NBA Courtside originally dropped jaws on N64 because it was a sports game coming from *gasp* Nintendo! It had a few flaws, the biggest being the Kobe Bryant endorsement that gave him had superhero powers!
Like 99% of the titles before it, this N64-to-Gamecube update is little more than a hi-res version of the original with a few token changes.
The most notable changes are the 2 extra modes that actually are pretty cool. There's Arcade mode, an NBA street ripoff, but it makes one think "why buy 2 NBA games for a sim and arcade mode when you just get them both in Courtside?" so it's a deal. Then you have the 3-point contest which really helps you perfect your shooting skills for regular games.
Left Field also changed Courtside 2002 with a few gameplay adjustments. Instead of Kobe Bryant being the only player with superhero powers, the star player of each team has them. Of course, the Lakers can do no wrong, but that's realistic to an extent. They made Michael Jordan old and slow with fatigue problems and his (realistic) hot and cold streaks. If Jordan sucks in the quarters 1-3, look for him to light it up for a storybook Wizards comeback in the fourth! In the N64 game, it was impossible to drive into the paint without being stopped and picking up your dribble. Now, point guards have the greatest penetration and I can't tell you how many times I've been dunked on by John Stockton!!!!!!
The new NBA rules have also been updated. The 8 second halfcourt rule and the unexplainable new backcourt rule (somebody PLEASE sit me down and explain it to me!) are both here and enforced.
In Courtside 2002, the A.I. is very close to the original, the difference being "money plays" that used to work 100% of the time now work 99.999%.
(TorkTip®: The biggest A.I. hole in Courstide remains! When defending the CPU's inbound pass, it always wants to pass the ball to the point gaurd. Cover him tight and right before the 5-second violation, they'll pass it to the center who has no handle! Steal the ball, score again. Rinse and repeat, you win.)
The graphics are GREAT! The face mapping has to be seen to be believed! The arenas are all authentic, and you can see the details all the way up to the skyboxes and the retired jerseys in the rafters! The crowd looks pretty good too. My only complaint is that the body sizes are all relative to their heights. Nobody's overweight or skinny. Jeheidi White is in perfect shape on Courtside! Where's the extra polygons for his flabby stomach, rear end? Why didn't they texture map his stretch marks? HAHAHAHA!
As far as sound is concerned, I'd rather get a ball thrown at my head then be forced to listen to this horrbible commentary. Who wants to hear a 60 year old man trying to say 'hip' phrases such as "Take that man out because he has no game" or "That's my definition of a brick" over and over? Some of the scouting reports sound a little better, but they can get pretty repetitive as well. The menu music...blows.
The controls are really nice and take full advantage of the new Gamecube controller. The best change is the new passing control. To pass the ball, you don't have to worry about icons and the like, just tap the yellow C-stick in the direction of the guy you want to pass it to and it will seldom steer you wrong. (using the C-stick bought me a few of those new mysterious backcourt violations. Grrrr!) The D-pad calls plays for you Rogue Squadron style, your analog shoulder buttons control your turbo, and the Z-button does a quick double-team. Not bad at all.
NBA Courtside 2002 is an above-average sim game with a bonus arcade-style game in a single package. If you're not too anal about wanting basketball simulated, this is the basketball game to get. Otherwise, hold off for NBA 2k2. This is right down my alley though.
