NBA Hangtime

NBA Hangtime isn’t your standard basketball video game. This game pushes basketball to the limits…and beyond. The only violation that can be made during the game is goaltending. That, and the 24-second shot clock, are the only things regulating the game. The game is fast-paced and full of far out moves and abilities.
When you start the game you have three options: Create Player, Enter Name, and Select Teams.

The Create Player option lets you create your own unique NBA player. You can choose from different specifications such as height, weight, face, power, shooting and defensive skills, and name. The player you create becomes more powerful as you gain attribute points after each four games won. The Select Teams option allows you to choose any of the 29 NBA teams that are featured in the game, and then match them up in a game. The Enter Name option lets you load your created player (progress is saved) and go through a challenge of defeating all 29 NBA teams. After you beat all 29 teams, you have to play against several secret characters.
Gameplay isn’t the usual 5-on-5 as in regulation basketball. NBA Hangtime is a game of 2-on-2. You can only control one player and the computer controls your teammate and the opposing players. As stated before, there are no rules except for the 24-second shot clock and goaltending. So if a player is in your way, feel free to make them eat the court. The game features some insane moves: alley-oops, double dunks, back flips, spins, and sky high jumping. And then there’s a lot of pushing and shoving going on, too.
Each player has a limited amount of turbo which lets him perform extraordinary moves and move faster. But if a player makes three baskets in a row he will be “On Fire” and receive infinite turbo along with better shooting accuracy and being able to goaltend without being penalized. “On Fire” lasts until the player that is “On Fire” attempts and fails at six shots, or until the opponent scores. If the team with the “On Fire” player makes three double dunks or alley-oops without the opponent scoring, then the team will get 25 seconds of “Team Fire” in which both players are “On Fire.” “Team Fire” can only be ended when the opponents score an alley-oop or double dunk.
This game does keep stats, which are told at halftime and at the end of the game. The stats kept are: assists, blocked shots, dunks, field goals, rebounds, steals, three pointers, and turnovers, along with player injuries. Also shown is a quarter-by-quarter summary of the points scored by each team.
Graphics are well done, including nice ball, hoop, and crowd animation. A nice touch is how the players resemble their real life counterparts. Sounds are also nice, especially the crowd response and background music.
NBA Hangtime is full of fun, mischief, and skill. If you are a fan of the basketball video games, I definitely suggest downloading this one as it just has to be a part of your collection.