Space Jam

NBA Live 06 is already a hit on the original Xbox®. Now, the hardwood action's heating up on Xbox 360™ as well. Completely redesigned from the ground up to take advantage of the console's superior technical performance, the title looks better (and, for that matter, more flamboyant) than ever.

Real-world physics, improved animation, gorgeous athlete models, eye-popping 720p HD graphics … Frankly, short of actually being drafted or scoring an exclusive season ticket, it's the closest to the court you'll ever come.

The Opening Tipoff

The first thing you notice upon booting the game is that there's no traditional menu system. Instead, you're plopped right into active play. Practice is literally in session from the moment the opening screen loads. The excitement begins as spotlights suddenly illuminate a darkened arena. Fluorescent lamps activate without warning too, their glow defining the outlines of a futuristic court through the transparent floor. A mechanical basketball goal assembles itself.

Tweak team rosters, adjust lineups, trade superstars,
and otherwise customize your game as you see fit.

Before you know it, you're directly in control of an athlete who can dribble, shoot, or slam dunk at will, and rapper Stat Quo's ode to excess "Like That" begins bumping through your speakers.

The experience is impressive, to say the least. It becomes even more so when you realize that a simple tap of the D-pad launches just about any function you like. Tap upwards on it, and choose a different player such as Shaquille O'Neal or Tracy McGrady, who suddenly appears on the TV under your immediate command.

Who you lookin' at, punk?

Press left instead, and Xbox Live® launches, letting you easily enter chat rooms, pair off against players of similar skill levels and enjoy an online showdown. Tapping down brings up the 82-game season mode options, should you have a desire to dominate the playoffs with your hometown team. Press right and jump straight into an exhibition game.

It's worth mentioning that you can always call up a more stereotypical user interface whenever desired by pressing the start button. Still, for the first time ever on a next-generation platform, total control is right there at your fingertips.

Suit Up

Before charging the hoop, stop and take a second to look around at the plethora of game options available too. You can scope out the Hawks' or Celtics' playbooks. Check up on your favorite player's most recent stats. Tweak team rosters, adjust lineups, trade superstars, and otherwise customize your game as you see fit.

Not to mention, of course, create your own player using an enhanced editing suite. Outfit a digital double with headbands and hairstyles, assign them a birthday and hometown, pick your attributes or borrow ability scores from pros like Tim Duncan … anything goes. After saving created characters, bring them to bear against the NBA's finest.

Still life in slam dunk.

Player Action

Get a load of how amazingly lifelike celebrities such as Rasheed Wallace and Penny Hardaway look. Athletes, who sport flexing muscles, rippling jerseys, and even finely detailed cornrows aren't lifeless dead-ringers for their real-life counterparts, though. They also sweat, grimace and blink, as you see during close-ups so vivid you can spot each individual's exact skin tone.

Amazing camerawork frames the five-on-five action, letting you watch crowds go wild too. Fans stand up and cheer, flashbulbs pop, and you get to observe every minute of it from just about any angle imaginable.

Even the way a game starts is amazing. You're basically plopped onto the practice screen, told to shoot a few baskets, and once an arena's loaded, the view zooms in on a Jumbotron picture which seamlessly transitions into a live view of the action. Now that's what I call interactive entertainment!

Sounds of the Game

The musical score and sound effects demand serious props too. Announcers Marv Albert and Steve Kerr call all the shots without skipping a beat as you land lay-ups or attempt free-throws using a new control system. (Press down, then quickly upwards on the right analog thumbstick to pull back and shoot.) Better yet, between the squeaks of shoes on polished floors and thump of balls bouncing off the backboard, you'll be treated to tracks by hip-hop luminaries like N.O.R.E. and Chamillionaire.

No, no … you want the other ball.

It all adds up to the fastest, flashiest baller around, not to mention a serious home theater showpiece. NBA Live 06—one small step for gamers, one giant leap for game design.

Article by Chris Zimmerman