NBA 06 [PSP]

For years now, trying to make good team sports games on a handheld has been like trying to make steak out of ground beef: It just wasn't possible. With the advent of the PSP, odds of success are much higher. However, Sony's first basketball title, the launch-day NBA 05, wasn't much evidence of this. Rather, it was at best ho-hum hoops. A mere seven months later, we have a whole new ballgame.

On paper, NBA 06 hits all the shots: season mode, mini-games, authentic players and teams, multiple jerseys, etc. Season mode has everything you could ask for, from trades to stats to playoffs. Ladders are smaller tournaments for those who don't care about team management. The multitude of mini-games is perfect for quick bursts of play, including the unique but flawed dodgeball. You can even hoop it up multiplayer-style via wireless or Wi-Fi (which this reviewer was unfortunately unable to sample).

Of course, the inclusion of these aspects is the easy part of making a good game. What's tough is capturing the gameplay in a fun and addictive way; because if it's not entertaining to play, the fluff doesn't mean much. Surprisingly, NBA 06 slams it home in this aspect, too. The play is frenetic, action-packed and well rounded. You can't slack on D, and you can't just drive the lane every time when you've got the ball. The button-holding shot mechanic is smart and trains you to be a deadeye.

No doubt in order to make NBA 06 move quicker for portable players, things rarely let up--almost to a humorous extent. When a whistle is called, the ball is in play before you even know what's going on. AI issues and some quirks (inexplicable "traveling" call, for example) exist, but this is a much tighter game than most people will expect from a portable console.

Presentation-wise, NBA 06 is sharp; its graphics are especially astounding. Player models are chock full of detail and faces are surprisingly accurate. The animation is smooth and the crowd rivals any hoops title on any platform. Functionally, you have several intuitive camera angles. NBA 06's sound isn't quite as appealing but still works well. The quality of the music tracks will have you rocking out, but the announcer is bland and often behind the action--not that you can blame him, with the speed things move at.

You get a good taste of the graphics in the creative new Upper Deck card feature--which takes big moments on the court and turns them into realistic trading cards. After each game, you pick one to add to your collection. It adds a personal element to the collection mechanic that has become so prevalent in video games.

Hoops fans will likely find NBA 06 holding court in their PSP long into basketball season. Is it going to challenge for dominance in video game hoops in general? Not a chance; but it is the best example of handheld B-ball released thus far. NBA 06 holds the edge in terms of PSP experience and price point. If you've been dribbling in your pants in anticipation of a quality NBA title, wait no longer.