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GC

North America

NBA 2K3

by Andy Dursin - November 6, 2002, 7:14 pm EST

8

Sega's pro hoops franchise is back for its second stint on the GameCube in less than a year. How does the supposedly new and improved NBA 2K3 fare? Andy has the full scoop.

Sega Sports set the standard for basketball games on the GameCube with their release of NBA 2K2 last spring. Even though the game was basically just a port of the Dreamcast version, arrived so late that the NBA season was basically over, and had a few glitches in the A.I. department, NBA 2K2 was a massively fun breath of fresh air for Nintendo console owners. No offense to the workmanlike NBA Courtside, but 2K's debut on the GameCube was highly anticipated and did not disappoint.

Just a few months later, Sega and Virtual Concepts are back again with NBA 2K3, a game that was developed specifically for the "big three" next-gen consoles -- hence the promise of improved visuals and tweaks to the already sweet game play.

Well, don't set your hopes too high: the results are in and they're a little on the mixed side, especially for us GameCube owners.

NBA 2K3 is certainly a solid enough update of last season's outing, though it's not without its own glitches and issues that may disappoint some players who, like me, were anticipating a major enhancement over 2K2. Not only that, but GameCube owners have had to suffer from problematic discs that cause games to crash during play or, even worse, during the post-game highlights! (More on this later).

In general, though, NBA 2K3 still offers a terrific replication of NBA basketball. The gameplay is still incredibly addictive, the controls intuitive and easy to master, and the overall presentation is extremely polished.

What's new in 2K3 can be broken down into two camps: the changes in the gameplay itself, and the somewhat revamped visual look/presentation of the title.

From a gameplay angle, it's going to be apparent to anyone who spent time with 2K2 that NBA 2K3 is a lot, lot slower in terms of sheer speed. No longer will you be able to sprint up court on a fast break, hitting the C-stick and passing the rock off to your teammate for a blistering score.

Clearly, Visual Concepts worked on toning down the NBA Jam-like aspects of 2K2, so on its default setting, NBA 2K3 offers what I'd call a "leisurely paced" game of basketball. It will definitely take some adjusting if you played through a season or two of 2K2, and for some, the slower pace will prove to be a major turnoff. On the other hand, it's definitely more realistic and lends itself to playing longer games (which may be a turnoff for some as well, however).

Fortunately, one of the other aspects that VC incorporated into NBA 2K3 is an abundance of gameplay sliders that not only enable you to adjust the speed and basic AI of the CPU, but also tweak each aspect of the game. From ball-handling to steals and shot percentage, dunking ability and rebounding, VC has basically handed over the keys to the car here, granting you the ability to fine-tune each and every element of gameplay you so desire.

Subsequently, you can notch up the speed and raise NBA 2K3 to a level approximating last year's rendition, along with tweaking other aspects you feel the game is deficient in.

Speaking of which, various aspects of the game engine have been retooled as well.

Fast breaks have definitely been toned down, though now the balance is tilted too much in the other direction. After rebounding under your own basket, pressing the C-stick will no longer chuck the ball down court, but often to your nearest teammate, generally a few steps away from you. If you are lucky enough to toss it down court to your teammate, they'll now stop dead in their tracks instead of continuing on to the hoop. It's definitely one of the gripes I have with 2K3, though you can adjust the settings to open the CPU's defense up a bit (but even here, it still doesn't feel as comfortable as the fast break did in 2K2).

Another area retooled in 2K3 is the inside game — or, now, lack of it. In 2K2, you could dish the ball to your big man for an easy score. Now, it's tougher to maneuver around a brick wall of defenders, and "gimme" shots are more difficult to find (at least for a while, anyway).

VC has also added some new moves into NBA 2K3 that die-hard NBA aficionados will appreciate.

You now have the ability to make mid-air adjustments to your shots (in order to draw defenders off from a potential block), as well as execute a ball fake maneuver that definitely helps the low-post game. Pressing the Z button causes your player to shift towards one side for a brief moment before blowing by your opponent on the other side. It's a cool new feature that requires a little practice, but is nice to have available, like a few of the other small additions VC added to 2K3 (including diving for balls out of bounds).

For the presentation and look of NBA 2K3, Sega and VC utilized the ESPN license for menu screens and graphics. Much like NFL 2K3, the alterations are just cosmetic enhancements that don't quite carry over into the gameplay just yet. There's a SportsCenter intro that's pretty basic (no Dan Patrick this time), but the announcers are the same laid-back guys the NBA 2K franchise has had for years, so little has changed in comparison to last season's version.

More substantial is the overhauled Franchise mode, which — like NFL 2K3 — has been improved to make it easier for players to navigate. While I did find that to be the case in comparison to NBA 2K2's franchise mode, there's definitely still room for improvement. The information is grouped into a handful of different screens and sub-menus that will prove daunting for newcomers to the series, though at least it's better than last season's game.

Players have the ability to engage in a full slate of activities throughout the season, from signing players during the off-season and making trades to managing the dreaded salary cap and training players. The latter is a new feature where you can enhance some of your player's specific attributes in an off-season training mode.

As always, tons of information and stats are provided about every team and player, though one of the best elements of the NBA 2K franchise has always been that they're not essential to the overall experience. If you want to pay attention to every detail and statistic, you can, but if you're just up for action on the court, that's perfectly cool too.

Graphically, NBA 2K3 is somewhat of a minor disappointment on the GameCube. This is one of those cases where certain players will find the title to be markedly improved over last year's game, while others — such as myself — will prefer the simpler yet more fluid look of 2K2.

First, the good news: the crowds look much improved. The players, for the most part, seem better articulated in 2K3 with improved facial attributes, though there's still a "plastic" appearance about them in general. Lighting effects in NBA 2K3 are appreciably improved (players visibly sweat this year), allowing for a more realistic overall appearance.

The downside here is that the framerate occasionally becomes choppy, most noticeably during replays which have the same look as the ones in NFL 2K3. The transition from replay to "live" action is quite jarring and not smooth at all, though I'm not sure if this isn't an issue exclusive to the GameCube version since only the 'Cube version of NFL 2K3 had noticeably similar frame rate flaws.

On the whole, while the graphics are fine by most standards, I would still take NBA 2K2 over NBA 2K3 simply because of the framerate. There's just a more fluid overall look to last season's version compared to the more ambitious, yet flawed, appearance of 2K3 on the 'Cube. Though, again, it may be a matter of personal preference more than anything else.

On the audio side, the commentary is noticeably "pinched" and sounds as if the two-man play-by-play is coming out of a static-ridden AM radio your grandmother might have owned 30 years ago. Don't ask me how EA's games manage to have realistic-sounding audio on the GameCube, but just as NFL 2K3 had extremely compressed sound, so does NBA 2K3. The commentary itself is fine (it's basically the same as last year's), but the crowd cheers and other stadium noises aren't impressive at all on the GameCube version.

What it all boils down to is pretty simple though: NBA 2K3 is still as fine a basketball game as you will find on the GameCube. While the graphical issues are, at least to me, a minor letdown and the various tweaks to the gameplay often as irritating as they are satisfying, the game still plays solid and will provide hours of fun for all kinds of hoop-fanatics.

If, however, you're on a budget, I'd definitely give 2K3 a rental and see how it compares to 2K2. The latter is now available for bargain prices, and in some ways is superior to this season's rendition.

That brings us to one final point: there have been seemingly widespread defects in NBA 2K3 discs for the GameCube. I can tell you from my own experience that I've gone through two copies and ran into the same problems in both. Namely, the game locks up and causes the GameCube to crash. Once, it occurred during a game which forced me to shut off the GameCube and start over (resetting the system doesn't work). Another time, I had completed a game and the disc froze during the post-game highlight reel, thereby wiping out the entire contest I just played! (Similar reports abound on message boards around the net).

I emailed Sega shortly after the game's release and a rep said they were looking into the problem, though to date there hasn't been any kind of formal recall. If you're picking up NBA 2K3 for the GameCube, I would advise that you definitely hang onto your sales receipt in the event that you have one of the bad discs.

Score

Graphics Sound Control Gameplay Lastability Final
8 6 8.5 8 8 8
Graphics
8

Generally solid from a graphical standpoint, NBA 2K3 offers modest enhancements on NBA 2K2 visually, though the framerate is occasionally erratic and the replays look far inferior to the main game. In some ways, NBA 2K2 offered a simpler but more fluid visual presentation.

Sound
6

A disturbing trend in Sega's sports games this season, NBA 2K3's audio is severely compressed, with the play-by-play guys sounding like they're broadcasting on a static-ridden AM radio. Generic ESPN music and flat crowd noises round out an undistinguished soundtrack.

Control
8.5

The NBA 2K franchise has been renowned for its easy-to-learn controls that enable you to indulge in more complicated maneuvers if you so desire. With a few new moves (including a sweet ball fake) up its sleeve, NBA 2K3 feels as comfortable as ever.

Gameplay
8

Visual Concepts tweaked various aspects of the NBA 2K engine for 2K3, including slowing down the overall tempo of the game and disposing of several "money" plays like easy dunks and fast break points (fortunately, if you miss those elements, an abundance of new A.I. sliders are available so you can do your own fine-tuning). Otherwise, it's the same solid game play that has comprised the heart of NBA 2K's success as a series.

Lastability
8

An improved Franchise mode (in navigation if nothing else) forms the core of NBA 2K3, and it does not disappoint. Like past NBA 2K games, multi-player fun is guaranteed, though the GameCube version obviously lacks the online support of the Xbox release.

Final
8

NBA 2K3 is fun and addictive, just like past incarnations in the series. There are some minor sticking points in terms of the gameplay tweaks and frame-rate issues to keep me from issuing a full-fledged recommendation for the GameCube version, but NBA 2K3 is still a fine entry in the successful hoops franchise. Just be sure to hang onto your sales slip in case you get one of the defective GameCube discs that some of us have played.

Summary

Pros
  • Easier-to-navigate menu screens
  • New A.I. sliders enable you to adjust all aspects of the game
  • Solid gameplay
Cons
  • Occasionally choppy framerate (especially during replays) mars overall presentation
  • Some new tweaks aren't improvements over NBA 2K2
  • Tinny, compressed audio
Review Page 2: Conclusion

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Genre Sports
Developer Visual Concepts
Players1 - 4

Worldwide Releases

na: NBA 2K3
Release Oct 07, 2002
PublisherSega
RatingEveryone

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