NBA Courtside 2002 Preview
NBA Courtide 2002 is shaping up to be another stunning production from Left Field. For every 20 basketball games, there are one or two that turn out to be great. Courtside seems to be going against the odds with this one, but it could go either way.
Courtside wants to break the mold that has encapsulated basketball games for the longest time. A good example of this is the overhauled passing system. Instead of icons popping up over the players heads, and then pressing the corresponding button to pass to them, you simply use the C-stick (the yellow button) and press it towards the man that you would like to receive the ball. This means that you can pass without slowing down the play, and is extremely handy in tight situations where you are guarded by a lot of defenders.
The AI has also been upgraded. They are set to target players who are good, and go easy on those who are bad. Take for example someone like Allen Iverson, who is dangerous with the ball. He’s swarmed as soon as he’s in the paint. However, they will slack off on someone like Bryant Reeves, who can’t shoot or pass very well. During crunch time, the defense will shape up and play harder against you, which means we won’t be seeing 50-120 point games.
The animations are also incredible. There are many more polygons per player, as well as all new animations. Everything isn’t as chunky as it was in the N64 version. It’s all fluid and smooth, which is vast improvement. The facial animations are also breathtaking. Watch Kobe’s mug take on a look of resentment as he misses his fade away three.
The controls are very intuitive as well. Besides the C stick that I’ve already mentioned, there are the aggression and turbo buttons. The aggression shoulder button, R, is mainly used for spark. If you go up to do a dunk and you press it, you will hammer down more force into the net, and send someone who is guarding you sprawling. This is handy if you have a handful of defenders blocking you. The turbo button, L, is used as the boost, and is almost a necessity to a basketball game. Pressing it will release a burst of energy that can drive you around defenders; it also makes for some spectacular dunks.
Courtside 2002 is looking up, as apparent by Left Field’s new approach at creating a refreshing, idea taking basketball game ready to reach new heights. Expect this title to launch with the GameCube.
Final Score: 8