Nintendo 64

Actually the third release bearing the Turok name, Rage Wars unlike its two previous efforts, jettisons the traditional one-player mode for full-featured multiplayer options instead. That's not to say that there isn't any semblance of a single-player game.

According to ESRB, this game contains: Animated Violence

Game Description: Instant replay, player editing, and performance adjustments contribute to the true-game feel of NBA Courtside 2. More than 300 NBA players, including Kobe Bryant, are accurately modeled after their on-court counterparts. Each is rated for shooting percentage and range, foul tendency, dribbling, passing, speed, jumping, rebounding, strength, dunking, stealing, blocking, and stamina. In addition to the standard moves you'd expect from a video game basketball player, NBA Courtside 2 adds tons of new, user-controlled actions, such as spin moves, first-step fakes, changing hands on the dribble, post-up moves, calling for the pick, and boxing out opponents. As coach for your team, you'll also be able to call plays using the digital control pad. Moves that you can control include box, perimeter, low post, high post, isolation, motion, inside triangle, and outside triangle.

I think Chi made some good points, but not many of them were important enough to require a similar rating from me. The fouling is an issue, but it adds a bit of realism to see the computer try to get back into the game late and I was happy to actually see a 4-point-play in a console game. Admittedly, I wouldn't have minded if the computer made a few quick trips downcourt and launched some 'threes' to get close, but it wasn't a big deal. And the little bugs Chi mentioned just looked awkward but never really forced me to get up and scream at the TV screen or anything.

The main problem is that Courtside 2's attempts to improve upon the original either do not alleviate the old flaws or end up unearthing entirely new ones. For example, foul calls were extremely unbalanced in the original Courtside.

The whole 'Live' franchise is already a legendary one in this industry; every year, no matter how bad or unimproved the new version was from its predecessor, NBA Live is annually proclaimed the basketball game of choice by video game players and critics. So much so that newer and more revolutionary titles like Nintendo's NBA Courtside and Acclaim's NBA Jam (64-bit version) were consistently overlooked. I, for one, was never swept up in the 'Live' hysteria so I've always been a bit more objective and with this latest release, I am even more disheartened seeing the amount of praise already being showered on EA Sports.

With his review, Dale has thrown down the gauntlet on the myth of NBA Live's dominance over the genre and I'm right there beside him. I'm totally baffled as to how a game with so many flaws can get so much praise from the media. This game is far from flawless (as some have actually described it!).

Game Description: One of the newest additions to EA's sports lineup, NBA 2000 features more action, more slamming, and more attitude. Broadcast-style camera technology brings you to the heart of the action. Next-generation facial animation with added speech links gives the players more personality and attitude. You can go five-on-five or one-on-one on the street court, with the greatest names in the NBA, past and present, as NBA Live exclusively brings you retired names in the NBA, including the greatest all-time player, Michael Jordan. Play with one of five All-Star teams from the past decade or create your own classic matchups.