The Fun Factor 06.04.07: NBA Live 06
Posted by Cory Moore on 06.04.2007
After Thursday's Game 5 of the NBA Eastern Conference Finals, Drew Gooden said Lebron James had a videogame performance. Based on how fun it is to light someone up in the virtual world, King James should take that statement as a compliment.
Last Tuesday was either exhilarating or massively disappointing for the top tier of the NBA's lottery teams. As an avid fan of the Grizzlies since they moved to Memphis in 2001, I've supported them through highs and lows. This past season was particularly frustrating as a fan, though, with the owner wanting to sell the team and Pau Gasol asking for a trade. All of these distractions were enough to throw hands up in frustration, especially when the established college team (the Tigers) is getting national recognition.
So last Tuesday was supposed to be redemption. We had the best shot of getting the #1 pick in this June's NBA Draft. I was shaky all day, pondering the scenarios, reading up on websites, and literally counting down to the pre-game show at 6:30. What can I say? I'm a sports fan. We act like this sometimes.
When the results were finally revealed, a rush of horror fell upon every Grizzlies fan. The #4 pick was the worst-case scenario…and that's what we ended up with. Most likely, this means no Greg Oden. No Kevin Durant. That night pretty much guarantees the franchise slumping ticket sales and probably a decade of mediocrity. Sigh.
Everyone has their ways of dealing with the pain. Some watch the playoffs to take their mind off things. Others raid the message boards and say the NBA is fixed and David Stern should be fired for his ludicrous operation of professional basketball. And then there's us who take the more creative route, and try to fix things ourselves. Sometimes, it's hard to imagine what we ever did without our videogames…
NBA Live 06
Playstation 2, Xbox, Gamecube, Xbox 360, PSP
2005
The Controlled Substance
There has been a lot of heated debate on EA's Live franchise versus the Sega Sports' 2K presentation of NBA basketball. Some prefer the former's fast-paced tempo, while others say it is too flashy and doesn't reflect the grit of the real-life counterpart. Many prefer 2K's simulation style, which replicates a more natural approach and focuses on playcalling, player rhythm, and other intangibles. The skeptics say the series is boring and lacks the features found in Live. Well, I've played both series and agree with both sides. Live 06, however, provides a little bit for everyone. More on that in a bit.
NBA Live 06 was the first of the series to introduce superstar controls. Players with high ratings get an extra boost of confidence from the game. Pressing and holding L1 and any of the four face buttons will fire up their abilities, ranging from a power dunker (Amare' Stoudamire), a playmaker with enhanced passing abilities (Steve Nash), a no-nonsense scorer (Kobe Bryant), a deadly-accurate shooter (Ray Allen), or a high-flyer (Tracy McGrady) on the offensive end. On defense, players are classified as ‘stoppers' in the paint (Tim Duncan) and one-on-one, perimeter-based defense (Bruce Bowen).
The modes in Live 06 range from bare-bones basketball to the electricity of special events. You have your standard 5-on-5 ‘Play Now' option, a choice to enter various tournaments, a limited brand of online play and so forth. All-Star Weekend – mini-games meant to simulate the action and intensity of the 3-Point Shootout and the Slam Dunk contest – returns for a refined second season. There's even the option to relive NBA Live ‘95, the debut game of the series that celebrated its tenth anniversary at the time of Live 06's release.
Of course, what would NBA Live be without goodies? There are retro jerseys out the butt, including the Raptor's old Barney the Dinosaur-looking one. You can play as your favorite team of superstars of past decades, such as a ‘80s collection that gets its assists from Magic and a ‘90s squad headed up by his Airness. Unlockable shoes, headbands, and other gear is plentiful in Live 06, and you'll have a blast seeing what pops up next.
The Fun Factor
Okay, so for all the good stuff listed above, NBA Live has always been criticized for its gameplay. In most editions of the franchise, teams play more like the Phoenix Suns (run-and-gun offense) than the Detroit Pistons (good defense). You can still play the former tempo to your heart's content in Live 06, but this installment finally gives you the opportunity to slow the game down at crucial junctures. If you're up 10 with a minute to go, set up in the half court and run the clock down. The other team will either scramble and turn the ball over or wave the white flag. It's a control over the game that was difficult to replicate before.
One of the best features of Live 06, the Superstar abilities, also adds to the realism of the game. More often than not, you'll get 6 or 7 players in double figures, with your stars producing slightly better output than the others. But if one of your stars goes off on a given night, well, feel sorry for the other team. For example, one time I scored 62 points as Kirk Hinrich because he had the stroke going (his ability was that of a shooter) and I fed it to him every time down the court. Of course, no one else scored in double figures, but my team won so I wasn't complaining. And, no shocker, that outburst never occurred again. If you're down in a big game, a stopper like Bruce Bowen can grab a steal in clutch moments of the game. If you want to play small ball like Don Nelson, start three high-flyers and dominate the paint. It's all possible in Live 06.
Since we're on the subject of customizing the game to your personal preference, EA's Dynasty Mode in Live 06 is pretty much the epitome of a solid franchise mode. I spent almost 15 seasons taking the reigns of the Grizzlies and the Sixers, and it was quite the ride. You choose your destiny. If you want to show the world what a few grizzled veterans can do, hire some trainers and get the old guys' conditioning right, and help them win a championship before they ride into the sunset. Or, you can always go with the popular youth movement by hiring quality scouts and building a team from the ground up. It'll take a while to get the team off its feet, but once the players reach their stride, it'll be rewarding for years.
It doesn't stop there, either. As you accumulate accomplishments, you can view them through display cases not unlike that of a real general manager's office. Trophies, plaques, you name it, it's in there. You can choose to hang retired jerseys from the wall, showcasing your best years as a GM. When a player is in the hunt for an MVP award, the home crowd chants "MVP! MVP!" just like in real life. How awesome is that?
The 411
NBA Live 06 is a blast to play, as it combines an up-tempo game with an emphasis on strategy and game management. Even if you learn every CPU tendency, you're not going to win every game. Through my years in Dynasty mode, I only won a handful of championships. I found myself pounding the floor in frustration as the computer got calls and I didn't. Free-throw shooting was at a premium. But really, isn't that what the ideal basketball experience is all about?
I was excited to play Live 07 last fall, but EA took everything that was great about 06 and butchered it. Oh well. Even though the players still skate like they're on an ice rink during the game, NBA Live 06 is one of the best basketball games I've ever played. Give it a shot sometime. Who knows? You may lead your hometown team to a championship, even if they have zero shot to do so in reality. And to top it off, you might just hit the championship-winning basket with Quentin Richardson.
