NBA Street Vol. 2 (PlayStation 2/Xbox)

By JON MINIFIE

The original NBA Street was a major achievement for EA Big, the more extreme division of EA Sports, who had already scored enormous success with SSX the previous year. With its laid-back set of rules, mammoth air and monster dunks, NBA Street quickly became the best arcade-style, pick-up-and-play basketball game around, even managing to steal some of the thunder from EA Sports' outstanding NBA Live franchise.

NBA Street Vol. 2 has taken a year and a half to get here but it has been completely reinvented and well worth the wait.

Apart from the spruced up, cel-shaded look, there are old school all-stars like Larry Bird, Julius Dr J Irving, Clyde The Glide Drexler and the recently retired Michael Jordan alongside Kobe Bryant, Allan Iverson and a whole roster of modern stars.

There is even an option that lets you play as an entire team of Michael Jordans. Or if you prefer, you can create a player using the nifty create-a-baller mode, which offers an incredible array of options. The dunks are even more outrageous, but they are not unstoppable. NBA Street Vol. 2 gives all-new meaning to the term Tenacious D.

The innovative turbo blocks launch your player into the air, making defence as much a pleasure as offence.

Now outlandish dribble moves can be easily offset by an equally outrageous defensive ploy.

You can even pass using the right analog stick, take control of the player without the ball, go up for an alley-oop by yourself, and call for the pass while still in midair. There is no limit to what can be achieved and the laws of gravity don't seem to matter.

As with every EA Big title, there is a funky soundtrack that includes tunes from the plaster-wearing Nelly, Missy Elliott, Jay-Z and hip-hop veteran MC Lyte. NBA Street Vol. 2 is available now so get down to the mall, get some new sneaks and bring it on.

Price: $99.95

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