Operation Sports:

They’ve Got Game

By Shawn Drotar

This year, I’m happy to say that the best got even better, and there’s no hoops title that surpasses what NBA Inside Drive 2004 has to offer the Xbox gamer.

As a long-time basketball aficionado, it’s impossible to not notice how much NBA Inside Drive feels like NBA basketball. The whip-smart A.I. rewards the gamer for intelligent play and strongly punishes the careless. The end result is a game that feels different and fresh every time you play, and for the hoops fan, what could be better? The NBA Inside Drive design team has done a brilliant job in mimicking the nuances of the Association—not only in a general sense, but in a specific one, as well. Teams and players play “their” games, using tactics and styles similar to the real-life counterparts. The Dallas Mavericks will play an up-and-down game, and you can expect a high-scoring affair when you face them. Conversely, play the Detroit Pistons, and you’ll see a much more physical game (and Ben Wallace will gobble up your shots and the loose change). Players will go on hot streaks where they simply can’t miss, and they’ll go on cold streaks where they couldn’t hit water falling from a boat. Tracy McGrady and Tim Duncan will dazzle you with flash and efficiency; while star rookies LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony make the Cavaliers and Nuggets respectable again. In short, this is the NBA.

A fresh game every time you play!

Los Angeles Lakers superstar and world champion Shaquille O’Neal adorns the cover of NBA Inside Drive this year, and it’s fitting. No other game represents what it’s like to play with or against “The Diesel” than Inside Drive. Unlike most basketball games, the post play in NBA Inside Drive is as important as it is in the real sport itself. Stars like O’Neal and Houston’s Yao Ming are imposing presences in the paint, and they’ll force the smart gamer to change the way he plays to compensate. Best of all, NBA Inside Drive never deteriorates into a dunk or three-point shooting contest. Sure, those plays may make the highlight reel, but any coach will tell you that solid defense and a good mid-range game takes you far into the postseason. The all-around representation of the sport of basketball is what setsNBA Inside Drive apart from the competition.

Adding to the delight of Inside Drive is the inclusion of the most buttery-smooth play in any sports game to date. The animations look natural and flow together nicely. There’s never a hitch or stutter in the frame rate, and the animation never takes control away from the player. The result is a game where the player is in total control of his team at all times, which makes the game feel less scripted, and infinitely more “alive.”

Buttery-smooth gameplay.

One of the most overlooked parts of a sports game is its sound. Fortunately for us, the sound work involved in NBA Inside Drive is simply outstanding. The crowds cheer, boo, and otherwise act as you’d expect. It may seem like a small thing at first, but when the visiting team goes on a 10-point run, and your home crowd starts raining boos down on you, you’ll notice. The crowds are only for spice, however. The real aural treat in NBA Inside Drive is its announcing team. Kevin Calabro, Marques Johnson, and Kenny Smith comprise the finest announcing trio in the history of sports gaming and deserve special mention here. They’re topical, clever, and often laugh-out funny. It’s obvious these three threw themselves into their work, and had a lot of fun doing it. The fruits of their labor have paid off for NBA Inside Drive; the commentary is one of the many highlights of this title.

The game’s online play is amazing. There’s absolutely no difference between online and offline play over Xbox Live®. No lag, no stutters, no hiccups—nothing but pure hoops bliss. Add XSN Sports functionality to the mix, and you have the best overall package of game and value for Xbox hoopsters. If you enjoy the NBA, then you owe it to yourself to play NBA Inside Drive.

The highest compliment I can give to NBA Inside Drive is this: Gamers will not only have tons of fun playing it, but they’ll come away as smarter basketball fans, to boot. What more could you ask?