NBA Street V3

Play Magazine

For V3, the player models have photorealistic heads and faces - you can actually see facial details and markings. The development team even incorporated cloth animations. [Feb 2005, p.75]

GameSpy

From the new Trick Stick system to the amazingly deep career mode, nearly everything added to NBA Street V3 works perfectly... [T]his may very well be the greatest basketball game ever made, arcade or otherwise.

XboxAddict

You’ll find yourself playing this nonstop, wishing that you could leap into the game and be the one to slam the ball home.

Game Over Online

Easily one of the best sports titles that have come along recently. The expansive and highly replayable Street Challenge mode can absorb gamers for months, and the level of customization is truly massive.

GameBiz

The new trick stick really gives you a lot more variety in moves and brings a lot more variety to the game play.

GameZone

If it looks like a dream and plays like a dream this is the best dream I’ve had all year. The controls are solid and the arcade-feel just makes the Gamebreaker moves stylish and fun to pull off.

PGNx Media

One of the most fun games you’ll find for current-generation consoles.

IGN

The best of the series by far, I would be surprised if there's a better arcade sports game released in 2005.

BonusStage

The new gameplay tweaks work better than imagined, and the extensive serving of play modes and creative toolsets make this game a slam-dunk purchase for any and every basketball fan alive.

Xbox Solution

The possibilities seem endless if you can dream it you can pull it off with practice.

Armchair Empire

It’s truly excellent to finally be able to play NBA Street V3 on Xbox Live.

Kombo

Surprisingly, the component this game absolutely nails is the one that has traditionally been its Achilles heel, single-player.

Game Revolution

Fun and accessibility are the most important factors for a game of this class, and the solid implementation of the new Trick Stick makes NBA Street V3 one of the most entertaining, broadly playable basketball games ever made.

Gaming Target

If you are looking for the game with the flashiest moves, the nicest dunks, the most replay value, the most features and some nice graphics, then don’t stop to think about it – cop NBA Street V3 today.

Gaming Age

Honestly, this dunk contest is the most fun I have had with this style mode since "Jordan vs. Bird."

Official Xbox Magazine

Beautifully restyled graphics make a stellar first impression as larger, more realistic players stride with feline grace across courts that drip with lavish colors and lighting. But true beauty lies on the inside, and V3 has layer after layer to peel away. [Feb 2005, p.73]

GameSpot

The addition of online play (on the PS2 and Xbox) and a compelling single-player career mode, as well as improvements to the basic game mechanics, make NBA Street V3 the new gold standard of arcade-style basketball games.

1UP

If what you're looking for is a rip-snortin', metal-bending slamfest where dunkers prosper and long-ranger shooters make weak defenses pay, then this is your game. Nothing else is this specific, arcade basketball arena comes close.

Computer and Video Games

The perfect example of how updates of existing titles should be done. Every single area has been improved way beyond what we would have been content with. Sports games don't get much more polished. [Xbox Gamer]

DarkStation

One thing really neat about this mode is the props in which you can place on the court to add to the difficulty and style of your dunk. It's a simple getaway from the main draw but it's [definitely] a worthwhile one.

Inside Gamer Online

This game not only has an incredible control scheme, but it has so many extras that you probably won’t even have to update until V5. Whichever way you look at it, NBA Street V3 is the new pinnacle of the NBA games and is much more fun than any other basketball game in existence--including "NBA Jam."

My Gamer

Luckily for everyone, though, the Beastie Boys are in the game! What time is it? It’s time to get ill! Indeed, their hip-hop presence goes some way to nullifying the absolute lameness of crappy urban poetry guy.

Cheat Code Central

The online play is unrivaled. However even the smaller size of the S controller manages to mar the experience just a tad. I play a lot of Xbox and I'm used to it, but I would definitely consider getting one of those peripherals that allows me to use a PS2 controller in my Xbox.

Game Informer

On occasion, your CPU opponents will make some silly mistakes along the lines of using a GameBreaker to shoot a three-pointer during a dunk-only contest, but the AI is still mighty impressive. [March 2005, p.114]

Stuff

Playing this hyperactive hoops sim is like fast-forwarding your way through a Spike Lee–directed Nike commercial while beer-bonging a liter of Jolt cola.

Talk Xbox

The gameplay is as fun and addictive as ever, and the visuals were some of the most impressive I have seen in any sports game.

AceGamez

A truly remarkable game - not just the best basketball game ever, but also one of the best games around at the moment full stop.

Next Level Gaming

The right stick controls also take a lot of the learning curve out of Street that made the first ones so hard to learn.

Electronic Gaming Monthly

It's playing solo that puts this one over the top. Creating a custom hoopster and earning respect never feels repetitive. [March 2005, p.116]

DailyGame

Easily the best arcade basketball game I’ve played in years, but the requisite 14 fingers needed to play it is a bit ridiculous.

Sports Gaming Network

Even though the other two versions of this series are more fun, the incredible customization depth, tons of unlockables, and the addition of online multiplayer make up for the V3’s flaws and make it the best of the three games in the series.

TeamXbox

Worthwhile additions such as Trick Stick control, enhanced Gamebreakers, and a Dunk Contest show that EA wasn't resting on their laurels in the offseason.

Worth Playing

Call me crazy, but I like things simple. I prefer "NBA Street" over V3 despite the unlockable stuff and refined gameplay elements in V3. The camera angles were wonky for my tastes and the in-game announcer came close to ruining the whole game for me and my issue with the gameplay timing is perhaps my own.

Pelit (Finland)

A good arcade basketball game - smooth, entertaining and great to watch. [Mar. 05]

Sydney Morning Herald

But where this latest instalment excels is in enhanced options and customisation for serious fans, while still offering pick-up-and-play access for those after a quick sporting fix.

G4 TV

Of all the enhancements made in NBA Street V3, it would be remiss of us not to mention the visuals, which have moved away from exaggerated, cartoon-like players to a grittier, realistic look that better suits the game’s urban theme.

Operation Sports

The gameplay is solid, the customization is deep and immersive, and it’s absolutely stunning visually. It’s a slam-dunk for "Street" series veterans or rookies ready to make the leap.

GamePro

Putting on a three-man aerial show is about as tough as it sounds, but making the Gamebreakers controllable definitely improves the strategic aspects of the game. [March 2005, p.84]

Yahoo! Games

With all the attention given over to the performance and presentation, it's a shame that V3 features such lame audio.

RewiredMind

Graphical flair is measurable in bucket loads, and the longevity of the title is not in question since multiplayer and Xbox Live modes are included (with both working well). What confuses me is how I can play the game for half an hour, and then be so bored with it that I'm desperate for the match to end, so I can save my progress and do something else.

TotalGames.net

Style is nothing without substance.