15-20 games into my season as I do every year and just about give up. Good thing I bought SOCOM 2 as well.