Mario Hoops: 3 on 3

 DS
Mario Hoops: 3 on 3 Image
Metascore
69

Mixed or average reviews - based on 40 Critic Reviews What's this?

User Score
7.9

Generally favorable reviews- based on 64 Ratings

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  • Summary: (Also known as "Mario Slam Basketball") Get that magic touch. There are plenty of basketball games out there, but none with the hands-on control of Mario Hoops 3-on-3. Players use the touch screen to get their game on as they execute tricky dribbles, special passes and sweet shots – all(Also known as "Mario Slam Basketball") Get that magic touch. There are plenty of basketball games out there, but none with the hands-on control of Mario Hoops 3-on-3. Players use the touch screen to get their game on as they execute tricky dribbles, special passes and sweet shots – all with strokes and taps of the stylus. Players choose their teams of three characters from the Mario universe and hit the parquet. Power-ups like Red Shells and Bob-ombs can turn the tide as they chase down coins – they will affect the score, so players collect as many as they can as they drive to the hoop. Whether playing against friends on a local wireless connection, jamming through a tournament or just playing mini-games, there's a mode for everyone. [Nintendo]… Expand
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Mario Hoops 3 on 3 Official Trailer

Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 13 out of 40
  2. Mixed: 26 out of 40
  3. Negative: 1 out of 40
  1. GameBrink
    95
    With hours and hours of gameplay in the tournament mode alone this is worth a purchase. Then you add on tons of unlockables including Final Fantasy characters and different basketballs and you've got a instant purchase. Oh yeah then you add on the extra mini-games, the WiFi Basketball, and the WiFi Mario Kart-esque game and you've got a no-brainer must have game of the summer. [JPN Import]
  2. GamePro
    80
    With its light-hearted gameplay and silly graphics, Mario Hoops probably won't win over a diehard basketball fan but it's entertaining enough to keep most gamers glued to the on-court action. Nintendo definitely shoots and scores with this one.
  3. Console Gameworld
    75
    If you got some competition in your area, you might want to look into getting a copy of Mario Hoops because the game is tailor made for multiplayer. If not, stick with a rental.
  4. Pocket Gamer UK
    70
    Fun, frantic, and action-packed, Mario Slam Basketball is a good-looking game that lacks solid opposition.
  5. Deeko
    65
    The idea is great and the execution can be very cumbersome, which is why I'm glad to see that Nintendo decided to allow for traditional controls, but I can see where Nintendo was really stretching on this one, which is sad considering how well designed it is on an artistic level.
  6. GamesRadar+
    60
    Mario Hoops betrays the tradition of quality inherent in other Mario sports titles, and proves to be a lot more style than substance. The stylus is not, in fact, perfect for every game type.
  7. Nintendojo
    40
    The controls, combined with the difficulty level, make the single-player game mind-numbingly frustrating.

See all 40 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

Write a Review
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 15 out of 22
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 22
  3. Negative: 2 out of 22
  1. IloveSuperMario
    Apr 21, 2021
    10
    The character selection is so diverse! The courts are pretty cool as they have alot of different things in them. I love the concept of thisThe character selection is so diverse! The courts are pretty cool as they have alot of different things in them. I love the concept of this game with items...etc. Also, the game is quite hard to master all the techniques it has built under the hood which is great and rewarding… Expand
  2. NTG07
    May 10, 2021
    10
    When I first played this game back when I was 6 I absolutely loved this game this was the first time Square Enix made a sports game with MarioWhen I first played this game back when I was 6 I absolutely loved this game this was the first time Square Enix made a sports game with Mario characters and it was a success and this game I do not think it’s bad it’s still a good game but not the best it’s just an amazing basketball game in my opinion and it was on Nintendo’s best selling console in history and I wish there was another Mario basketball game for a strong trilogy but I’m happy on what we got and once again in my opinion it’s an awesome game of Mario’s attempt on a basketball game on the DS.… Expand
  4. Theblade
    Sep 17, 2006
    10
    Kicks .ss in multiplayer, fun single player. If you like basketball at all you will enjoy this game.
  5. Xuphor
    Jul 30, 2006
    9
    Very good game. I have the imported Japanese version, and even if you don't speak Japanese, it's still very fun.
  6. luisflopez
    Apr 4, 2017
    8
    Mario Hoops 3 on 3 is a game that provides simple but addictive fun. I played it when I was around 12 years old, and I really got in to it.Mario Hoops 3 on 3 is a game that provides simple but addictive fun. I played it when I was around 12 years old, and I really got in to it. Nowadays I find it a little bit boring, and I can't tell if it's because i've grown up, or because I already played it too much back in the day. Anyway, this is a game i'd definitely recommend to any DS owner who's looking for a simple but entertaining title, in the likes of Mario Kart or Mario Party. It's a blast to play in multiplayer, but still manages to hold out well in single player.

    The game offers a good number of stages and characters, both from the Mario series as well as the Final Fantasy series (it was co-produced by Square Enix). There is a good amount of customization, like being able to choose a match's difficulty, lenght, the ball used and so on. A simple progression is present in this game in the form of unlocking new characters and stages to play in, which makes the game even more addictive. Aside from the main mode, there's also training mode and a bunch of special challenges, which were fun enough to keep me interested in them. As for the gameplay itself, the controls are intuitive and worked just fine for me. One thing I really liked is the ability to perform special moves, which differ from character to character.

    So to sum up, Mario Hoops 3 on 3 is a game I can recommend. Good for single player, great for multiplayer. It has a decent level of polish and simple but addictive gameplay that I really enjoyed back in its day.

    Score: 8.2    … Expand
  7. MarioBrax
    Nov 18, 2017
    7
    Decent game. Multiplayer is fun, Final Fantasy characters are playable, and the art-style is neat. It's not great, but it's certainly fun forDecent game. Multiplayer is fun, Final Fantasy characters are playable, and the art-style is neat. It's not great, but it's certainly fun for fans of both basketball and Mario.… Expand
  8. BoKepts
    Jun 18, 2019
    2
    The game that made 2K19 looks like 2K15 all over again. Team A.I: dumb. CPU A.I: dumb but lucky af. Too much bullcrap.

See all 22 User Reviews

Trailers

Awards & Rankings

34
#34 Best DS Game of 2006
14
#14 Most Discussed DS Game of 2006
19
#19 Most Shared DS Game of 2006