Game Review: NBA Street Vol. 3
Rated by 2 members
What Parents Should Know
EA Sports has once again perfected the fast-paced world of
streetball sports with their release of NBA STREET VOL. 3. Like
the two the previous
NBA
Street titles, Vol. 3 is rated-E and is ideally suited for
children ages 9 and older. The game is free of some of the mild
violence that you'll find in the popular
NFL
Street games. Players do foul, but they don't body slam
each other on the concrete. Fouls are more in line with what
you would see in a live NBA game.
It's worth noting that while the language in NBA Street Vol. 3 is clean, there is an excessive amount of trash talking that takes place after each and every thunderous dunk. This is a game that you can allow you child to play without adult supervision, but a lesson about good sportsmanship before you let them take over the controls might be well worth your time.
Common Sense Media Review
EA Sports has once again hit a slam dunk with the release of
NBA Street Vol. 3. This highly anticipated third version of the
street series offers players even more hoops excitement, with
dazzling graphics, high-energy sounds and customization
features that weren't available in Vol. 1 or
Vol.
2.
If you're new to the series, don't expect to see organized five-on-five games that you may be accustomed to seeing when you turn on your TV to catch your favorite NBA team. NBA Street is all about fast-paced, full-court three-on-three basketball that is played on unforgiving blacktops --without the aide of refs --in some of the world's most famous playgrounds. The game features partial rosters from all 30 licensed NBA teams, along with 25 NBA legends that can be brought out of retirement to for the ultimate dream team.
The biggest change here for series veterans is that the addition of The Trick Stick (the right analog stick). This allows you to execute mind-boggling moves, like moving the ball through your legs a dozen times while floating through the air for a reverse slam dunk. While the stick adds an exciting element to the game, mastering the complicated controls that are needed to operate the trick stick effectively can be very frustrating for beginners.
The court creator mode is also a great addition to the game. Players can build and customize their own home court from the ground up. You can personalize the settings by choosing from hundreds of different options including location, court surface, net, and even backboard styles. Of course, you'll also still find standard courts that are unlocked as you earn points throughout the game. NBA Street Vol. 3 has 12 carefully crafted courts taken straight from some of the world's most legendary playgrounds, including New York's Rucker Park and California's Venice Beach.
Overall, NBA Street Vol. 3 is the perfect addition to your kid's game collection. The game offers plenty of excitement for the NBA basketball fan, but also offers variety and challenges throughout, making it a game that your kid will want to play for hours -- once they get a hang of the controls.
The only other potential drawback for parents of younger players is the amount of trash talking that takes place throughout the game. There's no swearing, but it is not a good representation of the kind of sportsmanship that is often stressed in team sports.
Common Sense Media is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing information to help parents make media and entertainment choices for their families.
