NBA Ballers: Chosen One

 Xbox 360
NBA Ballers: Chosen One Image
Metascore
55

Mixed or average reviews - based on 42 Critic Reviews What's this?

User Score
4.1

Generally unfavorable reviews- based on 16 Ratings

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  • Summary: NBA Ballers: Chosen One is a fantasy basketball entertainment experience featuring one-on-one and two-on-two action with the NBA's elite players. More than 65 of the NBA's top superstar athletes come to life as the NBA Ballers franchise continues its legacy. NBA Ballers: Chosen One putsNBA Ballers: Chosen One is a fantasy basketball entertainment experience featuring one-on-one and two-on-two action with the NBA's elite players. More than 65 of the NBA's top superstar athletes come to life as the NBA Ballers franchise continues its legacy. NBA Ballers: Chosen One puts players up-close and into the action with new "action movie" style game cameras that highlight every move. Create-a-Baller and take on the challenge of the epic "Chosen One Tournament", brought to you live from the most exotic courts around the world. As you progress through the game, earn the right to use an NBA star's "Shut 'Em Down" Super Move or take your Baller online to test your playing skills against others. [Midway]… Expand
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Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 0 out of 42
  2. Mixed: 32 out of 42
  3. Negative: 10 out of 42
  1. Games Master UK
    71
    Some of the fun of old wacky b-ball games has been replaced by what's perceived as cool. [June 2008, p.72]
    All this publication's reviews
  2. Game Informer
    68
    Chosen One offers a decent arcade basketball experience, but its short single player and weak online options ultimately keep it from unseating the current street champ, "NBA Street Homecourt."
  3. Game Chronicles
    65
    Compared to the likes of NBA Street or the highly underrated Street Hoops, NBA Ballers: Chosen One seems sluggish and contrived.
  4. Gameplanet
    60
    In one word: mediocre.
  5. PALGN
    55
    An abundance of cheap tactics and bland gameplay make this one title that will forever be warming the bench.
  6. Xbox World Australia
    50
    Chosen One is a decent enough romp for a couple of nights play, however it's hard imagine you'd invest any more time than that. It fails to exceed the fun factor, and overall quality, of similar games to come before it.
  7. Game Revolution
    16
    I could go on for much longer, pointing out the weightless feel of your player, the cheap and featureless last-gen graphics, the repetitive and unimaginative play-by-play banter, the purposeless customization options or the usually desolate and ultimately just as crappy online multiplayer. But that would be treating the game as if it had tried, when it’s apparent that this baller was looking to ball the pooch all along.

See all 42 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

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Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1 out of 5
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 5
  3. Negative: 3 out of 5
  1. StephenCountry
    May 5, 2008
    10
    This game is a ton of fun to play with friends. I actually believe that the controls and overall depth of gameplay is much better than whatThis game is a ton of fun to play with friends. I actually believe that the controls and overall depth of gameplay is much better than what I've seen in the competitors games (NBA Street, etc.). I think this game is getting a lot of harsh reviews because people aren't playing the game multiplaye. Tthey are only playing the single player experience. i certainly don't agree with the reviews (although who does these days) and think that the game is really a lot of fun and deserves recognition as such.… Expand
  2. Adrian
    May 4, 2008
    6
    A disappointing release that feels rushed. I have played all other versions of NBA Ballers and this one is the worst of them all... GraphicsA disappointing release that feels rushed. I have played all other versions of NBA Ballers and this one is the worst of them all... Graphics have lots of jaggies, the camera angle doesn't feel right and you cannot adjust it. The animations are stiff. The loading times are horrendous. Some of the game modes are pathetic (such as the one where you don't have to clear the ball in a 1-on-1-on-1 match) and the special moves trigger cut scenes that happen all too often and disrupt the flow of the game. A real shame as I was really looking forward to this release and feel as though it was a waste of money.... I wouldn't recommend anything more than a rental unfortunately.… Expand
  4. VitiatedGaming
    Jul 20, 2020
    2
    Let's start with the basic gameplay. Unlike most NBA games, you don't have a team to back you up, the player you create before story mode isLet's start with the basic gameplay. Unlike most NBA games, you don't have a team to back you up, the player you create before story mode is the one you're stuck with for the rest of the game so make sure you assign skill points wisely. The controls for this game are very clunky and often frustrating, mostly because the same buttons perform multiple functions. A prime example is stealing and fouling, in order to perform a "Super Steal" move you must press LT+RT+X, but the combo to foul an opponent is LT or RT+X, so you're going to be doing a lot of fouling when you want to be stealing. Other than that the controls are very basic, with A to pass, B to shoot, and Y to block with other combos to do "super moves".

    Speaking of the super moves, let's get into that. In order to perform a super dunk, shot, juke, or steal you must fill up your super meter, which is done by successfully completing Act-A-Fool combos. To perform those combos you must press LB+X near your opponent, then press the buttons as they come up on the screen. Easy, right? Well, it would be if the game was consistent with timing. You can press a button as soon as it comes up and have it not register, causing you to fail the combo and lose the ball. On top of that, your combo can be countered by your opponent. This seems like a function that fits well into multiplayer gameplay, seeing as your HUMAN opponent will have to battle you for button mashing but in the story mode with competing AI, it makes no sense. This digital opponent will be able to counter you at a moments notice, which can be incredibly frustrating when you're one successful move away from a full super meter and your opponent decides to counter, steal, score, and bring your super meter back down to nothing.

    Now, all of these flaws and clunks aren't a horribly big deal, plenty of games have their issues, particularly sports games. What REALLY makes this game a steaming pile of donkey feces is the "story mode". Air quotes included, because any story there is seems like the fantasy of every 9th grader who just made the cut for his high school JV ball team. You start as a guy on the street courts, playing up until the big leagues. Simple, right? Well, it would be if you were actually playing basketball. The first few episodes of the game do play like half-court basketball, where you simply have to score more times than your opponent. However, as the episodes progress, you are given side challenges that must be completed before the game ends in order for you to actually win. At first, they're simple things like completing an Act-A-Fool combo or scoring a dunk, but as the game progresses the challenges get pretty ridiculous. Some of the later episodes require you to beat 5 games using only 3 continues, and in each match you're given challenges along the lines of "Win without being blocked", "Win without letting your opponent score", and "Win with a Level 3 Super Dunk" (the longest and most difficult super meter move in the game). Apart from the challenges, the game also likes to change the rules during certain games, including no ball checking. That basically means that when your opponent scores, the fast and smart AI will be able to just stand under the basket and put up shot after shot before you can even grab the ball. Some levels are extremely frustrating, due to the skewed rules and almost infallible AI.

    2/10    … Expand
  5. 7Tenths
    Sep 10, 2012
    1
    With basketball finals upcoming a basketball game was in need. So i placed Ballers on the queue inspite of all the negative about it.With basketball finals upcoming a basketball game was in need. So i placed Ballers on the queue inspite of all the negative about it. Thinking at least the flash would make up for it.

    How little did I overestimate the amount and ease to use those flashy moves would be. You get thrown into the game with no tutorial what so ever. So you start of guessing what each of the buttons do.

    What a fun first couple of games that made! once you do get the controls down you    … Expand
  6. joshua.
    Nov 27, 2008
    0
    any game that rates larry bird as one of the lowest ranking passers on the game knows NOTHING about the game of roundball. period. now applyany game that rates larry bird as one of the lowest ranking passers on the game knows NOTHING about the game of roundball. period. now apply the same brillant minds here that rank bird as one of the lowest ranking passers AND one of the lowest ranking in power, which was his strongest natural physical asset, and you have one of the lowest ranking basketball video games of all time, an absolute joke, and within winking distance of RACIST to boot. just to give an idea of how ridiculous birds rankings are in the game, as a comparison george gervin was one of the worst passing guards in the history of the game, and he was a GUARD, so the game was set up for him to have more options to pass however bird in the FORWARD position, who is heralded as the best passing forward of all time, averaged OVER 2 TIMES as many assists as gervin, yet his ranking on the game is far lower than gervin and other players who averaged far less than bird such as dominique, worthy, dr. j, etc.. etc.., bird's power is also ranked at half of what gervin is for comparasin, which is just as ridiculous given gervin was an absolute bean pole of a man at just barely 185 soaking wet and roughly the same height as bird yet bird outwieghed him BY 60 POUNDS of muscle and is renowned as one the most well conditioned players to ever play the game due to his extremely hard work ethic, he was always the first one in the gym to practice and the last to leave waking up before dawn just to start training, he seemingly never tired out, and was a very strong 220-230 lbs. all of this illustrates just how the same apathetic effort to even do basic fact checks translates into an extremely apathetic and ignorant game in general, a contender for the worst basketball video game ever, move over "jammit" and make room at the bottom, its gonna stink down there for a while when this one drops.… Expand

Awards & Rankings

94
#94 Most Shared Xbox 360 Game of 2008