Sports Reviews

1080 Avalanche is like half a bowl of Frosted Flakes, GRRRRRREAT but not enough! Great graphics, great controls, great sounds, but what happened to this game's longevity factor? After playing for an hour, you get the feeling there's two characters to select from, and half as many stages to explore. You do the math.

The characters are well designed, but a serious lack there of makes that fact almost meaningless. The stages are superb, but once again, what good is a stage or two if there's only a stage or two? Nintendo distributed samples of 1080 in department stores for many months before this GameCube exclusive title was released, and from what I played, I found it a remarkable experience. When I purchased the game for $50 (many months ago), it was to my surprise the game wasn't worth half that. Today, 1080 Avalanche remains upwards of that price. To add injury to insult, the tricks could have been more polished. Other than that, the controls are excellent.

Nintendo can't expect massive sales from a game that's superior in all categories except endurance. The length of a game time and time again will prove to be its most vital element. That's all games, one player, two player, twelve players, sports games, role playing, and everything in between.

A low rating is given for a major reason. 1080 Avalanche is still half a hundred dollars since its release. A fair price would be $30, but even that's pushing it. Nintendo had a great game in the making, but mediocre stamina has left this title begging for sales. Chi-Ching!

1080 snowboarding was the first game that i recieved for my nintendo 64 that i recieved for my 8th birthday. and still to this day, i play it every once in a while. that is how good the original was to me. and ever since i heard about 2 years ago that they were making a sequel to it, i have literally been marking off the days on my calender. now that i have 1080 avalanche, i am very pleased with what nintendo has created for me and my fellow gamers, but am a little dissapointed at the same time. i mean, its a great game, but there are some very annoying problems that bring the overall value of the game down. well heres how i break it down:

graphics: 10/10 some of the best graphics i've seen on the gamecube so far

sound: 9/10 very nice sounds for both the voices and environments

controls: 8/10 ugh. this is where my problem is. the regular boarding controls are fine, but the trick system is kinda iffy.

difficulty(too easy,easy,normal,challenging,impossible):

challenging

overall:8.75/10 not the awesome super-duper sequel i was looking for, but still a very good game that will keep me playing for a long while

the original 1080 snowboarding game is probly my favorite game on my 64. I got this game a few weeks ago and ive probly put 20 hours into this game a week. (im 13 and on vacation, not much to do) Well anyway the music kicks ass and the graphics are even better. When ur going real fast,(like 125kmh) the mix of the controler chaking, the partial blurring in the outline of the screen (dont get me wrong thats a GOOD thing), and the snow splatering on the screen, adds up to make one of the most thrilling game on gc. The trick made took a while to get used to. Im used to the 64 where its b+(control stick). In this game its (b, x, or y)+(control stick), and "r" to spin. But still, the trick system is great. This game has beginnner, advanced, expert, and extreme modes, each with an avalnache mode at the end. In the avalnche mode you have to race down the mountain, always with an Avalanche behind you, chasing you down the hill. The loading times are about 5-9 seconds. But it flies by becasue as its loading you select the song you want played during your ride down the mountain. Also there is about 15 courses.

In the end i would reccomend this game to anyone. If i lost it i would buy it again right away if my parents were more supportive of my video game hobby.

This game has great graphics to me the faces look very real so if you are looking for a sport game to buy you should by MLB 2005 as your next game as well as Need For Speed Underground

989 Sports has certainly brought their game to the table with their latest effort, "MLB 2005."
The graphics are top notch and the details (use of color, definition, etc) make this one of the best baseball games available. Where the 2004 version seemed more like a PS1 game, the 2005 version definitely looks at home on the PS2.
All of the stadiums look great and even include the new parks in Philadelphia and San Diego. Unfortunately the crowds are still VERY 2D and look like aniated cardboard characters, 989 needs to improve this aspect of the game.
Hitting can be very difficult and anything above the rookie level may cause you to have fits when the CPU scores 12 runs. Also stealing bases prove to be almost impossible. It's funny because you could steal every time in the 2004 game - 989 needs to find a middle ground here.
A welcome addition is that errors actually occur in this game. While the 2004 version claimed to have that option, I *never* once saw it happen - it does in 2005. One of my biggest complaints though is that there still aren't wild pitches or passed balls in the game and not having them lessens the realism. Also one of the oddest things of the game is that Barry Bonds is nowhere to be found! Why is one of the greatest hitters of all time NOT in this game? There is no reason for him not to be in it as the game is endorsed by both MLB and the player's union. Was this a mistake? How could they overlook this? Another issue I have regards player profiles you can save which apparently allow you to collect "points" where you can unlock "gold" and "silver" era players like Babe Ruth and Ty Cobb but the game manual says absolutely nothing about it so how is the player supposed to know what to do?
Still, I'm very impressed with the fantasy aspects of the game such a allowing you to control virtually every aspect of running a baseball franchise and the fact that they include a good number of minor league players for you to call up when needed. Also trading for players requires you to figure out what you REALLY need and who you're willing to lose because the game can reject trade offers. Also when signing free agents, you must propose a satisfactory contract or else the player will turn you down.
While there are some negatives to "MLB 2005" (no Barry Bonds, no wild pitches), 989 Sports has finally come through and delivered a quality baseball game that will keep your interest for a very long time.

this game is great. The best baseball game ive played on ps2 next to mvp 2005. Everything looks great. the graphics are good the sound is good and the game offers many modes of play. when you chose your team you can also chose the jersy you want them to wear, from classicc jersys to new ones.the only down side that i have come across is the fact that barry bonds is not in the game.

BUY IT NOW!

Look the only thing good about nba live is the gameplay which isn't thast realistic considering the players ratings are so off, pierce an 83 ru joking. Look the game is ok in general the gameplay is fun but not realistic and can often get boring quickly. Unlike its counterpart NBA2K4 NBA LIVE'S franchise mode is horrible, the computer never signs free agents. leaving you to sign the best players to a minimum contract, making your team ridiculously better than anyone elses team. Not only this but you cannot hardly ever trade for first round draft picks and half the time it doesn't matter cause the players you draft usely are terrible. On the otherhand in this game the players develope so slow sometimes that its better to have an old player on your team than a young star because the start will never reach their potential. Also addding insult to injury is the fact that in order to get points for team workout you have to do tasks that make one player a ball hog. About the only this realistic in NBA is the basketball.

Stop comparing this game to Madden! Sure, we'd all like every sports game to be as great as the Madden franchise, but they're not all equal, so stop denigrating every release that isn't exactly like Madden!

I think this game is incredibly fun, with deep options, much more realistic gameplay than previous releases. The upgrades over the previous incarnations are immeasurable: you can actually hit mid-range, and long-range jump shots with consistency; the passing mode is much more realistic; MANY more plays and schemes; way better defensive system; more realistic rebounding; a very deep dynasty gameplay; great arenas and realistic player graphics; much more realistic player stats; great off-ball controls; better post moves; the freestyle controls are nice, especially on defense; the CPU actually substitutes players at a realistic rate; the flow of the game is realistic; the cut-a-aways during gametime are nice; the player management/contract component is as realistic as they could get, given the swampy rules of the NBA CBA; the commentary is much better than even the Madden releases, and is non-reptitive and informative, actually, as Fratello offers particulars about even marginal players in the league; the game sound is incredibly realistic, the crowd response adding to the tension and drama of the game; and the NBA store feature is a really neat addition, as you can outfit your squad with socks, shoes, headbands, and even Throwback Jerseys.

So the interface isn't exactly like your precious Madden games? So what? This is, by far, the most realistic basketball video game I've ever played. It has great replay value. An owner mode would be nice, but given non-Madden titles are lagging a couple years, it should be in there by 2006.

A few caveats: it's much too easy for the CPU to block shots on the perimeter. I recently played against the Nets, and Kidd ended up blocking 10 shots from the perimeter. He's a good player, but he isn't THAT good. Also, the booklet isn't as thorough as it could be: some explanation of play-sets would have been helpful. I'm a basketball nut, but I don't know the difference between the five different Motion offense sets. A little more content would have been nice.

All you losers who sayed this game sucks your wrong.You just dont know how to play it.The best part is making your own charecter and make him the best.It has alot of detail in Dynasty Mode with the player retiring and the draft picks and trades.And the retiring jerseys.This game is the best NBA LIVE game yet. PEACE, King JV

If you enjoyed NBA Live 2000 you will be happy with this one. But if your expecting a whole lot of changes just keep played 2000, because it basically the same thing. I've organized some the highs and lows:

Highs: 1. One of the most entertaining sports games. 2. Great gameplay 3. you got a lot of options to choose from. Like practice mode, three-point contest, etc.

Lows: 1. Same EXACT gameplay as the one in 2000 2. Same graphics ( the crowd looks better, though) 3. Same lame old boring commentary like its older brother 4. the faces look really messed up ( some players have teeth sticking out of their faces on close- ups)

Final verdict: If you don't mind the almost same game as last years then buy it. If you want changes, please don't buy it!!!!!!

I've always been a fan of the NBA Live series, whether it be for Nintendo 64, Playstation, or Super NES. I've played every season that they've come out, and I've always thought that it was a fun game. Personally, I think this game has some weak points and some strong points.

The Weak Points:

1) Same gameplay as NBA Live 2000 2) Season play gets boring after about 10 games 3) No free agents 4) No salary caps 5) You can hit some shots all day 6) Too easy, like when you play Superstar with the Clippers against the Lakers and win by 15

The Strong Points:

1) Same strong gameplay as previous seasons 2) Momentum meter 3) Always going to be better than NBA Shootout 4) Addictive gameplay in the first week that you own the game 5) NBA Live Challenge

So basically this is a good buy, but you might want to wait until you can get it for less than 40 dollars, or if you can get it for a present. It's a good game, but if you have NBA Live 2000 it's basically the same game with a few new features and the always updated rosters.

this game is soooooo good. buy it, buy it now!!!!!!!!!!!! the only thing that is missing is franchise mode but it still rocks the world in all it does! the challenge mode is a bit boring but it is truly rewarding once you you unlock a code. nice graphics too. it is worth the money!!!!!!!!

I just got NHL 2001 off ebay. I love all EA Sports games so for me to be writing a review like this, it has to be pretty ugly. Where to begin? First, the play control. The players are impossible to control. Even after you stop, the player seems to continue to slide down he rink. For some reason, players also do 360 spins from one side to side for no apparent reason. Editing lines is also awkward. It's hard to explain, but if the game edits a team for you, you might wind up with a player on more than one line (example: Rob Blake playing left wing and D). If you go to scratch the player from just one line, the game will scratch him from both lines, so it can become tedious to put your player exactly where you want him. Imagine what it feels like to finally set your lines only for your memory card to decide not to save anything... Just stay away from NHL 2001 if you're thinking about getting it.

Ok. Sure it's a new year for Ea's hockey games, but basically, it's the same game as last season's effort. It plays the same, looks similiar (if not worse), sounds the same, even scoring goals on a regular basis is the same.

The good. It's hockey. It has some good options like the momentum meter, big shot, big check, new NHL Challenge to boost your created players attributes, and (my favorite) the franchise mode for season play.

The bad. Just about everything else I didn't mention that was good. Sounds silly, right? Well, there's not really much of that "in-between" stuff to like or dislike in NHL 2001. A lot of the new options are over-hyped. Take the momentum meter, for example. Sure it's a great and realistic option, but with the terrible gameplay, it doesn't do much but make the crowd louder--Not to mention the extremely annoying Play-by-play guys talking about momentum (oh, how annoying it is!). I mentioned bad game play? You bet. Control is flimzy, at best. At times, I'll stop my player and try to reverse my direction to only not be able to do just that--You just can't go the opposite direction sometimes--WHY?!? Players don't move like you want them to. Is it skating physics that are hampering the controls? No. It's poor programming. If your players isn't in a straight line of the puck, you can't get gain control of it without some major problems (anyone who's chased an iced puck to only have the cpu get it first because of this, knows exactly what I'm talking about). Fighting looks silly in this game--nuff said about that. The other major flaw is the goalies. What the heck happened here? Goalie animation is SO slow, it doesn't match the actual speed of the game. It's so bad, cross-ice one-timers from the red line will beat nearly any goalie. Going in on a breakaway? Left-handed shooters just need to be slightly left-center to the goal to score (before you reach the crease, just tap the shot-button when slightly left center to the opposing goalie--reverse this if it's a right-handed shooter). Is it that simple? You bet. Playing anything but 5 minute periods can result in a football-like score. Goalie animation need serious improving--Just watch a goalie make a sprawling save attempt. It takes so long for him to get back up, a goal is sure to be scored ("He's fallen' and can't get up?").

To me, this game was more frustrating than fun. I like realism--this one has some, but not enough. It has good options, but not done correctly. It has the best sound (by far) than any hockey game out there, but that's it. I think EA concentrated on the PS2 version of NHL 2001 because this isn't really a new game from last year--just a new title. Check out my review of NHL Faceoff 2001 to compare this years hockey titles on the PS1.

I loved this game and when I switched over to NHL 2002 I had problems letting go this game is great. the create a player is better on this game then NHL 2002 or 2003

... I doubted this game the moment i saw it at the store, but i decided to give it a chance, seeing that it was made by Midway,.... I came home and i was hooked on the game for a week! And this is 3-4 hours of playing every day. Red Card 20-03 has the best gameplay of any soccer game. It's fast, the slowmotion camera shots are great and it's very fun to play against friends as no extra skills are necessary to win. ...BR>The best are the special moves and tackles, which can, in fact, hurt the referee.
I believe this game is very addictive and very fun at that. I recommend to those people getting bored of soccer games, this will get you right back on track!

I've got to admit, I didn't even like this game when I first got it home because it doesn't hit you like Blitz. It took me a few hours to figure out the controls and the gameplay before I became addicted.

It looks like a SIM, it sounds like a SIM but it plays more like Blitz - ONLY BETTER!! This game is TEN times faster than any other Soccer game on the market - and the referee strictness level lets you get away with anything! Infact, if you can't cream the guy with ball your gonna LOSE. It's got real players and stadiums like Blitz not that cartoony-baby-characters in Sega Soccer Slam.

The key is once you've got the controls down go into the options menu and turn up the difficulty level. The computer gets really good on the higher difficulty levels - and you have to pass and dodge and play smart in order to win you can't just run the ball down to the other side and shoot. The amateur mode is good for people that don't really play soccer, but it's a much more challenging on professional level.

After playing Redcard, my FIFA 2002 and MLS Extra Time feel unbareably SLOW. Like all the guys are walking in mud - even after you turn up the game speed to max. And I also wanted to fly tackle everybody. The aggresive tackles and the boost button and the COMPLETELY BLIND REFEREE all combine for really fun gameplay.

There's a cool slow motion super kick you can do only when your boost bar is at maximum, but I think it's mostly for show because most of the time the goalie catches it but sometimes it sends him tumbling into the back of the net. You burn boost by adding it to slide tackles and agressive tackles so the trick is to conserve it for when you really need it. BOOST is LIFE!

If you like Blitz and you don't know much about soccer this is wicked cool game to play because it's NON-STOP ACTION- you don't stop every five seconds and choose your play - your playing all the time. And if you like FIFA you're gonna have to get this because it feels SOOOO GoooOOOD to do a karate flying kick to some hot-shot forward and watch him roll around in agony while you take the ball upfield and Score!!!

By the way -be sure to switch the commetary to Spanish - I don't know what they're saying but it's definately more exciting!

Great Game... buy it. Awesome graphics and gameplay. MIDWAY ROCKS.

AL

This game has to be the WORST baseball game I've ever played. The players look nothing like the real ones, they have a very outdated roster and since you can't trade, except in season mode, so you can't update them. The computer cheats! If it's losing by a point, it will hit a 2 run homer so it can win. Here's another example: If the computer needs a run or needs to get on base it will hit a base hit, and even if its a weak one, your fielders thow very slowly and weakly to you. Stats don't matter in this game, it's the size of that doofy yellow circle that looms in the center of the strikezone. If it's small, the player ..., if it's big, the players good. Want another reason why stats don't matter? I've hit a homerun with John Smoltz and a Grand Slam with David Cone. The graphics ... and your very limited to your gameplay. Don't buy this game, you'll be tired of it in an instant!

I've gotta tell you, this game is absolutely great. The only thing(s) wrong are that you can't create a player and there are only about 6 types of batting stances, but who cares. This is a fun game and I have it and what I think is the best part is that you can play a season and this game is actually realistic. Mostly because you don't always hit a homer, there is no cursor that you would have to move either in order to hit it good. But, it's still very easy to hit the ball and you get a homer about every 15 at-bats, unless if you are someone very good, like Griffey, which there is a code in order to hit a homer with him every time. If you want to know, then when Griffey is up to bat, then you press left, left, right, right, right, left, left on the pad before the pitch, he will then point the bat up in the air and if you hit it, it's gone. The computer is very easy at first, but if you want then go to options and change it from rookie to expert. I swear, this game will keep you busy all night long. Just play it.

P.S. I'm not 12, I just accidentally clicked on this, I'm actually 14, just to let you know.

With some higher resolution games popping up, I thought this one might be swallowed up and lost. However, that was not true. As most kids will tell you, usually indirectly, it is the game PLAYING ability that they like. This one retains that. Even for adults. The playing is realistic and allows a good amount of variability. The background noise of the crowd is low fidelity, yet it sounds very real (which it should). The announcer is clear and realistic. Generally, pleasantly surprised that it plays so well.

I was really hoping to enjoy this game, but I was very disappointed to find that it's one of the worst games I've ever played on the XBox. The graphics are poor, the announcers are horrible, and the game play is terrible. By my 3rd game I was stealing the ball 80+ times w/ the game set to the hardest level (not because I'm particularly good or anything). The only thing that is half-way decent is the recruiting mode, but recruiting and simulating a season is only fun for so long.

This game, despite its numerous faults, was unfortunately quite addicting. With all the "street ball" in the NBA, I found it refreshing to get back to calling the ol' Pick and Roll, or a little 2-3 Zone. The other benefit of this game is the fact all Div. 1 schools, stadiums, and songs are included. Unfortunately, there are quite a few glitches programming wise that wear on the nerves:
-In-side scoring; Post-up your best player, dunk, repeat
-Difficulty; Went undefeated 3 consecutive seasons with the Campbell Fighting Camels (Go Camels!)
-Commentary; This was the most annoying of the glitches, as the commentators would often mix-up who was in the lead or trailing.
-Gameply; Much too easy to steal, especially in a full-court press.

Overall however, with all the problems, I did end up playing over 250 games of basketball, and definately got my $$$ worth. I would recommend it for it's adictiveness, just keep the sound turned down.

It's that time of year again... college basketball is in my veins, I'm watching/following my UVa Cavaliers, and what better way to occupy my time than buying a college basketball game to keep myself busy when my team isn't playing. NCAA Basketball 2K3 is an amazing game; despite several flaws, the game's pros put the cons to shame. I'm going to review this backwards so that you can finish feeling good about the game, and want to go out and buy it.

Cons:
Repetitive commentary- after playing two seasons with a team, you'll be able to recite the lines of the commentators word for word (for the most part)

Fouls are rare- besides the end of the game when you're winning, fouls are pretty much nonexistent in this game

Strange AI calls- when the computer is losing by two with five seconds left, they just dribble! i don't have to do a thing, they won't shoot the ball at the end of the game unless they're close enough to make it, meaning that half-court buzzer beaters NEVER HAPPEN

No name teams end up #1- as i entered the NCAA tournament, Baylor was my opponent for the final four, seeded #1?!

Teams have no legacy- if Duke has a poor season, it will take forever for them to get back on top... they will not be able to sign blue chippers, they will disappear off the top 25, and not even make the NCAA tournament

Crowds are once again, poor- when will the developers realize that people like to see crowds that are real? when the coach is shown close up, the crowd is very choppy and fake

Some things too easy- on starter (rookie) setting, i can steal the ball 25 times in a game, but the rest of the gameplay is about my level... it doesn't make sense!

Pros:
Pregame- the pregame is unbelievable.. you get to hear about the teams, the matchups, while watching the players do warmup shooting before the tip-off

Stadiums- the stadiums and courts look exactly the same as they do in real life.. U-Hall for UVa looks exactly like it does, with the pep band in the same spot, and the regular fans in the spots that they sit in real life

Free Throws are challenging- using the triggers for the xbox, the free throw system is wonderful and show ingenuity, people who complain likely need more practice

Fancy finishes- the dunks and 360 layups are so fun to watch in this game, you rarely see the same move to the hoop twice

Momentum meter- the momentum meter is a wonderful touch.. the home team racking up points, the crowd getting into the game, and the intense gameplay of the winning team, the meter captures the energy in the building

Crowds get into it- although they don't look real up close, the crowds start going wild, you can even hear individual shouts from fans

Running plays is easy- with the right analog stick and the ability to call your own offensive and defensive plays, picking up on a defense is a piece of cake, run the offense you want to run, when you want to run it

Dive for balls- for the first time that i can remember, players can dive for loose balls! hardcore basketball gamers know how frustrating it is to have a ball on the ground just roll out of bounds because you can't get to it, but with this button on your controller, diving for balls is one less complaint from this gamer

Good options- you can fully customize your game, from the offensive and defensive plays to the game tempo, to the substitutions, to the pressure, to the crashing of the boards

Graphics- seeing this game for the first time was like jumping into a cold shower... it took the breath out of me. my jaw must have hit the floor, seeing the pregame layups from each team, the gameplay, and after the game, the menus are even easy on the eyes

Editing names is a snap- although it does take a bit of time, many college basketball fans were turned off when they realized that players were replaced by numbers, but this year you can have the option of actually naming players what you want, it's pretty simple too. if you'd rather keep the players numbers, that's okay too, as the real life player corresponds with the number and position in the game. also, time is saved as the game has a name-recognition system that can find most names of real college players such as Duhon, Watson, etc. (p.s. announcers do a fine job of pronouncing most names)

Onto the legacy and its wonderful features...
...the legacy feature for hardcore gamers is wonderful. so much depth and so many features provide you for an unbelievable experience. you can choose open or career, meaning you can choose the team that you would like to coach, or start off a coaching career by being offered small-time team head coaching spots.

Recruiting- this feature is not only easy, it's also fun. at the end of a season, you get to see what big-time players are interested in your school. the more winning seasons you have, the more big-time players want to come there. give it some time, and soon enough a team like Lehigh (who i coached in my career legacy) will sign blue chippers.

Media coverage- when your small-time team does well, the team makes it onto TV/radio

Conclusion---

This game really captures the essence of college basketball, it has emotion and the real feel of college hoops. Sega did a wonderful job and should be commended for doing so. I'd give this game an A- for certain problems that continue to reappear (such as crowds), but the rest of the game is great. I recommend it to anybody of any age that enjoys a great game, sports or not, and I hope that my review was helpful!

-Sam Latter

I love the Madden series because it has thrills for the cerebral wannabe coach in me, the stomping cruising wannabe athlete in me and also the button pushing video game playing me. I upgraded to this version from Madden 2000 and I must say that the improvements were well worth the money. The coach mode is much better, now all of the coaches have names and records in the franchise mode, not just the human players (I loved it when Shanahan got fired and I took his job as the Bronco's head man). The play action is much more realistic and the thought factor is more present when calling and running plays. The card idea is much better than the point options were in 2000 and the custom profiles have so many more options such as having three playbooks to choose from before a game. I can't say whether it's worth the price to upgrade from the 2001 edition because I haven't played it, but if you don't own any madden games from this millenium I can definitly say that this one is a must have.

Ive played other football games on the PSX but this one is by far the best one. Many claim that this is the same as Madden 2001 but as an avid player Ill tell you theyre wrong. Dont worry about the music, I dont pay any attention to it, however the game itself looks the same as Madden 2001 however little anoying things from 2001 have been corrected e.g. the receiving and intercepting is alot more realistic, there are better plays, and the QB gets the ball of quicker and more accurately. If you already have 2001 and are strapped for cash, dont buy this; but if you dont have either version, this one is a sure thing.

This is one of the best games i have evered played. The franchies is the best. If you have enough money I recemend you to buy it.

I think that this is a wonderful game. Who ever thinks this game is bad must have no taste. I have never tried ssx, but I have played ssx tricky, and that game was alright. Though it is alittle expensive it is worth it to save and buy this game. It may seem hard at first, but you will get used to it.

this is the best snowboarding game of all time. graphics are great, gameplay and tricks are awesome, and characters are cool. only problem is no eddie unless you use the cheat (worm) and even then you cant do career with him. also selecting the stuff isnt boaring. if you want to do a race, you snowboard to the starting line. and there are many doffesrent games to play (race, freestyle, big pipe, etc). and one on one is fun. all in all awesome game.

It started with me, then I introduced the game to my friends. We are all addicted. We're not getting any sleep. We spend most of our evenings playing SSX3. Awesome graphics. Awesome Fun! BUY THIS GAME! You won't be disappointed!