Sony\u2019s in-house NBA franchise takes a season off on the consoles in favor of an exclusive appearance on the PSP with NBA 10: The Inside<\/em>. Per usual with yearly sports games, there isn\u2019t anything remarkably new or groundbreaking about NBA 10<\/em> over past seasons, but that doesn\u2019t mean it isn\u2019t a good, solid game of virtual hoops and easily the most well rounded entry in the series yet.<\/p>\n

The basic gameplay engine behind NBA 10<\/em> is very much in line with previous installments. Like any game of basketball, you run up and down the court, you pass, you shoot, you rebound, you block, you steal, you posterize sorry defenders with a nice slam, jam, thank you ma\u2019am right in their face!<\/p>\n

NBA 10<\/em> uses the franchise\u2019s distinctive color-coded shooting mechanic to great effect yet again \u2013 as you hold down the shoot button a halo over the ball changes color indicating optimum shot timing \u2013 and using the system to drain jumpers is both satisfying (especially when you get that \u201ccha-ching\u201d sound for a perfect shot) and nifty as a teaching tool providing feedback on why shots may not be going down. Unlike other basketball games where shot-making almost seems arbitrary, there\u2019s more skill involved in learning the timing of your shots and the shooting ranges of each player on the court. <\/p>\n

Other areas of the game still aren\u2019t quite up to snuff, however. The player AI remains a minor drawback, as teammates regularly suffer defensive lapses, deciding to switch defenders for no apparent reason, for instance, leaving their man with a clear lane to the hoop far too often. Rebounding and free throw shooting can be problematic as well. The camera generally makes it difficult to get a good bead on where the ball is going to land, and ultimately the determination between who comes down with the board seems fairly random. And strangely, the color-coded shot indicator doesn\u2019t have the same feel to it when shooting free throws. Playing with the Miami Heat, I had an easy time sinking free throws with someone like Jermaine O\u2019Neal, but with a better shooter like Dwyane Wade the timing seemed way less forgiving when it should have been more so.<\/p>\n

But these flaws are rather nitpicky, to be honest. NBA 10<\/em> finds a happy medium between hyper-realistic simulation and full-on arcadey, and all in all it\u2019s just a fun, accessible game of hoops. It\u2019s pacing is brisk, but it\u2019s not some run-and-shoot dunk-a-thon \u2013 shooting and playing defense definitely matter. <\/p>\n

Much of the presentation is authentic as well. Except for a few odd proportion issues \u2013 Shaq\u2019s head is so tiny compared to the rest of his body and he looks absolutely ridiculous \u2013 the player models generally look lifelike enough to immediately recognize, the animations and frame rate are stutter-free, and there\u2019s a realistic ambiance to the on-court sounds and arena noise. For the most part the announcing, performed by Ian Eagle and Kenny Smith, is pretty good too, though delayed comments and other strange glitches are far too frequent to ignore.<\/p>\n

Most impressive, though, is the game\u2019s extensive roster of play modes. Modes you\u2019d expect from a sports game are all here, like Quick Play, Exhibition, Franchise, Practice, Playoffs, and the All-Star Weekend with 3-Point Shootout and Skills Challenge mini-games, but it\u2019s the other mini-games that really make the game stand out as more than just another b-ball game. <\/p>\n

The popular Conquest mode in which you play teams across the league and attempt to take over regions of the US map like a strategy game is back with new mini-game variants, and two additional carnival games have been introduced: a game of traditional 10-frame bowling called Open Lanes, and a Bust-A-Move<\/em>-esque puzzle game called Cherry Pickin\u2019. Old mini-game favorites return as well, like Horse, Dodgeball, Pinball, and the Arkanoid<\/em>-esque Shootin\u2019 Bricks. Honestly, the only thing Sony forgot to throw in was online play, and that\u2019s a big omission. Local Ad-Hoc mode is supported for two players in Exhibition play and various mini-games, but unfortunately you can\u2019t game share. I\u2019d really love to take on some live competition in a game of Horse or a 3-Point Shootout, so the lack of Infrastructure support is a definite bummer.<\/p>\n

NBA 10: The Inside<\/em> is not the best playing game of basketball on the PSP in terms of on-the-court realism and mechanics, but I\u2019d say it\u2019s the most fun and feature-rich — even without online support — which in many ways makes it a better fit for portable play than the competition. Whether or not the extra mini-games and other subtle tweaks and additions are enough to warrant an upgrade if you have last season\u2019s edition, however, is a decision you\u2019ll have to make on your own. But just as a PSP basketball game NBA 10: The Inside<\/em> is about as complete as they come.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Pros:<\/strong>
\n+ Satisfying shooting mechanics
\n+ Core gameplay is fast and fun; good balance of arcade and sim
\n+ Great collection of mini-games
\n+ Mode lineup is absolutely stacked
\n+ Authentic audiovisual elements and smooth frame rate<\/p>\n

Cons:<\/strong>
\n– No online play
\n– AI, rebounding and free throws still need work
\n– Glitchy announcing
\n– Nothing all that new to see<\/p>\n

Game Info:<\/strong>
\nPlatform: PSP
\nPublisher: SCEA
\nDeveloper: SCEA San Diego
\nRelease Date: 10\/6\/09
\nGenre: Sports – Basketball
\nESRB Rating: Everyone
\nPlayers: 1-2 (Ad Hoc only)
\nSource: Review copy provided by publisher<\/p>\n

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