Wrote this for a Publication and wanted to archive it here
A retro game that I still fire up and play to this day, even on original hardware, is NBA Street Vol. 2. The NBA Street Series is an extremely fun and off-the-wall take on the street ball genre of basketball, but Volume 2 is just so much different than the rest of the games in the series.
Hearing “They Reminisce Over You,” by Pete Rock and C.L Smooth upon starting up the game still gives me goosebumps to this day. The game’s soundtrack that’s full of old school Hip-Hop makes you feel like you’re really at a school yard blacktop basketball court with a giant boombox next to the court.
It’s not just the soundtrack though that gives off such a distinct and pleasing aesthetic. Off the bat, the environments that the game takes place in, and the apparel worn by the players, help distinguish this game from any other basketball video game.
The vastly different environments, such as a basketball court in uptown Manhattan, New York that sees you play during the middle of the day, and a very dark and poorly illuminated court on Broad Street in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with the night time sky above you, help set scenes that stick out in your mind for years.
The very different apparel from the players you see on the court and control in the game makes the experience feel so diverse opposed to any NBA game that came before it.
Legends such as Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson wear their regular NBA Uniform, high flying slam dunk contest champion Julius, “Dr. J, Erving rocking his NBA jersey with a pair of bright blue jeans, and Yao Ming wearing his Houston Rockets jersey with a pair of black gym shorts. All of these players and how their character models look on screen came to mind immediately when writing this piece and I think that says a lot about how much of a lasting impact this game and its imagery has on fans of the game.
The art style of the game is unforgettable and something that always must be mentioned when bringing up NBA Street Vol. 2. There are a number of beautiful and well done textures to make every player and environment stand out from one another. There are also a number of vibrant colors that add so much to the look of the game and make it look, dare I say, charming to look at. When combining all of that with the cell-shaded look that the creators of the game chose to go with, it makes for an art style that still stands out and looks good to this day.
The originality of this game goes way beyond the visuals you see and sounds you hear while playing the game.
The game is a typical street ball game with the usual streetball rules. The first trio of players to score 21 points and win by two points is the victor of the game. Seems rudimentary enough. However, this game actually adds a bit of a twist to it. As you make a number of flashy plays and do a number of swagger filled moves that truly embarrass your opponent, you build up a score that adds to your, “Gamebreaker,” meter. When you build up this meter, you can activate a Gamebreaker move. A level one Gamebreaker, or a GB1, totally swings the score of the game you’re playing by adding two points to your point total, while deducting a point from your opponents’ total. A level two Gamebreaker, this time abbreviated to GB2, also adds two points to your point total, but this time deducts three points from your opponent. The latter of the two certainly hurts more if you get hit with it, but both certainly add insult to injury while you’re watching an opposing player, or players, pull off an absurd over the top highlight. It’s a remarkable feeling when you’re the one unleashing the Gamebreaker though.
The game features a number of controls and combos you can use to pull off devastating crossovers, dribble moves or passes on top of breathtaking dunks. With the number of button combinations the player can choose from, it feels more like a fighting game than any other basketball game due to how many compounding button presses the player can choose to remember. Don’t worry though, the game is still simple and fun enough that if you don’t know the most illustrious moves in this game, you can still enjoy your time playing NBA Street Vol. 2 and have some memorable moments while doing so.
The ability to customize your own team and make a roster filled with whatever NBA legends you’d like is much appreciated. The rewards you can purchase by winning games to earn points also keep you engaged and wanting to come back to this game time and time again. Whether you’re unlocking NBA Legends, some very special courts to play on or a number of different moves to embarrass your opponents, the reward system keeps the players busy and adds so much value to NBA Street Vol. 2.
It doesn’t matter if its the art style that the creative directors decided on, the feeling of seeing the orange and blue colors popping off the screen when you finally get a “Gamebreaker,” or the Hip-Hop centric soundtrack filled with classic songs from the genre, NBA Street Volume 2 has such soul to it that no other basketball game has been able to create.
I have a number of memories tied to this game, and with that said, this game will always hold a special place in my heart. This game is a true testament to what sports video games should be all about. That is, simply a title that keeps the player engaged while separating itself from other games in the genre. This game does just that while also being able to help people create memories, either by themselves, with friends or acquaintances.
There’s a special feeling that NBA Street Vol. 2 brings to me, as well as many other people that I know, and for that, NBA Street Vol. 2 will forever be my favorite sports video game of all time.
SLOT 