Amazon.com Review

NightCaster is a third-person role-playing game with aheavy emphasis on action. With amazing magical battles and endlessmonster generators, NightCaster plays like the love child ofLegend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time and Gauntlet.

The malevolent NightCaster has cloaked the world in never-ending night,and monsters stalk the land in increasing numbers. You play as the youngboy Arran, who has been chosen by a mysterious orb to stop theencroaching evil. Arran spends the next several years learning magic,and when he returns to his home as a young man, he sees that evil hasalmost overtaken everything. Now he must use his hard-earned powers tofight back the evil, and put an end to the NightCaster!

In NightCaster, monsters are the name of the game--you fighthordes of them to gain new magical spells. There are four schools ofmagic: water, fire, light, and darkness. You can choose to specializein one school, which will give you increased attack power in thatschool. Magic affects the various creatures differently, however, andyou learn by trial and error which attacks are the most effective.Throughout the game, you unlock more powerful magic as you completequests, and your character actually ages as the game progresses! By theend of the game, you are an old--and very powerful--wizard.

The coolest thing in NightCaster by far is Arran's magicalstaff. On its tip sits an orb that's the focus of your magical power.Those familiar with Navi and the Z-Targeting system from Zelda 64will love this--with your right thumb pad, you can have the orb flyoff the staff to scout (and illuminate) areas around you. Unlike withthe Z-Targeting system, you can control where the sphere goes at alltimes. Indispensable in battle, the orb can be used as a target foryour magical attacks.

This game's good, but it has some flaws. NightCaster gives youthe ability to switch between first- and third-person views, but youautomatically switch back to third-person when you enter a fight,rendering a first-player perspective useless. Also, while the game'stalking tutorial is helpful, the voice sounds like TV psychic MissCleo. Initially I found it funny, but over time it had me banging myhead against the wall. Lastly, the monster design is lacking--themonsters look like cute little potato bugs, or those snap-togetherplastic toys toddlers love. The truly scary thing about them is howcuddly evil can appear to be.

Bottom line: NightCaster is a fun third-person action-RPG romp,the perfect quick fix for hack 'n' slash cravings. --BryanKarsh

Pros:

• One kickin' magical staff
• Character ages throughout game

• Tutorial voice from hell

Reviews (38)

Nightcaster is in the spotlight!
This game is really good. I've been looking for this game forever! It has great effects and magic and the button use is really good and the controls are fab!

Nightcaster full of joy
Nightcaster is a good game. It is a cool one. I like the spells and monsters.

A Single-Player Gauntlet Knock-Off
It's almost painful to see a game with this much potential fail so miserably.The premise is superb - a lone mage fighting hordes of enemies with a wide variety of spells.Unfortunately, the controls and gameplay kill this promising concept.Switching between the different spells that you need is cumbersome, and you can only save in designated spots.The graphics are probably the only redeeming features, as the spell effects are impressive and it is interesting to watch Arran age over the course of the game from a young boy into an old, wise wizard.
Overall I can only recommend this game if you are a serious fan of spellcasting-based games and if you can get a cheap purchase/rental price.

Not the best the XBox has to offer
I'm a big fan of RPGs, especially those involving magic. I was disappointed with Nightcaster, though, and recommend this as a rent-first game for the XBox.

First, to be fair, the good points. Nightcaster has a cool spell concept. You draw from four different types of spells, using a glowy floating orb to direct your attacks. There are different spells in each class - from fire and water, light and darkness. Enemies are resistant to some sorts of spells, vulnerable to others.

The graphics are OK. A reasonable level of detail is found as you wander through countryside and towns in your quest to rid the world of evil.

But the gameplay in general just isn't there. You're a young boy who is lured by a glowing orb into abandoning your parents and home (without even telling them) for MANY years to 'train' to defeat a future evil. When you're finally released, you find your village in flames and your parents dead. Your sympathetic orb goes, "Jeez, time to take revenge!" And despite those many years of training, the spells you cast are pretty feeble.

The game has very much a Gauntlet-type feel, destroying monster generators and working through a linear path. However, the monsters are not threatening at all, and there's no multiplayer. The great fun of Gauntlet (a game I *love*) is the multiplayer mayhem and amazing party potential when you get some friends over. In comparison, Nightcaster is a solo trek through dungeon ... after dungeon ... after dungeon.

In its defense, Nightcaster was one of the first XBox games out and maybe was rushed to meet the release date. Definitely a game to rent first before you buy.

Do Not Buy This Junk!
Maybe because I had just finished "Halo" so my expectations were raised for all games but I think this game totally reeks. The third person perspective is [not so good] because you can't see ahead well. BTW, sometimes you can't see the monsters until they are nearly on you. And oh what "monsters" seems I spend my time running round killing giant rats and bugs and spiders. Monster rendering is poor, not frightening at all. The only highlight of this game is the spell effects which are cool. Verdict - AVOID THIS GAME, CERTAINLY DON'T PURCHASE IT! ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Resident Evil: Gaiden features well-known characters Barry Burton and Leon Kennedy in a game that combines the survival-horror and first-person-shooter genres. It includes three playable characters: Barry Burton, Leon Kennedy, and the new character, Lucia. Dramatic slide-show animations provide background. The challenging gameplay includes such actions as finding keys, putting out fires, and switching on power generators. It also features all of the mind-bending puzzles that players have come to expect from the Resident Evil series. As players explore, they view their character and surroundings in 3-D isometric view. When battles take place, the action shifts to first-person mode. With strong graphics and a detailed story line, Resident Evil: Gaiden offers an unusually deep experience for the portable console.

The story begins inside the hideout of the legendary S.T.A.R.S. elite attack force as one of the original members, Barry Burton, discusses a distressing problem with a mysterious elderly woman. A new type of B.O.W. (Bio Organic Weapon) has been developed by the insidious Umbrella Corporation and is believed to be onboard the luxury cruise liner Starlight. Starlight has already begun its voyage to Europe and now rests somewhere in the middle of the Atlantic. Leon S. Kennedy, the star of Resident Evil 2, was assigned to eliminate the B.O.W. His last communication confirmed that he was aboard the Starlight, but he hasn't been heard from since. In addition, Barry can't figure out why a poem he learned as a child suddenly has returned to him: "I loathe the ocean and the secrets it holds, forever deep, dark, and cold." Have the horrors of Raccoon City returned? ... Read more

Reviews (15)

NnyCW for Capcom City
Probably the most unknown Resident Evil game of them all, solely for it appearing on the GBC. The game plays like a 3rd person adventure, then when in combat with a zombie or creature, switches to a first person view where you your shots to choose where to shoot them. Overall, for a Resident Evil game, it isn't the best. But for a Game Boy Color game, this is one of the best. So, if for some reason you've never played a handheld more advanced than the original Game Boy or the Game Boy Color or if you're a diehard Resident Evil fan, you'll enjoy it. Otherwise, you could probably find a better way to spend your money. NnyCW for CapCity

Resident Evil Gaiden
This is the worst resident evil game. The character used was... wow... undescribeable (in a bad way.) The game is not really good, it's super boring.

You sould not buy this.
Gameboy was not a good choice for a Revil game.

GBC Features A Weak Resident Evil Charpter
The game features Barry Burton from Resident Evil (and he also appears in a bit of Resident Evil 2) and Leon Scott Kennedy (Resident Evil 2 and Resident Evil 4).
The story tells that Leon S. Kennedy went to a ship called Starlight and that, somehow, he got lost... So Barry has to come to that ship to find out where Leon is and to rescue him.. He discovers that the ship is full of zombies and some B.O.W.s, because the Umbrella Corp. put their dirty hands on that ship.. Barry also finds a survivor, who is named Lucia. And she'll help him to find Leon and whoever else is there...
- Graphics: I must say this was one of the few games I've played on the Game Boy Color, so I can't really compare... But, for all I've seen (not that much), the graphics are good for that plataform... They try to work with shadows and stuff... Well, they did what they could...But the character looks horrible.. Not detailed at all.. Even enemies are more detailed.
- Sound: The music isn't very good... You feel like it's the same one in the whole game.. Game Boy Color is not a powerful console for graphics nor sound... Talking about the few melodies in this game, I think they're Ok.. But can't be compared with any other Resident Evil game. You get sick of them.
- Fun: This is not a masterpiece. It's very far from it. You can beat the game once, but you're probally not going to play it again... Because it's not very scary without the soundtrack (which has always been a great point in Resident Evil games) and with bad graphics
- Educative: This is the only Teen-classified Resident Evil game... All the others are Mature-classified. The thing here has no big deal.. Some blood, violence.. You're killing zombies, anyway... You're not killing any human or any good guy.. You're killing biological weapons and zombies.. I think you parents don't have to worry about it...

After all, this game is disappointing. I only suggest you to buy it if you're a hardcore Resident Evil fan or if you're a GBC game collector. It's a great title for GBC - who has no big titles.

BOO!
Horrible! I love the resident evil games, but this one sucks.When you are battling a zombie you are taken to first person shooting.I think it was a big mistake. ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

As usual High Heat Major League Baseball 2004 isn’t quite as pretty as most of the competition, but the game does have a nostalgic look that’s quite stylish--kind of like the difference between now-torn down County Stadium and the new Miller Park that replaced it in Milwaukee. A major area of improvement is in player animation. The players aren’t stiff anymore; they move like human beings. A bit of graphics sheen was applied to the stadiums too, and while not the best, High Heat is finally a good looking game. Unfortunately, audio is merely okay. The problem isn’t limited to dry and dull commentary. High Heat 2004 pretty much has the same soundtrack as High Heat 2003 and, the music often does not match action on the field.

High Heat 2040 adds some 30 new pitches to the game, and the pitcher/batter interface so crucial to this game’s success (it’s the best in the business and it feels like real baseball) is still in place and looking good. High Heat plays a solid game of baseball that just feels right.

For perhaps the first time in the series (it’s been running the bases since 1999), High Heat 2004 was first developed for the PlayStation 2 and then ported elsewhere. That doesn’t make much of a difference for most console versions but buyers of the PC version will be disappointed. The port is sloppy. There’s no mouse support and significant blurring at high resolutions (the menus don’t scale). PC users are used to accessing all the stats, info, batting orders, etc., at the touch of the mouse. I can’t imagine why this happened, because previous High Heat PC games have had mouse support. The PC version also is plagued with minor stability issues and, worst of all does not have any kind of multiplayer. High Heat games have had multiplayer since 2001, and the omission of multiplayer in 2004 is a tragedy.

High Heat 2004 for the console systems is a great game, certainly the best looking one yet in the series, but the PC version is much weaker than it should be.--Andrew S. Bub

Pros:

• Good looks, great gameplay
• Best pitcher/batter duel available in a baseball game

• Bad commentary
• PC version inexcusably marred by bugs, no mouse, no multiplayer

Reviews (16)

Do you notice, the bad reviews here are repeated?
It looks like so many people are trashing this game here. However, upon closer inspection, it looks like a couple of people repeat posting. Why did they do that? To make a perfectly good game look like garbage? 3DO did not run a franchise into the ground! While offering up very little new to the 2003 season, this program still has more defined and easier controls. Graphics that are much nicer to look at. And an interface that is streamlined. Better team picks and organization. Really cool sky effects. And, i have yet to find a game stopping glitch (as i did in 2002). So, overall, a lot of fun. Well worth the purchase.

So So
I loved HH 2003. I played it for hours. I wanted new rosters, so I purchased HH 2004. Immediately, the gameplay felt awkward. I tried playing a few more games, but the entire game seemed so awkward compared to HH 2003. I guess the graphics look a little better in 2004, for example there seems to be more transparency etc... If you like HH baseball, and you don't care about the rosters, keep using HH 2003.

Trying not to be harsh....butttt.....
Well here it is the Newest version of the High Heat series 2004.If I say I liked it better than the previous year I would be lying.I don't mind that the mouse isn't included...but everything has changed and it can be a maze to someone without a gamepad.The graphics are alright...but I think the movement is much more limited.In short...the 2003 edition is cheaper and much more efficient because the game setup is much less tedious.I recommend the 2004 edition if you are used to playing playstation 2 games and a gamepad is a must have! Alrighty I hope this is helpful..I am sorry to the High Heat folks but I believe the 2003 edition is much better.

Absolutely terrible
I had heard nothing but great things about the High Heat series and though I read that the interface was poor, I thought it wouldn't matter since I had never played before.Well, I was wrong.I played probably 4 games and gave up.This game is absolutely terrible and if 3DO doesn't fix things for next year, they're going to be in a mess of trouble.This is just sad.

Not The Best I Have Seen
When I tried High Heat Baseball 2004, it did not have very good stuff. The faces were unrealistic, commentary was bad, and the picture quality was bad. When I tried it with Windows XP, it was perfect. Faces were real, commentary was good, and picture quality was good. The bad things are that is there is no mouse support, no multiplayer mode, and if you accidentally go back to the team select screen after you set the roster or if you decide to play with the same two teams again, the rosters don't get saved. You do have more than 11 different game modes to choose from. I don't recommend this game for Windows 98 users. It's best used with Windows XP. ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

In 2001, Sega and developers Visual Concepts--the same people who brought you the NFL 2Kx series and other sports games--turned out a solid console baseball game that was a major improvement on the previous version and the first with head-to-head Internet play. This version for the Xbox marks a similar leap in quality, combining some of the best features of its competitors into one well-considered whole. Alas, the only thing missing is Internet play.

Going beyond motion-capturing batting stances (there are 89 distinct ones in here by my count), they've done a great job of animating pretty much every aspect of the game in pitch delivery, fielding, and base-running. The instant replay system, which borrows from and improves upon the one seen in the High Heat series, allows you to move the camera anywhere on the field to see the realistic movements at any speed. You can also use the feature to see the game's sophisticated artificial intelligence--for example, there's a brief, realistic delay when a player tags up from third on an outfield fly.

There's also a solid pitching game that lets a starter like Tim Hudson get off without a shelling when pitching heat down the middle, but try it with a pitcher like Byung-Hyun Kim and you're bound to see different results. And the TV-style zone chart shows which locations each batter is best at connecting to and where your sequence of pitches has landed.

A number of the new features are so obvious that you may wonder why you've never seen them before. One is a controller map in the pause menu that quickly shows you exactly which buttons perform the task you want. An option is also included that sets the relative speed of pitches to the plate. This really comes in handy when coming from another baseball game like All-Star Baseball 2003 where pitches seem to blur to the plate.

To put it bluntly, the game has almost no downside. There are some very powerful GM and manager functions--including a fantasy draft and exhaustive franchise tools--though using them is somewhat counterintuitive. Stealing is kind of tough to pull off; in one game, Ichiro got caught twice out of three attempts. And, as stated above, there's no Internet play--but that gives us something to look forward to for next year. --Porter B. Hall

Pros:

• Realistic player movement
• Smart AI
• TV-style zone chart marks hot and cold areas for each batter
• Variable pitch-appearance speeds

Cons:

• No head-to-head play over the Internet

Reviews (53)

Franchise
The franchise mode for this game is unbelievable as you can now watch your players develope throughout their entire careers. Cons of this franchise mode is that there are glitches such as during the middle of the your season your lineup may be discomobulated by the computer. The gameplay sucks as it always has. World series 2k1 is by far the best baseball game ever. So if you want pitches to come in unbelievably slow then this is the game for you.

Stats dont even carry out through carrer, game [bad]
I bought this game after reading how great it was and I found out after many hors playing that is is a patheticclly boring game. Theres no salary cap and stats dont carry through careers. dont buy this gam trust

i love this game!!!!!!!
i love this game because of the great franchise mode and how real the players look. it also has great gameplay and features.

DO NOT GET....
DONT GET THIN GAME.THE HOME RUN DURBEY IS NOT EVEN REAL HOME RUN DERBEY.THE GRAPHICS ARE REALLY BAD AND THE HEADS OD NOT EVEN LOOK LIKE WHO THERE SUPPOSED TO BE.ALSO IF THEY DONT HAVE A PICTURE FOR A PLAYER THEY DRAW HIS FACE.THIS GAME ALL AORUND IS REALLY REALLY BAD SO DONT GET IT...YOUE BETTER OFF GETTING Tripple Play Baseball!!!

Better than a kick in the face
I read some people's problems with getting the computer to swing out of the zone, getting the computer to take walks, and especially stealing.

I think diehard baseball fans would have less of a problem with that stuff.I had absolutely zero problems with any of those things on the All Star mode.I didn't have a problem hitting too many home runs.I didn't hit more than 45 with any player on my roster, and some everyday players didn't hit 15 for the year.Now, my batting cursor was on small, so maybe that did it, but I don't know what to tell you there.

My problems revolved around the number of absolute BLOCKBUSTER trades that went down and the lack of a jump button.First off, you just really need to be able to jump.Secondly, Giambi was traded FOUR TIMES in my game . . . WITHIN THIRTY DAYS.That's just plain laughable.Sosa was traded three times within 60 days.Clean those two things up, and I think you've got one heck of a game. ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

Who needs realism? While all the other guys slave away every year to make their sports games as realistic as possible, Midway has gleefully chosen to make the wildest, most violent, and arguably most fun sports games you can buy. Topselling games like NFL Blitz, NHL Hitz, and NBA Jam are annual tweaks on the nose of sports gaming, yet Midway has kept the games close enough to the real sports they model to justify the expense of real player and team licenses. MLB SlugFest is no exception. It’s a Three Stooges-style romp into Major League Baseball, and it's crazy fun.

Imagine our National Pastime with Bugs Bunny-style pitching, runners who think nothing about clocking the First Basemen to extend their hit into a double, and hot players who burst into flame when they're on a roll. If a pitch hits the batter he either charges the mound like the Hulk on speed, or he cries and crawls to take his base. Everything is outrageous and exaggerated, yet beyond the cartoon antics is a real game where skill with pitching and batting can carry you to victory.

All of the major league's players, stadiums, teams, and logos are in the game, letting you really put the smack down on your least favorite team or force a perennial loser to play like brutes. A home run derby mode lets you practice hitting the long ball. One highlight is the commentary, which is hilarious. It consists of one smart guy calling the plays, setting up a gravel voiced idiot for some off the wall comment. Whether it’s speculating how many candles you’d have to melt to make a wax Babe Ruth, or complaining about the taste of his third Styrofoam cup, the commentary is fresh, funny, and it takes quite a while before it gets old.

Solid baseball gameplay and strategy--amped up and turned all the way to "11"--is what MLB SlugFest offers players. It's a great way to spend a nice spring day; mix in a little violence and flaming baseballs with your peanuts and Crackerjack.--Andrew S. Bub

Pros:

• Great graphics and hilarious audio
• Solid baseball gameplay beneath the silly gimmicks
• Especially fun when played with a buddy

• Computer player uses too many crazy pitches and abilities.

Reviews (40)

Not Bad
MLB Slugfest is a good game. It makes baseball more fun by adding violence, circus catches, blazing speeds and throws and mile long home runs! You are probably wondering why I didn't give it 5 stars then. Well while it comes through in some areas it fails to come through in others and the most important areas are the ones it failed to come through in. First fielding when a pop fly is hit the fielder isn't selected you have to do that which can become very confusing and you have to be it the right spot or you won't cathc the ball! For example you can move you player in the target and if he isn't in the right spot of the target he will drop the ball!!! Next is base runningif you have 2 guys on base one on 2nd and one on 1st and you wantthe guy on 2nd to go to 3rd you can hit R1 you make the runners advance but then both the runners will go so then you can hit L1 so they guy will go back to first but then they both go back and it turns into a double play!!!!! The batting is good and easy but this game can be very difficult at times!! Overall i would say this is a good arcade game baseball wise I would say there are better ones out there!

Well what can I say
Ok I write this review to be helpful to people. I LOVE baseball but when I got this game I was pretty dissapointed. I wanted to beat people up and all that great stuff, but when i got the game I found out that it wasnt all that brutal. Not only that it is WAY TO EASY. Also its not all that oriented with baseball, for example no free angents, no create a player, no tradeing, no farm system all you can do is e a team and play a season and thats it. I got the game then about two months later i brought it back and im happy i did.

This game is fun but how many players are on a real team?
This game is a real fun with great graphics.I have not seen such great detail on most of the players before.Even the stadiums are more realistic than in other games.The only thing I am dissapointed about in this game is that there is a limited number of players.The starting pitcher is the same for every game and you are only given two other players for pitching relief and they are also always the same two people.Also there is no pinch hitters or pinch runners which leaves out some of your favorite players of the team.Other than that this game is great fun and pretty much a good investment.ENJOY!

Slugfest: THE BEST GAME EVER
Slugfest breaks the player out of the painstakingly boring John Madden type commentary. Tim Kitzrow and "Jimmy Shorts" will crack any man women or child up with their hilarious, outragous, and witty commontary. Other slugfest features include great grafics, and only availible in slugfest: the ablility to punch players on base and the get in a fight with the pitcher in some sinarios if the pitcher hits the batter. Slugfest was recently ranked the third best game on the market. Plus, one of the games announcers, Tim Kitzrow, former NFL Blitz announcer, also annouced NHL Hitz, which was ranked in the same survey, the 11 best game on the market. From all those other slugfest fans, adios, and"PLAY BALL!"

Great Game, not as intense as i thought
when i got this game, i couldnt wait to beat on people, then i started to play. it is lots of fun, but not with a lot of midway twist. sure, you can punch people on the bases, but thats it. no other way to entertain you when you want to hurt people. get blitz or hitz instead. still a great game though :) ... Read more

Product Description

Sega Sports NFL 2K3 hits the gridiron on the PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system with the look and feel of a true champion. With all-new gameplay and PlayStation 2-specific features, NFL 2K3 combines style and substance in a football game that is as fun to watch as it is to play. You'll relish the meticulously designed player animations that include QB rollouts, improved RB spinning and stiff-arm moves, better grasping and tackling on D, realistic stumbling and more. In-game commentary juices up the action with dialogue that rivals TV commentary. ... Read more

Features

• Platform: PlayStation 2
• ESRB Rating: Everyone
• Genre: Sports

Reviews (70)

Hard to find problems
The only thing I can fault about this game is the inability to challenge, but in the game I have never found a situation where the ref. is wrong. It's a great game, and the animations and graphics easily surpass those of Madden. A very good game especially for the price which is very cheap.

this game stinks
this is not worth 10.00 price the graphic stink and a waste of talent to be make
its a waste of time to play dont buy me instad bu madden 2004better graphics this game sucks

EA SUCKS
Completely destroys Madden 2004, yeah that's right

I dont know why I waited so long to try the 2K series.

Madden SUCKS! Buy this instead. Better gameplay, graphics and it is cheaper.

10 Stars.. GOOD GAME
I bought NFL 2K3 in October 2003, and i think it is By Far better than Madden 2004.I had played Madden 2004 before, and it was ok, but one on one open field tackling was near impossible, and Some players seemed like they were covered in grease.Also Strategy actually makes a difference in this game, unlike many of its predeccesors.Here are hte Pros/ Cons

Pros: -Online Capable
-Player's stats improve year to year depending on their performance, so bad players can get good, with work.
-Scouting, you scout college players, and you get to draft them.
-You can sign free agents off the free agent wire.
-Strategy of play calling makes a difference.
-Impressive player creating and team creating program
-Customizable difficulty settings, from 3 year old easy, to extremely hard.
-Difficult kicking, unlike Madden games

Cons: -It has froze up on me once or twice
-Create a team mode only has 10 premade uniform styles

This is an excellent game.If i had to pick NFL 2K3, or Madden 2004, id take NFL 2K3.And apart from all that, 2K3 is only $9.99, unlike Madden's $49.99.The main reason i love this game is because it is actually challenging

great-needs improvement in few areas
I went out to buy some games and realized that NFL 2K3 was the real deal in graphics.I owned Madden 2002 and it was terrible graphic wise, i thought it was great until I saw the graphics for 2K3.But the announcing is just like Madden.I don't care what other reviewers say, this game's announcing is great, and then wham, after you play about 4 games, the announcers start using the same phrases over and over and over again.ANd sometimes, when I spike the ball to stop the clock, it says that I got the first down, how stupid!!!I definitely recommend this game over Madden 2003, but for 2004, people say its cool but I'm not really sure.I'll go for that probably once I'm sure and you will be hearing about it as soon as I play it... ta ta for now. ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

Sports fans with little interest in video basketball games may want to rethink their stance after getting a look at Sega Sports’ NBA 2K3. They--not to mention hard-core basketball simulation enthusiasts--will likely find it hard to keep from being drawn in by the game’s picture-perfect detail, engrossing realism, and challenging gameplay.

Like NFL 2K3, NBA 2K3 is presented in the patented ESPN style. The game has all the sights and sounds of the NBA: the pomp and circumstance of pregame introductions, accurate arena re-creations, realistic player animations and sizes, and fluid dribbling and shooting (including crossover moves and the ability to change shot direction in midair). All of this is accentuated with special touches such as alley-oops, tipped shots, the ability to make passes on the fly, fierce rebounding battles under the basket, and the added drama and excitement of the ball bouncing off the rim before it either falls in or goes awry.

NBA 2K3 offers a host of moves and modes on either side of the ball, with 25 offensive and 10 defensive plays from which to choose. Throw in fully customizable strategy options--everything from player clutch factor to computer shot tendencies, plus all types of shot percentages and fouls--and it’s easy to create the ideal matchup and game environment. The limitless roster manager feature also ensures that league and franchise modes will keep from getting stale.

Street mode offers a break from the grind of NBA play, allowing you to go two-on-two or all the way up to five-on-five in nine playgrounds and gyms. Pick your favorite players from current teams or choose greats from the '50s through the '80s and go at it as the Ballers vs. the Ringers. Street even features requisite trash talk such as "Yeah! You like that?" and grunts backed with "Get some!" --Larry White

Pros:

• Accurate, eye-catching graphic representation
• Challenging artificial intelligence
• Realistic gameplay

• Blocky player movements
• Players celebrate with fans after key shots
• Lob quality of passes

(This review refers to the PlayStation2 version of this game) ... Read more

Reviews (15)

The Best Basketball Game Made
This is the best basketball game made because if has many more features in it than nba live 2003.This game is also better han any basketball game now because the franchise mode is incredible because you make your own ways through the nba, like you coach your team, play with your team, make your own player, and win titles back to back if you are lucky.It also has street mode where you mix up players from any team and play on some of the geatest courts some nba stars played on when they were young.overall this is a good game when you play it. it might be the best basketball game you played and trust me I have it so go out and buy it I'm sure you are going to have fun playing it.

Average
There are deffinatly better games out there.NBA 2K3 is cool becauase it ahs the espn look, but the graphics and gameplay deffinatly dont live up to 2003 standards.NBA live 2003 is a much better game.

<<>>

The game has a large variety of game modes, ranging from 1 season, to a frachise mode where you can take ownership of a time and scout players and try to draft them, and play with them for up to 100 years!!The franchise mode is teh thing I got the game for, i wanted something that would last a while, and it did.You can see just what its like to run a team.

NBA 2K3 also has a street mode, where you can play from 2 on 2 up to 5 on 5.You can choose any current stars in the leauge, or older players.You also choose where you want to play, there are about 7 different courts.

Low Down on NBA 2K3
Undoubtedly this is GameCube's most realistic basketball game. The 2003 update contains not only the addition of C-stick passiong, but also includes improvements to the passing mechanics themselves and tweaks the previously irritating percentage of shots that are actually scored.
NBA 2K3 is steeped in an almost dour regard for the rules and practices of the sport of basketball. There are no outrageous steals, no somersulting dunks and definitely no smashing of the glass backboard. Instead, this game plays very much like the real thing - perhaps too much so.
Getting to the bare facts:
Visuals: Good animation, presentation and character models. Very nice throughout.
8.3/10
Audio: The commentary falters a lot less than many other sports games.
6.8/10
Gameplay: Serious and accurate, but is that what you really want?
7.2/10
Lifespan: Multiple game modes, expansive options and season-long campaigns.
7.6/10
Originality: Merely builds on and improves the previously decent NBA 2K2 (one of the reasons that I can't give it a good score)
6.3/10
OVERALL SCORE AND THOUGHTS:
-7.1/10 (71%)
Proof that sometimes sports games need a lot less realism. (Probably a good idea to wait for NBA Street 2)

The Basketball Game To Get
This is the best Basketball game money can buy so don't miss it!If you have an Xbox with Xbox Live get it on there so you can take the competition online.

CHANGE OF HEART
i wrote a review of this game a couple of months ago and after starting to play this game again have changed my mind.i thought before it was slow and the passes were too balloon like.but i have started playing the game on fast mode which i believe brings the game up to regular speed and brings back some of the fast break points.fast mode doesn't make it like nba live, it just makes it regular nba speed.this game is very real.just watch the passes and watch how the computer plays at times (penetrating and dishing out).although the computer doesn't know how to handle a zone (jacking up three point shot with whoever is at the top of the key).the only thing to watch out for is the game freeze on franchise mode. this will drive you crazy ... Read more

Reviews (135)

Good, but get the Playstation version instead
Extreme sports video games, up until the year 2000, were usually extremely lacking. The games often suffered from poor play control and graphics, and seemed rushed. But at long last, in the year 2000, Activision set out to correct all that had been done wrong previously with such titles. They went the extra mile to try to make the perfect skateboarding game. Did they succeed? Read on for my review of Tony Hawk Pro Skater.
PROS:
-UNLIKE A NUMBER OF EXTREME SPORTS TITLES, THIS ONE USES ACTUAL PEOPLE! As the title of the game may have implied, Tony Hawk is a playable character. In addition to Hawk, there are a number of other pro boarders selectable.
-THE GAME USES ACTUAL MUSIC BY ACTUAL BANDS! Most extreme sports titles feature lame, generic music that sounds like it would be better off elsewhere. In this game, that is NOT true. Bands like Goldfinger and Primus contributed music to this game, and their contributuions are one of the things that make this game so great. The other bands that contributed aren't as well known, but their songs are no less excellent.
-NO TWO CHARACTERS ARE EXACTLY ALIKE. Although every character plays in a similar fashion, each one has his or her own special moves. Likewise, what one character may lack in one area he may make up for in another, while with another character it may be vice versa.
-THERE ARE A NUMBER OF INTERESTING LOCATIONS. This game's settings are another great strength that it has. You'll go everywhere from an abandoned warehouse to an abandoned mall, and even a dam! There is no shortage of cool places to go in this games.

CONS:
-IN ORDER TO ENSURE THAT THIS VERSION OF THE GAME WOULD GET AN E RATING FROM THE ESRB, THE BLOOD AND MANY OF THE SONG LYRICS HAVE BEEN EDITED OUT. THAT is why I suggested in the subject bar that you get the Playstation version instead.
-CONTROLS TAKE SOME GETTING USED TO. If you've never played any game by Activision that uses this same game engine, expect to take some time adjusting to the controls. Once you get the hang of them, though, you'll end up liking them. And, of course, the N64 controller is godawful anyway, so it's even harder to adjust to the controls on this system.
-LATER ENTRIES IN THE SERIES WERE CONSIDERABLY BETTER. Although this was a good game, the later games were better, featuring more characters (and some even cooler secret ones), more secrets, and more music. Oh well, this game is still good.
-THE GAME GETS TOO HARD, TOO FAST. This game starts easy, but gets hard after a few short play sessions. Expect to blister your thumbs a lot, and often times accomplish nothing for it.

OVERALL:
Overall this is a very good game. Sure, it's overrated, but that's because it's a good game! If you want the best skateboarding games out there, the games in the Tony Hawk series are exactly what you're looking for.

The one that started it all
I remember the good old days.Right now tony hawks underground 2 was released about a month ago.I remember those daysof pro skater.

loved it
This wus the best game i had wheni had an n64!

Great game but the music absolutly STINKS!
When I got this game it took me maybe one week to actually beat it (with help of a walk through). Now I still play and I plan to beat it with all the people (wich will take up all the memory on my card). But the music absolutly STINKS. I mean how can anyone listen to this junk.I mean come on! The music has been my only complaint so far. And I can turn it off so it doesn't hurt my overall score of the game...

Stephen's Fact of Life
You want an awesome game? Tony Hawk is the bomb! You will be blown away by this game. Great graphics, easy to learn controls, and the best, baddest skateboarding moves ever! Check out the other Tony Hawk games for even more excitement! ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

Icewind Dale intentionally avoids a sophisticated role-playing-game plot in favor of classic Advanced Dungeons & Dragons dungeoneering. Thegame is set in the frigid corner of the Forgotten Realms made famous by authorR.A. Salvatore's novels. Manyfantasy fans will be familiar with the popular setting, but this time you get tocreate the heroes, and the adventures are your own.

Veterans of Baldur's Gate and Planescape: Torment will findBioWare's Infinity game engine instantly recognizable and usable. AD&D fanswill be pleased with the interpretation of AD&D 2nd Edition rules. With afew exceptions (no kits, no Drow player characters, no two-weapon fighting), youcan assume that if it's in the rule books it's in Icewind Dale.

Players can create six characters from standard AD&D 2nd Edition races andclasses as they set off to find an ancient evil buried in the Spine of theWorld. Combat occurs in real time (no turns), but the action can be paused atany time in order to issue new orders, prepare spells, or respond to a newthreat. The designers keep combat fast by allowing players to assign anartificial-intelligence combat script to individual characters. Your party canencounter a minor monster, fire arrows as it approaches, attack it with fighterswhen it gets close, and then get healed by the cleric when the fighting is done--all without your intervention.

Baldur's Gate and Planescape: Torment kept players hooked with anengrossing story line and, in the case of Planescape, excellent writing.Specifically designed as a more action-oriented "hack and slash" RPG, IcewindDale relies on combat and character advancement as its own reward. While itlacks the random dungeons and incredible magic items of Diablo, the highexperience point cap and the ability to create all six of your party membersmake Icewind Dale a worthy addition to any AD&D fan's game library.--Michael Fehlauer

Pros:

• Ability to create your entire party
• Slick computer game conversion of AD&D 2nd Edition rules
• Faithful re-creation of the Icewind Dale region as detailed by TSR and R.A.Salvatore
• High experience point cap lets players wield tremendous power--and faceequally powerful foes

Cons:

• Interface takes up too much of screen
• Little replay value

Reviews (93)

TOTALLY AMAZING GAME!!!
Icewind Dale has to be one of the BEST computer RPG games of all time!It has everything one looks for in such a game; from an incredible setting, to a highly original plot, to excellent multiple roleplaying options, to outstanding graphics, to extraordinary accuracy in relation to Dungeons & Dragons, and much, much more!
There is something here for everyone as the variety of challenges is large indeed, including battles, puzzle solving, and dialogue among others.

The game is set on Toril and specifically in Faerun.It deals with a great evil that has arisen and descended upon the region bringing the people misery and despair.
The story as a whole is excellent!The plot is so incredibly well written and presented that the gamer feels that they have been transported to another plane of existence and are actually present among the characters, seeing what they see, feeling what they feel, sensing what they sense.Moreover, the game does a great job of presenting the distinct cultures and civilizations of the inhabitants/peoples of Fearun, and Icewind Dale in particular.This has, without a doubt, been achieved as a result of a great deal of research that has gone into learning and understanding the numerous and often complex characteristics of the Forgotten Realms world.

Strongly recommended along with the Baldur's Gate series and Planescape: Torment.
Trust me, you will not regret it!

Grrrrrr-eat!
This game is awesome! The battles are so realistic! And the violence...Heh heh heh! I would recommend this game to anyone! It is the greatest role-playing game I've ever played!

Descent
After playing threw the entire game, on and off, in three weeks, I can say the game is...descent. I started off with one character thinking it was like my fav Baldur's Gate. But no you don't pick up new party members. So of course I played threw half the game till I hit Chapter three (realizing I couldn't beat the boss of this chapter with only one character (a high lvl ranger). I had to start completely over and make another party and get them ready to import to that boss battle. In a shorter note it would've been nice to have computer characters join your party.

The fact that all of your decisions are useless in dialogs. Nothing really changes the story it only changes the amout of exp that it returns. Aside from my dislikes of the game. I really enjoyed some of the interesting weapons and even if you didn't like the ICewind Dale you should get it with the Heart of Winter set to start with and it will improve your game play immediately...then again...if you haven't played Baldur's Gate and Baldur's Gate 2 screw this game and get those...excellent pieces of work. Oh yes and the Hearts of Winter game definately had some sound problems that i can't get worked out (it hums very loudly when it loads up..i've no clue what's with it but it looks promising if i get it working)

A great attempt, but....
Fails. I've never played baldurs gate. I remember my sister asking to so I asked my dad to play Icewind Dale. He set this up for me and I remember playing to the Vale of Shadows. I stopped about half way through. The most ignorant part about the games is the battles. As you go they get increasingly frequent. I hate haveing to fight a skeleton with 2 hp every other second. As for fighting, the game lacks as it is more of a point and click.

I started playing again from the middle of the Vale, and finally got out of there. I then went to a temple which was alright. After that I realized that I was going to another dungeon type cave. This time, I read a strategy guide to find out that it was about 5 levels of fighting. That's not fun. That is not fun at all. I could respect a short game with few battles, but when I fight battles every other minute just to drag out something... It almost seems meaningless after a while.

Anyways, I stopped playing there and decided to remake my party earlier today. I am enjoying it more, mostly because I know to make really powerful fighters and forget about druids. My druid last game killed about 15 units. My main character killed about 300. This can only tell you that my druid was bad. Fortunately I was able to change him later in the game. Although when I did, I got stuck with a level 1 character who was easily killed off. So yea, don't think because you can change your party means you will be changing later in the game. The feature is useless because by the time you discover just how bad your fighter is, the game will be too hard for you to change.

The game does a great job in voice actors though. The fact that I create my entire party is fine. The graphics could use some work. I get tired and bored of the same old dark environments every other minute. Even the snow seems depressing. Other than that, the game offers repetitive battles and little more. Online play isn't fun at all considering on gamespy there are usually one or 2 games going. Once you do get in the game you will learn that everyone exported characters who fought enemies on easy and had the option "max hp on level up" set.

Here's some advice, go play baldurs gate. My sis, sister is playing it again. She is enjoying it. This game is bland, depressing, and repetitive. Sorry but don't get it unless you wanna blow 5 bucks.

Bah! At least it was cheap...
Thankfully, I didn't waste much money on it.My seller was alright and everything was there, including the cool cloth map.However, I had problems.For one thing, it took me the longest time to level up, even with all the sidequests.For another, the enemies were too blasted difficult, the magics tended to backfire in the worst way.I would face a wolf with a paladin, a druid, a cleric, and a bard.You would think that the druid would be about as strong as a wolf, but no, my first druid got killed of by a couple of goblins.Then I fired a burning hands at point blank range on these wolves and it killed my full-hp paladin, while barely scratching the wolf.My paladin has 10 or 12 hp and the wolf had 13 hp on average, which led me to believe that at least my paladin would make it against this critter.But three hours later, when I got to the cave, I had trouble beating orcs.I had to have my whole party gang up to beat one and there was a cave full.Then when my thief finally levels up, I never figured out how to increase hp or anything else for that matter.Having a 2nd level bard with as much or not much more hp and no discernible increase in effectiveness (he seemed _less_able to fight orcs now) was the final straw.I had wasted enough time on this game. It would have been one thing if I was given enemies like that in later battles, but I had such enemies from the beginning.Furthermore, I had my biggest problem with the fact that point and click with the mouse was the only option, half the time, I killed my own party.

I would recommend a multiplayer game if it was more like Neverwinter Nights: hands on tutorial, cursor keys enabled (if I remember correctly), totally customizable controls. If I wanted to set the format to call animals, to arm, and to use certain spells it was easy to do. Level up increasing was easy as well. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Madden NFL 2002 delivers old-fashioned Madden gameplay with a classic mode that lets you relive the golden days of Madden NFL 93. You can also learn the X's and O's from the master himself, John Madden, with the all-new training mode. Develop your game-playing skills in defensive mode and head-to-head play in the two-minute drill, or perfect your playbook by repeating any play with the new Mulligan feature. The Madden Meter lets you track players' intensity levels, and a new kick meter will drill you on your kicking skills. You can play with one to four players. And, if that's not enough, this release's new Madden cards now feature cheerleaders. ... Read more

Reviews (16)

Madden 2002 ROCKS!!!!!!!
Madden 2002 is a cool game! Yesterday, the New York Jets made the highest score in an NFL game, winning 67-0 over the 2002 and 2004 Super Bowl champion, New England Patriots!!! Martin made NINE TOUCHDOWNS FOR THE BIG APPLE!!!!!!

Pros and Cons
Before i start i want to say that if you want a game that you can play for a year and not beat this is the game.

Madden 2002 has many good and bad things about it, Great A.I. and it is also very realistic, maybe too realistic.

I say too realistic because you can get fidgity when the Refs pullout the chain or the teams switch sides. It shows all of this so it can really be time consuming.

Also, a good QB can complete at least 65%of their passes. EA dosen't agree with me though 'cause in Madden 2002 even if your guy is open there is still a good chance that the ball will go through their head or their hands.

Quick, name a RB who can rush 12 yards a carry. What, no one does, well go tell that to EA cause on the hardest diffulculty I can rush for 12 yards a carry with Browns running back Rhite.

Bottom Line: Rent it, or pick it up at a yard sale cheap.

keyword
The keyword for this game is sucks. it is just the same as madden 2001 except a mode that teaches you how two play the game and mulligans which i think is totaly stupid. i would just buy the 2001 version because it is cheaper

Best Football Game EVER!!!
This game is the best football game ever. It has everything; grraphics, good gameplay, and realistic. The only 2 downsides is John Maddens voice (which says the same thing 4-5 times a game but u can turn his voice off) and on thee sideline everybody is 88. I have some super records on this game including getting 79 points in 5 min quarters and have one receiver catch over 1000 yards and 6 TDs in a game. Anyway this game is awesome and i would totally recommend it to good football fans/gamers.

The Greasts game ever
This game has all the knew players and the most up to date stats this game should win an award ... Read more

Product Description

Take control of the definitive hockey experience, NHL 2003. Whether you're skating as a rookie or lacing 'em up as a pro, pull off 90 miles-per-hour slap shots and awesome moves with Dynamic Deke Control. Fun and easy user-activated dekes let you trigger one of 8 different moves with the touch of a button. And when you get really good, take complete control over the stick and puck and create your own dekes to blast past the opposition. Show off your superior skills and earn a Game Breaker to enter a zone where surroundings move in slow motion, intensity increases and you feel your heart pounding as you blast free for a goal. ... Read more

Features

• Platform: PlayStation 2
• ESRB Rating: Everyone
• Genre: Sports

Reviews (59)

I gotta laugh at all these reviews
What's crazy is that I think this is, by far, the best EA game yet!!I have to laugh at all the negative reviews others have givin this game...are we all talking about the same game??When you are half way into your third season and still hearing new commentary which by the way is hilarious I think that says something...It is a riot to play...alone or with a friend.I've had countless hours of pure enjoyment and I plan to have many more with a real classic!!

One more thing...It's waaaaaaay better then the new 2004 edition!!

Very good
This game had many aspects of a good game(good graphics, nice setup, fun) but after a while, it becomes too easy to score. At first when i bought this game it was new and great, but as i continued to play it the scoring was exagerated. If you put it to the level 'difficult' the CPU doesn't put out much of a fight. This game also looks like an arcade game. It has good graphics but it isn't completely realistic. Overall i think this game is worth bying, but if you like a real challenge and a very realistic game, maybe you should think twice about buying this game or you could rent it to see if it is the game for you.

A blast....
If replay value is used as the greatest criteria for judging a game, than the latest installment in EA Sports' NHL series is a complete classic.My friends and I play it endlessly even when we build a franchise in such a manner that it is virtually impossible to lose, we still play and have a great time at that!

One of the best things about this edition is that you have virtually complete control over your franchise (including drafts, waivers etc.)

While the differences between the 2003 and 2002 editions are minimal at best (if you already have 2002 I wouldn't recommend buying 2003) it is a wonderful game that pays for itself in its endless replay value.

this game [is bad]
save your money buy NHL 2002 its cheaper and more fun

NHL 2003 is a Good Game
Hey Guys and Girls Since your reading this review you must be intrested in buying this game. WELL DO IT! This is a great game. For all you Hocky Fans and even if your not if you like sports games this is a great game. The controlls are easily set up for good gameplay. And the Franchise mode is Great fun. you can draft sign free agenst trade and all that. all the teams are pretty accurate. And it has pretty good graphics. The music is cool to. So stop reading reviews and go buy it! i promise its a good buy! ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

The latest incarnation of NBA Live has a slew of new features, like freestyle control, which lets you use the right analog stick to express your game with the step-back move. The game also offers triple-threat moves and pass interceptions. There are significant changes to the rebounding logic so players react in a more realistic manner to missed shots. Over 30 new rebounding animations allow for a wider variety of pulls off the glass. Motion capture, which was performed with two to four athletes simultaneously, is used for specific contact situations like post moves, pick-and-roll plays, and drawing the charge.

Enhanced CPU logic and AI allow for more effective fast breaks and open players who can cut to the hoop for scoring opportunities, as well as fine-tuned turbo buttons that afford players an array of in-game strategies. There are enhanced player movements, including dribbling, player-specific signature moves, and more responsive shot blocking. In addition, real NBA coaches roam the sidelines, and there is dramatic camera coverage of in-game and out-of-play sequences. You will hear what it's like to be on the court with all-new player calls, as well as court and arena sound effects. Classic jerseys give players a chance to relive their teams' glory days in authentic gear. ... Read more

Reviews (26)

It's all right......
This game is all right. It has all-stars from 1950 up till now, but even in Rookie mode, the computer always makes 3 pointers and you almost can't. There is one on one (nba player against nba player, like a hussle)mode, season, franchise, and normal games and practices. Also, you can't steal much. Everytime you try to steal, you get fouls. That's why I gave 3 stars.

Best b-ball game out
Wow!!!
Nba live 2003 is great. From throwback jerseys to play in to the new freestyle mode its like your in the game. By using the right thumbstick you can do crossovers, pumpfake, do a defensive crouch, make a perfect steal and whatever kobe or t- mac can do. BUY IT!!! Its the best one of its kind out. Nba live 2004 should be just as good.

Garbage...might as well burn your money
You will like this game if you like shooting 70% and still losing, CPU making 40 ft threes at will in the 4th quarter, glitchy graphics where CPU players pass through you on the way to the basket, countless missed layups and airballed open threes by your players, and watching Zhi Zhi Wang shake-and-bake to the basket while faking out three defenders lined up side by side.The disc made a nice frisbee as I sent it into the wall...too bad it wasn't sturdy enough for another toss.I would hope 2004 is better but I'm sure it will be the same [stuff].

Killer Graphics, Killer Players, Great Game
To sum up the NBA Live 2003 experience, it was GREAT!

I had only rented it, but during my play NBA LIve 2003 was one of the greatest games I've played. You don't get tired of this one. Even though I kind of didn't know how to play at first, once you get the hang of it, you've got it.

Here are somethings I like about the game:

Killer Graphics, Players
Alot of Teams to choose from
Pick your shirts, customize your team to the max

What i Did not like:

Directions don't really explain alot.
Hard at first, but once you get the hang of it, you got it going on
They come out with one every year. Uh-OH! More money down the drain.

The NBA Live 2003 experience was fun, hard at times, and challenging. I would reccomend this game to any basketball, or "I'm waiting for a challenge" kind of person. It is currently avaliable.

I thought a lot about a basketball sim...
I spent a long time thinking about which basketball game i should by for the XBOX. I thought about what i wanted in a basketball game. Graphics, Realism, Dunks and origanlity. NBA Live 2003 is very realistic, especially with that new right joystick thing! You can do anything! NBA Live 2003 really shines with the dunks and moves. ORIGINALITY IS WHERE NBA Live 2003 DUNKS OVER THE other games (no pun intended). SOmething new in a basketball game is something that you dont see alot, they all have shooting and all, but NBA Live 2003 lets u have complete control over the game!

BUY THIS GAME! Listen to someone that has played every basketball game on the xbox console. NBA 2k3 , starting five, and inside drive fall way short of NBA Live 2003! ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 lets players once again ride as the legendary Tony Hawk or one of 12 other top pros. Building on the franchise's intuitive control scheme, the game lets players perform hundreds of tricks and combos in some of the world's most popular skate locations, including Los Angeles, Canada, and Tokyo. Players navigate through eight obstacle-filled levels that include intelligent traffic and pedestrians. The game's all-new goals and rewards system offer hours of challenges. In addition to riding as one of the greatest pro skaters ever, players can also create their own custom characters with the game's robust Create-a-Skater feature. Choosing from hundreds of options, players can customize the look of each character by choosing height, weight, skin tones, accessories, and tattoos. ... Read more

Reviews (109)

The Game that wraps up why Tony Hawk is the Best Skater!
This game has a intresting touch to it. I want to meet Tony Hawk though... Anyway the game has 9 levels. 3 levels are competitions. They are Rio, Skater Island and Tokyo. If you win a gold medal on all of them, you'll get a video on your character. The other levels are the Foundry, Canada, Suburbia, the Airport, Los Angles and the Cruise Ship. There are 9 goals on each levels in which you have to complete to complete the game. You'll also get seceret characters and options that will break the laws of physics of the Earth.

SO SO
THIS GAME IS HARD to control ( the characters ) and the music stinks and its a little boring but its cool because you can play as over 100 skaters including wolverine, Darth Maul, Kelly Slater, and a lot more!

STOP
you can buy this game for 10 bucks!!! somwhere else. i forgot where.

Pretty good for my first GameCube game
This was the first GameCube game I got and still remains one of my favorites. Why, you ask? For starters, it's a fun game to play by yourself or with friends,mainly because of the variations of levels. Second, it's a major improvement over Tony Hawk 2. I had the Game Boy version of Tony Hawk 2, hence I prefered the graphics of Tony Hawk 3. Hope my review was helpful

Alex Davis

Uhh
This game was ok but there isn't really anything new compared to the earlier ones.Except for that there is a skateboard shop and a bunch of new stuff but the gameplay is still the same.tony Hawk 4 is the best one though. ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2, with all of its new additions, isbasically more of the same stuff that players saw in the first Tony Hawk'sPro Skater--which is not a bad thing at all. Those who loved the first willespecially love all of the new skate parks, with their hidden areas that can beunlocked by performing certain tricks. For instance, on the first stage, playerswill have to grind across an airplane propeller to get the thing to twirl, whichopens a hangar door. There also are some neat little touches to the levels, likea hall monitor who races around in a golf cart at the high school.

Neversoft, the developer of the first Hawk game, really deepens thisinstallment by challenging players with 10 objectives per level. Now, not onlydo players have to find hidden tapes and reach high scores by doing tricks, theyhave to jump certain gaps, as well as collect items and cash. This kept usplaying some levels for hours before completing the majority of levelobjectives--and even then there were some objectives, like achieving a "sick"score, that we couldn't quite manage.

The levels are set up to allow some clever trick combinations, and players evencan create their own skate parks by choosing from over a hundred props,including ramps, rails, and pools. Also fun is creating a skater from scratch,and determining his weight, attire, and skills, which can be improved by earningcash in career mode.

Like the last game, Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2 dips into the worlds ofhip-hop, rap, and punk rock for its soundtrack, although many of the songs arerecognizable and pretty old--this loses some of the freshness that thesoundtrack had on the original. And that describes the game in a nutshell: notas fresh, but still an extreme amount of fun. --Robb Guido

Pros:

• More objectives per level than previous game
• 13 pro skaters, with different outfits and boards

• Soundtrack lacks freshness of original
• More of same stuff we saw in original

Reviews (158)

Good GAME, BUY IT NOW!!
This game is heck fun! Probably all the pro's are here that I like. But there's only one problem, you can only create a maximum of 4 create a skaters in a memory card. So that's one problem. Other than that, I like the levels pretty good. Probably my favorite level would be Skatestreet Ventura. My favorite pro skaters in my opinion would be Tony Hawk, Bucky Lasek, Rodney Mullen, & Elissa Steamer. If you've liked this game so much, buy Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 for PS 2, & Tony Hawk's Underground 2 for PS 2. They are also so amazing games to
buy. There you could create more custom skaters which is what I
like the best. Get the game and go have fun, tell me about it.

Tony Hawk 2 absolutely Rocks
Tony hawk 2 roks man. The graphics are great, the levels are huge an theres loads of cheats. If you dont hav this game then go and spend some damn money on tony hawk 2!

dont wipeout tony!
i got this game back in '00 and i thought it was the best game on the market.And do you know what?I now think only two other games out marvel it, spyro year of the dragon and Tony Hawk 3.Tony Hawk 2 was a game not ment for it's time.It's like 20,000 leagues under the sea, it was a book about the future and now we can go 20000 leagues under.Tony Hawk has preesed the limits for tony Hawk more than you notice.When my friend told me that Tony Hawk 3 was out for playstation, i went to his house and i thought the console would explode.In this game you can grind, ollie, do lip tricks, flip tricks and specials that will blow your mind!The characters are way cool!There are secret characters too such as spiderman, officer dick and many others.But if you like these games for the secret characters then deffenetly play thps 3!The levels are totaly cool, especially the bull ring mexico there, if you run over the green poop made by the bull you get 200 dollars each time! (just a hint)The only reason i rate this 4stars is the graphics though.Other than that, everything is 5 baby!

This Game Rocks!
So what if they've got the new Tony Hawk games? So what if they have better graphics? Who cares? It's FUN, people, FUN. Stick the word in your head.
I got this game at a Game Stop for 4.99 but I think it's worth 44.99. The create-a-skater fits my nature and the crazed taxi drivers on the NY, NY level and the guy on the golf cart going a hundred miles an hour on the school level I thought were great works of art. Don't buy Pro Skater 4. Buy Pro Skater 2 and see a great classic of the 90s.

This is a great game!
I'd buy this game at any price!! The only bad thing about this game is that when you wipe out, it takes about five seconds to get up. It can be painstaking...but it is overall an extremely good game. ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

Sports fans with little interest in video basketball games may want to rethink their stance after getting a look at Sega Sports' NBA 2K3. They--not to mention hardcore basketball simulation enthusiasts--will likely find it hard to keep from being drawn in by the game's picture-perfect detail, engrossing realism, and challenging gameplay.

Like NFL 2K3, NBA 2K3 is presented in the patented ESPN style. The game has all the sights and sounds of the NBA: the pomp and circumstance of pregame introductions, accurate arena recreations, realistic player animations and sizes, and fluid dribbling and shooting (including crossover moves and the ability to change shot direction in midair). All of this is accentuated with special touches such as alley-oops, tipped shots, the ability to make passes on the fly, fierce rebounding battles under the basket, and the added drama and excitement of the ball bouncing off the rim before it either falls in or goes awry.

NBA 2K3 offers a host of moves and modes on either side of the ball with 25 offensive and 10 defensive plays from which to choose. Throw in fully customizable strategy options--everything from player clutch factor to computer shot tendencies, not to mention all types of shot percentages and fouls--and it's easy to create the ideal match up and game environment. The limitless roster manager feature also ensures that league and franchise modes won't get stale.

Street mode offers a break from the grind of NBA play, allowing you to go two-on-two or all the way up to five-on-five in nine playgrounds and gyms. Pick your favorite players from current teams or choose greats from the '50s through the '80s and go at it as the Ballers vs. the Ringers. Street even features requisite trash talk such as "Yeah! You like that?" and grunts backed with "Get some!" --Larry White

Pros:

• Accurate, eye-catching graphic representation
• Challenging artificial intelligence
• Realistic gameplay

• Blocky player movements
• Players celebrate with fans after key shots
• Lob quality of passes

Note: This review refers to the PlayStation2 version of this game. ... Read more

Reviews (29)

Great basketball game for Xbox
If you want a great NBA basketball game for Xbox that's affordable and fun, then look no further. NBA 2K3 is a full-fledged NBA game and has all the features that you'd expect in a quality basketball game-great gameplay, nice graphics, and nice sound effects.

This game is also a really cool multi-player game. On my XBox I play with my brothers and you can play 4-players. This game is very comprehensize and there are a plethora of options. You can pick any team in the NBA, and play any way you want. You can make up your own players and play streetball. You can play a practice game or practice free throws (which are kind of hard, you need to press both triggers). You can turn off all the rules like backcourt violations and 3-second violations.

The graphics in this game are excellent. The use of lighting effects is really nice, and the game movements are very lifelike. This game definitely shows off the power of the Xbox graphics engine.

Overall this is a great basketball game for Xbox. It's a very good choice compared to the other basketball games for Xbox.

A lot of fun, once you get the hang of it
I have played a lot of different basketball games for a number of consoles, all the way back to EAs first foray into basketball games with the Sega Genesis.This game is one of the best ever.One downside is that it takes a while to get used to the game's game play.I started playing on the "average" difficulty setting, and promptly lost 10 in a row playing superior teams vs. inferior ones!I put it down to "easy" and got the hang of the game, and am enjoying the game more and learning its secrets.

Some valid complaints: the passing game isn't 100% solid.Many times players will stop once the ball is passed to them, standing still until the ball gets there.This is infuriating when you're trying to orchestrate a fast break.Also, the computer's point guard does a bevy of moves to always get by me.Seriously, I think each game the guy I'm guarding throws up 20-30 points, 90% of them in crazy layups.

Sometimes you foul a guy and it looks like it was a foul on the groud, but they give the guy free throws.That is, the refs in this game are very loose on their definition of "in the act of shooting."You might foul a guy and then he takes two big steps and does a layup and they count the shot.I guess that's a lot like the NBA, though, huh?:-)

If you are a true basketball fan, this game is worth picking up.There are some cons to the game, but nothing major.Also, you can tweak settings (like how often the computer tries to drive vs. shoot jumpers) to help mitigate what are perceived as unfair computer advantages.Also, XBox Live support is present, which is killer.

2K3
This is the same as playstation2 verison i love all ov the 2K's this has better graphics then playstation2 but this is a good gane overall.

Perfect? Not yet. But the best NBA simulation yet!
NBA 2K3 has teamed up with ESPN and they are a killer tag team. You get the ESPN update at the half and after the game along with ESPN themed menus and added ESPN touch during the game. Alongside with the game's stellar graphics, the added ESPN touch makes for a realistic simulation game like no other.

Gameplay
Discouraged at first, I did not play too often. This was the first year that I bought the NBA series. The controls and gameplay were new and seemed difficult to learn. But, I started a franchise and got to know the buttons and I started to take advantage of some of the player moves like the crossover and spin move. Soon, I was tearing up the court. Passing is a breeze with either quick passing or the more traditional approach of hitting the pass button, then choosing who you want to pass too. Two difficult areas are defense and rebounding. Especially defense. It seems like whomever I guard ends up being a superstar. This, luckily, can be fixed with the gameplay sliders in the options menu. You can change a number of things to make the game more realistic. NBA 2K3 might not be the game for someone who cannot play too often and who wants an easy win but for the rest of you simulation fanatics, this game is well worth getting used too.

Graphics/Sound
The graphics are great. The game runs beautifully with the XBox. The replays at the end of just about every single play but you can turn them off. The detail is incredible. From the exact Arena designs, to the detailed players, the display off the game does not miss a beat. The sound is also great. On the court, you will hear various sounds as the crowd chattering, the players and coaches calling out plays, the PA announcer and the PA music, and, of course, the running commentary. Overall, the commentary is very good. You rarely hear something and say, "Didn't he just say that a few minutes ago?"

Play Time
2K3 will keep you coming back. With it's franchise mode and the addition of XBOX Live, there is no reason to stop playing. You can create yourself and put him on your favorite team and try to get him to become an All-Star or you can take the worst team out their and try to turn them around. With off-season modes such as draft scouting (you can also import draft classes from NCAA 2K3) and workouts for the players, you have the opportunity to make any team a winner. How you do it is up to you. XBOX Live adds a few new elements to the picture. The first is roster updates. Sega has released three updates so far, adding such players as Yao Ming (Ming Yao in the game due to contract problems) and adjusting the line-ups as such teams as the Sonics and other teams who have made some trades. The second new element that comes up is playing against other people on-line. The system is not perfect as some people will do anything to win, but the experience is still enjoyable. I have played with people all over the country. If the franchise and other various modes don't keep you coming back, XBOX Live will.

Conclusion
There is still room for improvement which means that you might want to wait until NBA 2K4. But for those of you who just cannot wait that long, you will not be disappointed with NBA 2K3. It is the best basketball game out at the moment. With a combination of smooth, detailed graphics, great sound, tremendous gameplay and very good replay value, I give NBA 2K3 a solid 9 out of 10.

Perfect? Not yet. But the best NBA simulation yet!
NBA 2K3 has teamed up with ESPN and they are a killer tag team. You get the ESPN update at the half and after the game along with ESPN themed menus and added ESPN touch during the game. Alongside with the game's stellar graphics, the added ESPN touch makes for a realistic simulation game like no other.

Gameplay
Discouraged at first, I did not play too often. This was the first year that I bought the NBA series. The controls and gameplay were new and seemed difficult to learn. But, I started a franchise and got to know the buttons and I started to take advantage of some of the player moves like the crossover and spin move. Soon, I was tearing up the court. Passing is a breeze with either quick passing or the more traditional approach of hitting the pass button, then choosing who you want to pass too. Two difficult areas are defense and rebounding. Especially defense. It seems like whomever I guard ends up being a superstar. This, luckily, can be fixed with the gameplay sliders in the options menu. You can change a number of things to make the game more realistic. NBA 2K3 might not be the game for someone who cannot play too often and who wants an easy win but for the rest of you simulation fanatics, this game is well worth getting used too.

Graphics/Sound
The graphics are great. The game runs beautifully with the XBox. The replays at the end of just about every single play but you can turn them off. The detail is incredible. From the exact Arena designs, to the detailed players, the display off the game does not miss a beat. The sound is also great. On the court, you will hear various sounds as the crowd chattering, the players and coaches calling out plays, the PA announcer and the PA music, and, of course, the running commentary. Overall, the commentary is very good. You rarely hear something and say, "Didn't he just say that a few minutes ago?"

Play Time
2K3 will keep you coming back. With it's franchise mode and the addition of XBOX Live, there is no reason to stop playing. You can create yourself and put him on your favorite team and try to get him to become an All-Star or you can take the worst team out their and try to turn them around. With off-season modes such as draft scouting (you can also import draft classes from NCAA 2K3) and workouts for the players, you have the opportunity to make any team a winner. How you do it is up to you. XBOX Live adds a few new elements to the picture. The first is roster updates. Sega has released three updates so far, adding such players as Yao Ming (Ming Yao in the game due to contract problems) and adjusting the line-ups as such teams as the Sonics and other teams who have made some trades. The second new element that comes up is playing against other people on-line. The system is not perfect as some people will do anything to win, but the experience is still enjoyable. I have played with people all over the country. If the franchise and other various modes don't keep you coming back, XBOX Live will.

Conclusion
There is still room for improvement which means that you might want to wait until NBA 2K4. But for those of you who just cannot wait that long, you will not be disappointed with NBA 2K3. It is the best basketball game out at the moment. With a combination of smooth, detailed graphics, great sound, tremendous gameplay and very good replay value, I give NBA 2K3 a solid 9 out of 10. ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

When Sega decided to discontinue the Dreamcast, it opted to make its excellentsports titles available for other consoles. And not a moment too soon.Competition is always a good thing, and Sega Sports titles, including NBA 2K2,are some of the best in the business.

NBA 2K2 features all the teams, rosters, and, most importantly, rulechanges (like the now-legal zone defense) found in the real NBA. Player faceshave been mapped to realistic body types (complete with tattoos), so you canidentify a big man like Shaq or a speedster like Iverson without looking attheir numbers. The game takes full advantage of the graphics-rendering power ofadvanced consoles by including better texturing, lighting effects, facialanimations, and a higher polygon count to make sure all the jukes, spins, jumps,and dunks are as realistic as possible. The audio is also good, particularly theplay-by-play, which is accurate and speedy.

The controls are intuitive--even for people used to the Dreamcast--especially inthe area of on-the-fly play calling. You can now use the right analog stickinstead of the digital pad, so you don't have to take your thumb off the maincontrols (left analog stick) to call a new play or change formations. Othercontrols let you quickly and fluidly box out your opponent, spin, shoot, pass,fake, and dunk.

There are also eight street-ball courts, and this addition makes for an almostentirely new game. In this respect, it is the equal of the EA Sports NBA Liveseries. But NBA 2K2 surpasses EA's title with its excellent AI. This gameis challenging, satisfying, and fun in both single and multiplayer modes.--Bob Andrews

Pros:

• Gorgeous graphics
• Intuitive controls
• Great AI

• A release date too long after the start of the NBA season

Reviews (89)

''NBA 2K2 is really the best basketball game on the PS2!''
For a start, it seems that the Dreamcast is totally starting to get outdated but with so many games and outstanding graphics you can't expect it to lag behind the PS2 for long! For example, NBA 2K2, a game already becoming one of the most anticipated Dreamcast games in its year, is starting to beat other basketball sims to hell. But when it came to the PS2 now, it's starting to increase its success!

It's rarely unbelievable for a game to increase its success that long BUT when it is that good, YOU WILL have to expect a month or two in order to hit the gamestore shelves!

Really the time is fast, but that's the reason with NBA 2K2, with fast-paced gameplay and easy-to-grasp controls where can you find a game this good in any other store? None.

I like the graphics, despite the gameplay becoming very easy to learn from and to play; they look so cool, and everything seems realistic, even the player models and faces, it really makes me feel like I'm in heaven!

The sound is also amazing, with exciting crowds and slick shoes, and also high flying rim-rattling dunks, it's all inside, so what are you waiting for, go get your copy now!!

Overall I like this game, it is simply the best basketball game to date; a lot of people hate these types of games just because they have no gaming taste, but me as a gamer, I love it and it is highly recommended to one of my best friends, Yusef, I give this great game five stars!

nuttin but da best
This game is ausome.All I can say is I love it.Especially the street ball games.I love dunkin it with Tmac.I'm a boy who likes the temptations.And why you ask?Because that's my style.The temptations keep me rockin and I love the way it happens.I'm a boy called Johnny Joe Hanson.Hey,dat's my name,don't wair it out.They call me Hot Stuff.Why?Because I said so.See later alligator.

Lots of fun!
I enjoy playing the season mode. It has good graphics, replays and it's easy to play, even my 5 year old can play it. We share time together playing either at any arenas or at parks or gyms. After a while commentators run out of phrases and some little glitches in their comments, but that doesn't affect gameplay. You can now get it as a Greatest hits for less than half the original price.

A really great game
Now normally I'm a fan of the NBA Live series, I even hung onto my little 16 Bit Sega for it and I have to say, NBA 2K2 is just awesome. It's in my opinion, it's just better than the NBA Live series on the thought that it's challenging and even very difficult in some parts such as the free throws, banging inside for a basket and even driving to the hole to throw up a cool lay up. In NBA Live, even with me picking some of the worst teams on the game, I can still score 128+ points in 10 minute quarters. When I played NBA 2K2, I actually lost and it didn't feel all that bad because it was nice to have a challenge for once.

You gotta love the Street Ball option. It's fun and a lot more diverse than on NBA Live. All in all, I give this a thumbs up and definately wait for NBA 2K3 to come out because you won't be disappointed. Happy gaming!

NBA 2K2 is off the hook!
NBA 2K2 is the best SIMULATION NBA game out there!NBA 2K3 will also take NBA Live 2003 out of play!I got NBA 2K2 for my birthday, and i am so supprised by the graphics that are shown in play.Now if u want an ARCADE NBA game, go for NBA Street, or Street Hoops when that comes out.thnx for reading my review and i hope u found this helpful before u buy it! ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

RedCard 2003 offers 11-on-11 gameplay with 32 international teams, 60 frames-per-second animation, and character models that are realistic to the last scar. The game includes 500-plus motion-captured moves modeled specifically for the high-impact, hard-core style of RedCard 2003. Stadiums and spectators capture the pageantry and fanatical nature of international soccer audiences (without the hooliganism!). Modes include single match and world championship. The game features multiple hidden characters, stadiums, attributes, and other secrets as you progress. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

BRUTAL!
this is the beat soccer game you can get. i am a huge fan of fighting games and soccer, so this game was perfectfor me. the best feature is the boost button. with it, you can headbut, punch, and dropkick other players weather its to get the ball or not. plus you can exicute matrix style kicks at the goal, like scissors kicks, frontflip shots and even a flamingo karate shot!i could play for hours and you probablt will to if you get this game.

I really need this game
I would like to know if i can buy this game from you because i really want it and can't find it anywhere. please let me know if i can or not!

Ok Soccer
It's okay, but not nearly as brutal and insane as it should have been.

Finally, a good soccer game
This game rocks! After reading all the reviews, I was very excited about getting this game. All of my waiting paid off one day when my package arrived. When I started playing I noticed the superb graphics in this game. The gameplay was awsome!!! Although it was kind of hard at fist I picked it up easily. This game is nice and challenging with lots of options and bone crunching tackles. The tackles are fun and make the game more exciting, but sometimes they can get a little too much, because the ref barely calls them even if you do put him on the strictest level. Overall this is the best soccer title that I have ever played.

NON REALISTIC
Ok to start off, this game is a very fast pace and fast action game; much like that off NFL Blitz.If your looking for realism, this is not the game ur looking for. Graphics... not bad, but the accuracy and precision you have to make is virtually nothing.A much more realistic game would be FIFA 2002 or 2003- more precise, realistic, and excellent game play.If you are looking for a game to just flat out hurt someone while getting soccer in there in the meantime, heres your game.Overall, it's a pretty good game, just not the type of soccer you may be looking for. ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

One month out of each year is devoted to the insanity of the NCAAplayoffs. The annual ritual of March Madness includes dozens of teams, thehottest young players, salivating scouts, chair-hurling coaches, small schools,big schools, cheerleaders, the hopes and dreams of thousands of alumni, and, ofcourse, complete TV coverage.

With March Madness 2002, EA Sports brings its college basketballfranchise to the PlayStation2 for another year. But despite fidelity to thecollege game, the result is more of a thud than a bounce. The problem isn'treally the game itself. The Play Now exhibition and full-scale tournament modesare fine, and the game includes 150 teams all detailed down to players,uniforms, fight songs, cheerleaders, players, stats, and play styles. You evenhave the option of creating your own team with everything from uniforms toplayers. The problem is what's missing compared to the competition and toprevious incarnations of March Madness on the PlayStation. About 150teams, the dynasty mode, and even the season mode are MIA! Why are these keyfeatures missing? Disappointing, to say the least.

At least the game plays a decent game of basketball and is true to NCAA rulesand quirks. It shares some problems--the computer crowds the lane too much--anda graphics engine with NBA Live 2002, but at least the previousrebounding problems are fixed. And the game looks great, too, even though mostof the players don't have their real faces like in the NBA version. The audio isalso excellent; the game features roughly 60 distinctive fight songs, and thecrowd roars and quiets down with the action. --Bob Andrews

Pros:

• Plays and looks just like the college game
• Excellent audio

• Missing 150 teams from previous installments
• Some game modes have disappeared

Reviews (63)

March Dumbness 2002
This game .... I should have rented it first. PLease don't buy it. If you are a person who likes graphics and no content whatsoever, this game is all yours. Whatever happened to the dynasty mode that MM2001 had? When you create a school you can't really enter it into the tournament. Another thing: it's really cool to see your guy dunk and break the glass on the backboard, but it is really annoying when you see it 5-6 times a game. THe dunks are great; there are so many of them. Another annoying thing is when you up-fake you usually make your shot. Like I already said the graphics are great. The courts, jerseys, player faces,and their bodies are pretty accurate. Frankly, this game should never have been on the market. DON'T WASTE YOUR TIME AND MONEY!

I hated this game!
This game was just not fun to me.First of all the game just had a exhibition mode and a tourny mode, and after a while the game gets really boring.They should have of put a Franchise mode or at least a season in there. The graphics were ok, and the best thing was that you could create-a-team.But that was really the only good things.I thought both NCAAMarch Madness 2002, and NCAA Final Four 2002 could have been better.I guess I'll have to wait untill next year.

NCAA March Madness 2002
I thought it was a big disappointment to me. It was just not deep enough. You know you are in trouble when you just have tournement mode. The graphics were ok and I liked create a team,but that was all I liked during the game. Both NCAA March Madness 2002, and NCAA Final Four 2002 were flukes they suked!

Awesome!
The graphics are great and the people looks so real. You can create your own team! I made one that has all the things that are about my school for the school info. You can also name the people on your team and make them look how ever you want! I think you should buy this game! All those other people are just winers. Wah, wah, wah. Now go buy this game now! Kids know more about the games they play than adults!

Now I can see why they picked this title.
First off, let me describe this game in 3 statements.
...Not only is this the worst college basketball game EA Sports ever made, they make it worse by putting Shane Battier on the cover. Oh, and for all you Duke Blue Devil fans, read and weep. ... UNC #1!!!! This gameplay is so horrible, it makes you want to run this game over w/ an 18-wheeler. The graphics are also horrible. They are the same as the ...year before. If there was a 0 stars rating, that's what I would give this piece of ... ... Read more

Product Description

Updated rosters, enhanced play modes, beefed-up character animation and great pro commentary give this game the edge on the ice. ... Read more

Features

• ESRB Rating: Everyone
• Genre: Sports
• Mission: Get ready to hit the ice for the fastest, toughest pro sport ever
• Platform: Windows 98/Me/2000/XP

Reviews (32)

The Best Installation of EA Sports
The idea of GM Mode is a very good one because you get to control a lot more about your team. The game play is also very good the way you can charge up hits and the fights are very realistic. Another thing is the leagues from other countries which is very creative.

dynasty is terrible
I liked the Franchise mode from 2003. You could change teams any time you wanted, become every team if you liked, play any game. Even if my team didn't make the Final, I could still play the whole series! But EA Sports decided it'd be a wise decision to limit the people's options. Now, you can have ONE team, and you MUST deal with payroll, training and a bunch of other stuff that just takes time away from playing games. I wouldn't mind a salary cap (but then we wouldn't get the NHLPA to sign off would we?) or something to keep things in check, but that should be optional.

If you want to have one, and only one, team and mess with all sorts of budgets and firings and whatever, fine. But I don't want to. I want to be able to switch a team's ownership if I want one of their players on my team, and I don't want to have to fit him into a budget! I want to play Game 7 between Minnesota and Washington.

Please somebody from EA read this and add some choice to Franchise, because NHL 2003 ain't perfect but that's what I'm gonna play instead.

Good Graphics, Good Game, Great Idea
First off, I've been playing the EA NHL franchise since 93-94 and every few years the game gets a facelift.This year, you can see the mesh of the jerseys and the skating engine was improved.Another monster improvement was the lack of ability to skate through defenders with the puck.This means passing is very important, as it is in real life.

There are some bugs where defensemen (and goalies) knock the puck into their own nets, but overall the game plays well though it takes time to get proficient at it.The game scores are moderate (especially if you try and play it like a real game.If your scoring is spread around you might have 2 - 4 20 goal guys and maybe only 1 or 2 80-100 point players.Goalies are not likely to get more than 8-10 shut outs but your save percentage can get pretty high (around 0.930).

Dynasty mode.This is the best part of the game.The fact you can either take your favorite team or build your own (however which ever team is displaced from the NHL to accomodate you, their banners are still in your rink).You can do a complete fantasy draft and then start simming/playing games.Win now or win later by trading experience for potential, set your ticket prices, buy upgrades for your team, etc...The sad part is, you can't extend contracts until their last year (and then they usually want a big increase).Salary is based on stats, not performance, so if you have a really fast skater sitting 'in the minors' he'll want big league money....Hint: sign and trade for a young guy, especially if you don't need him right now.

The computer trades frequently though the dialog box you see does not have enough information.You have to go and manually look at the trade by proposing it yourself.The create a player feature, to me, was upgraded.Visually you are limited though now if you want a Wayne Gretzky - he's gonna cost ya.A lot of money.

The announcing team got a facelift with Craig Johnson becoming the new color guy.It sounded a bit stilted but at least he sounded intelligent.

I'll buy 05 when it comes out.I think the game went in the right direction this year from 03.

Great Game...Can use some improvements
For those who TRULY understand the game of hockey and how it is played you will know to give this game a good review. It is much improved over the versions of yesteryear. Yes it can use improvements, no doubt, but overall I am pleased with this version and have been waiting since NHL 99 for EA to release something worth buying/playing.

The faults with this game are the AI, the computer does have a tendency to go on sprees of scoring when they gain momentum ar get a goal. But you HAVE to learn how to negate this! I have learned very well how to CONTROL momentum throughout the game, and this is what the designers of the game had in mind when they wrote it. There is also a little too much emphasis on the one-timer in this game, I would like to see a little more on the other facets of scoring as well. Also the bobbling puck that suddenly finds it's way into the net can be frustrating as hell. But heym thats video games for ya.

The pluses are the player movements, choice to fight, checking, (made it more difficult to do-because it is tough to do in real life!) And I LOVE the way you can grind in the corners in the offensive zone. There is truly nothing more real about Hockey than that.

I recommend this game to any hockey enthusiast looking for a good time. The upper levels can be tough to compete in, but in time you will be playing with the best of em. With a little arm pump I might add! For PC it is totally worth the $19.99. Go buy and have a blast. Trust me, I am a tough critic. This one is worth it!

Did EA test this game before it was released?
One can tell that much effort was put into game play, visual realism, and features. But after the game was "put together" did anyone at EA check to see how the final game played or if those features even worked?
Because of a poorly planned player ratings (skills) system(including facilities that start poor and can only IMPROVE with time?), one is left to wonder why all their players perform more poorly with each passing game. -Thinking gamers beware.
The interface is a mess, with player information scattered and not where you need it.
Outrageous simulated scoring of players (Paul Kariya- 13 goals, 9 assists in 3 games) can crush your hopes of your star player ever topping the ratings.
Also, players may still end up with 'twins' still playing on their previous team when you create a new team to replace another in the league. Horrible errors.
It all leads to a major disappointment from EA. ... Read more