And 1 Streetball

Basketball apparel manufacturer and tournament host And 1 lends its "street cred" to this urban hoops title, which emphasizes flashy but realistic moves from the legends found on the And 1 MixTape team. Street ball fans will be able to play as or against such playground stars as Hot Sauce, The Professor, AO, and Helicopter as they perfect each athlete's signature-style moves. The game is further distinguished by its dual analog control scheme, dubbed the "I-Ball" system. More than 130 motion-captured moves are available to perform on both offense and defense, and players can customize a range of dunks, celebrations, passes, and more with the create-a-move editor. While players begin the game with only a few skills at their disposal, they can add to their custom athlete's repertoire by defeating each playground's reigning champ. I-Ball moves are broken down into phases, allowing players to gradually develop their game over time. There are specific moves performed on the run, dribble moves, showboating moves, ankle breakers (designed to knock a defender off his feet), and more. Each successful move earns players respect points that are needed to advance. Individual matches can be set up with a variety of parameters, from five-on-five battles on a full court to one-on-one showdowns on the half-court. Once players have mastered the controls, they can strut their stuff online against competitors from around the world.

OFFENSE

Square Button = random I BALL move
X Button = fake pass, pass ball, throw alley-oop pass
Triangle Button = jump for rebound, jump for tip off, dive for loose ball
Circle Button (with ball) = shoot, layup, dunk, fadeaway, leaner, self alley-oop
Circle Button (without ball) = jump for tip-in, putback dunk
L1 Button = back down the defender in the low post or paint
R1 Button = tubor, level 3 I BALL, breakdown move
L2 Button (twice with teammates) = player icons, pass to corresponding button icon
L2 + Circle Button = self alley-oop
L2 + X Button = throw alley-oop
R2 Button = defensive dribble mode
R1 + R2 Button = breakdown move
L1 + L2 Button = activate on fire mode
R3 Button = taunt
Left Analog Stick = player movement, level 2 I BALL
Right Analog Stick = offensive I BALL control
Start Button = pause menu
Select Button + Triangle, Square, Circle or X Button = call offensive play

DEFENSE

Square Button = steal, grab ball
X Button (with teammates) = switch to closest player
Triangle Button = jump to block, jump for rebound, dive for loose ball, jump and grab rebound, turbo block
Circle Button = jump for tip-in, putback dunk, shove
L1 Button = face your opponent
R1 Button = turbo
R1 + Triangle Button = jump and grab rebound, turbo block
L2 Button (twice with teammates) = player icons, switch control to corresponding button icon
R3 Button = taunt
Left Analog Stick = player movement, level 2 I BALL
Right Analog Stick = defensive I BALL control
Start Button = pause menu ~ Keith Adams, All Game Guide

Street basketball has long been a flashier and more gregarious variant of traditional basketball, but until the upstart basketball shoe company AND 1 began a marketing campaign designed around it, many outside of urban areas had never seen true streetball. AND 1 began distributing the so-called Mix Tapes which showcased the most incredible streetball plays. The popularity of those Mix Tapes spawned a TV show that followed the streetballers around the country and that show has now spawned the video game And 1 Streetball. The game features most of the popular players from the series and their signature moves, as well as many real-life courts and radio DJs. Unfortunately, while And 1 Streetball can be really fun to play, it fails to accurately convey the excitement and raucous atmosphere of real street basketball.

The Mix Tape Tour is the only game mode initially accessible to everyone, and it follows a rather linear path. Gamers create their own ballers, customizing their hair, outfits, and trash-talking voice, then guide those players through the Mix Tape circuit which includes cities such as New York, Philadelphia, Paris, and Sidney. In order to move from city to city players have to win the Open Run and Main Run competitions in the current city. Winning requires not only scoring more points than the opponent, but also scoring the requisite “respect points” which are accrued by completing tricky moves. In addition, Side Missions must also be completed to move on. Side Missions involve beating an established AND 1 star by scoring more points and performing a certain task a few times. Winning players are rewarded with cash which they can then use to boost their attributes.

Performing tricks in And 1 Streetball is fairly easy, with a process called "I BALL" that utilizes the analog controls rather than a complicated combination of buttons. Level 1 I BALL moves, or set-up moves, are completed with the right analog stick, while Level 2 I BALL moves require the use of both analog sticks, and Level 3 I BALL moves, or ankle-breakers, throw in the R1 button for good measure. There is a vast array of moves from which to choose, but the process is almost too uncomplicated, resulting in a lot of thumb-twirling but no real sense of control over the players. And there isn't much of a fight put up by the other team as they play the same sort of matador defense typically employed against the Harlem Globetrotters. The animation is unimpressive as well, which leads to players dunking without touching the rim, and while these players are meant to be highly skilled, throwing the ball directly through other players is a skill heretofore unaccomplished by any living basketball player. Overall, And 1 Streetball is a decent game that is unfortunately lacking in detail, polish, and depth. ~ Christopher Brown, All Game Guide