DESCRIPTION

The third title in the Game Boy Color basketball series, NBA Jam 2001 features 29 NBA teams, two all-star teams, four different modes of play, and an assortment of options to help customize the game. Players will be able to engage in two-on-two competition using any of the 140 available NBA stars.

Each player in the game is rated in five attributes: shot, three-point percentage, rebounding, defense, and overall. Before starting a game, you can toggle Tag Mode on or off. With Tag Mode on, the user controls whichever player has possession of the ball; with the option turned off, the CPU controls one of the opponents throughout play.

Players can choose to play a season or go right into the playoffs mode, which lets you select one of the sixteen teams that qualified for the playoffs in the 2000 NBA season for a chance to compete in an Eastern versus Western Conference All-Star game. The game, which can be played using either team and consists of the starting five players from the actual 2000 All-Star game, includes more special moves, better passes, and super dunks than the other modes of play.

For those not able to endure season or playoff action, Head to Head and Practice modes are also available. Head to Head pits one human selected team against a random CPU controlled team, while Practice mode allows a user to select any team and lineup, and then practice passes, shots, dunks, and moves in preparation for competitive play.

With the Fun Mode option on, eight power-ups are available at random spots and for limited times around the court. Examples of power-ups include hot spots, which award a player up to nine points for draining a shot while standing on it; three power-up, which makes a player an unstoppable three-point threat; the broom, which sweeps the other opponents off the court; and the classic power-up, On Fire, which makes a player better at defense and deadly from the offensive end.

In addition to standard shoot, pass, dribble, and steal commands, NBA Jam 2001 offers several special moves to be used in any mode of play, including head-fakes, alley-oops, and limited turbo boosts. In-game options include selecting either a 20- or 24-second shot clock, changing the length of overtime, or choosing one to five minute quarter lengths. Finally, a season or playoff series can be resumed using a password. ~ Shawn Nicholls, All Game Guide