NBA Baller Beats

by Majesco

• NBA Baller Beats is a fun, high-energy, first-of-its kind basketball video game for Kinect that is unlike any sports video game on the market.
• The game is extremely innovative; it requires you to actively play using a real basketball (which is included free with the game)!
• Aspire to perform like a pro as you master ball-handling skills.
• The music acts as your guide as you bounce the ball to the beats of a slamming soundtrack.
• Features an eclectic mix of music across decades and genres, from hip-hop to rock to old school classics

Product Details

• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B007XUQXL0
• Product Dimensions: 10.2 x 9.9 x 9.8 inches ; 2.3 pounds
• Media: Video Game
• Release Date: September 11, 2012
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (40 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,504 in Video Games (See Top 100 in Video Games)
  • #5 in Video Games > Xbox 360 > Games > Sports > Basketball

Product Description

The first ever motion-based sports video game that requires you to actively play using a real basketball. The music is your guide as you aspire to perform like a pro and practice your ball-handling skills while building stamina you’ll need for the court – all while having the fun of playing a video game.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

36 of 39 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Baller Beats Makes a Fresh Take on the Rhythm Genre October 2, 2012

By Jonathan K. Vargason

Fun: 5.0 out of 5 stars   

NBA Baller Beats is an interesting game. It was designed of course to make you a better "baller," but in the process you'll find yourself having a lot of fun. As a veteran of past music genre games from Rez to Rock Band to Dance Central, I've grown extremely tired of the genre despite the number of quality offerings available. I decided to pick this up, simply for my love of sports and to see if the Kinect could properly track a basketball (an expensive risk I'll admit).

I can safely say that this is the best motion sports game I've played and I'm not even a hardcore basketball fan (although I do believe you have to at least LIKE the sport to enjoy this game). This is a game that rewards real skill and also builds skills if you are a novice (like I am). I have found that in the week or so of having the game that my handling skills have greatly improved and I'm able to dribble between my legs, do crossovers, and dribble without needing to look at the ball. Now I have played basketball years ago back in my middle school days but I haven't really played outside of a game or two on a playground a year since.

For those that do not know exactly what this game, I'll try to explain it the best I can. Basically you are given a real basketball (it comes with the game but you can use any round bouncing ball if you wish) and you are challenged to dribble to a string of notes that come down ala Guitar Hero. You dribble to the rhythm of music and perform various moves to increase your multiplayer (if you miss it, it decreases it). If your dribble is perfectly timed you get 100 points, a bit off 50, way off 25, and if a dribble is detected without a note you lose 25 points. Of course at the end of the song you are given a star rating that can be used in the "Locker Room."

Moving on to the Locker Room, basically this is an area that allows you to unlock the full songs (by default they are shortened versions), various equipment (themed to your favorite NBA team), and background props (they seem to have one of those wavy inflatable arm guys lol). Anyway outside of player posters, NBA team basketballs, and full tracks there isn't a lot of reward for playing. There is no "career mode" like you would find in Guitar Hero or Rock Band. So depth can be an issue. Yes you can play at a higher difficulty (which does significantly raise or lower the challenge) but that is about it. Adding on top of that, there are only 30 songs on the disk with the promise of more for DLC (that has not been released yet). So essentially you are paying $2 a song if you don't count the basketball into the price which is a bit high for not having the ability to pick your music.

Finally I'll get to the last two points I have about the game. The first being the music, there are thirty tracks but what was surprising to me, is that there is a lot of variety in the music. You have representatives from the Hip-Hop genre, pop genre, alternative rock genre, and even some older music such as Queen's "Another One Bites the Dust." I don't think too many people will complain much about the soundtrack, I actually rather enjoyed it and wasn't expecting to really have much of an opinion one way or another.

My last point is that the game will help you become a better basketball handler. The game has an interactive tutorial that starts at the beginning and also has a "Move School" which teaches you how to do all of the "special moves." You can practice these moves as much as you like until you perfect it. While doing these moves and dribbling to the rhythm you will find that the Kinect does a very impressive job tracking the basketball while rarely missing anything. It is very impressive that it tracks the basketball and not just your body. It even knows when you dribble behind your back and it is very difficult to cheat the game. I am extremely impressed with the Kinect tracking.

I have a video review on Youtube if anyone is interested, my channel is DarthVargi16.

As I wrap up my review I'd like to summarize some common questions that will probably be asked (but feel free to comment or ask questions still):

1. How can I play the game on a carpet - Believe it or not I play the game on a carpet in my living room and although it doesn't bounce as well as it would on concrete, it is very playable. I do feel that I have to give it a little bit more umph when I dribble but it's nothing extreme at all. I think the only carpet that it wouldn't work on is shag carpet.

2. Isn't this game dangerous to play inside - Well the short answer is yes but it's not that bad. I do recommend a bit of an open area, I'd say I play in a good open 8x8 square without a lot of stuff. However I've had the basketball get away a time or two and nothing has broken or been damaged. You have to be really poor skill wise to have a basketball get completely away from you and hit your TV or something. I've had the basketball get away from me with doing a behind the back crossover and it hit the window. Nothing was damaged, it also has hit a few speakers and a glass cabinet door. Again no issues, but I do recommend being cautious of your surroundings.

3. I don't like the ball that it comes with - According to the directions you can use a junior sized or a pro sized basketball of any type as long as it is not completely black. I haven't tried a black basketball but I've tried some other balls, even a volleyball and they all are tracked. There is nothing special about the basketball that it comes with (infact it's kind of average TBH but it gets the job done).

13 of 16 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Utilization of Kinect! September 12, 2012

By B. Klinko

Fun: 5.0 out of 5 stars   

Could not wait to get this ever since I saw it was coming out. Both my kids are avid Basketball players and thought this would really be fun and improve their game. I can already tell it will. You have to dribble with your head up...100% of the time, look down and your are going to miss something. I am also VERY impressed with the Kinects ability to tell which hand you are dribbling with, and dont even try to get away with trying to fool the Kinect into believing your crossover was a behind the back dribble...it knows! The Kinect can tell if you are doing the trick correctly almost 100% of the time.

The game has 3 difficulties (rookie, pro and baller) and you try to time your dribble to the beat with either your right or left hand. Staggered throughout there are also 'tricks' in between dribble beats that you must perform to get multipliers. The tricks on rookie are limited to crossovers/around the world,dribble under leg/pump fake and side pass. Rookie mode is a great warmup, I find Pro to be quite challenging and fun. There are 30ish tracks and none available yet for download, but I hope some are coming soon. As long as new tracks keep coming, this game will be in heavy rotation in our house!

FYI- the ball they give you is not ideal, very 'bouncy' and difficult to control. I thought the ball originally had some sensor or something, but actually you can use any ball. We use my son's evolution ball and it works great, but any ball would do.

9 of 11 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Great for Stationary Dribbling October 29, 2012

By hoopsking

Fun: 5.0 out of 5 stars   

While stationary dribbling isn't the only thing you should practice, this will really help build your foundation of stationary dribbling.

3 things I've noticed so far:

1. Kids will practice longer with this than going out on their own. It makes practice fun and there's always the challenge there.
2. They will keep their head up the entire time and not look down at the ball.
3. They will have to practice hard. Many kids do not go hard enough to get better at dribbling. With this game the medium level will get you breathing heavy after just a few minutes and the Baller level will push you even more.

It gets cold here in the winter and this is a great way to get some practice in at home during the cold months.

What could be better next time if they release a second version.

1. More moves. There are enough moves to have a game in here but there could be a lot more than 20 moves.
2. Online scoring. It would be nice to see where you rank in the world.
3. Incorporate charts so you can see your improvement over time. See where you started and where you are at now.
4. Include 2 Ball drills into the game.

I highly recommend this as a training tool or if you just want to have fun. Hopefully there will be a sequel that will take the training aspect to another level.