Product Description

Providing an unrivaled level of authenticity, NBA LIVE 08 introduces hot spots, using real NBA shot data to illuminate the locations on the floor where your players are most effective. Couple this with all-new signature go-to moves that capture the essence of the NBA's best, and you can now play the game on a console like you see it from the stands. All-new shooting mechanics - from deep three-point shots well beyond the arc to 10-foot jump shots in the paint, every shot attempt has been redesigned to provide more fluid, realistic results. Dunks and lay-ups are now assigned to the same button command making highlight reel plays even easier to perform. Running at a smooth 60 frames per second, NBA LIVE 08 is as close as you can get to the court, without dropping a dime for courtside seats. Player faces, team uniforms, and authentic arenas jump to life behind the power of next-generation game graphics. Whether you're working on your game in the revamped practice gym, or playing in front of a packed house, feel what it's like to be an NBA superstar. ESRB Rated E for Everyone

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #5954 in Video Games
• Brand: Electronic Arts
• Released on: 2007-10-02
• ESRB Rating: Everyone
• Platform: Nintendo Wii
• Dimensions: .30 pounds

Features

• For Play on Your Wii
• Published by EA Sports
• Game Genre: Sports, Game Sub-Genre: Basketball

Amazon.com
Now you have 2 ways to play with EA SPORTS Family Play. Introducing a new multiplayer, social experience for EA SPORTS Wii games that allows novice users to compete against advanced players and still enjoy success. Take control of the action using just the Wii remote and let the AI take care of movement to take the glory as you drive to the basket. But if you’ve already got game, plug in your nunchuck and play with the advanced control setting to get the depth that you crave. Now everyone can dominate with your go-to move on NBA LIVE 08 for the Wii.

Customer Reviews

Not fantastic, but fun
Part of the frustration of playing a game like this on the Wii is that you have to completely change the way you think about game controls, and there are many new controls to learn. Thus, this game is actually more enjoyable in Family Play mode. You can jump right in and get the basic moves down before attempting to use full control mode.

Some basic moves: rather than shoot the ball by pressing a button, you shoot by making a shooting motion with your hand. Rather than pressing the left or right arrows to steal, rebound, and block, you're flicking your wrists left or right. The B button is to pressure defense or to drive the ball down the lane. The A button or the arrow pad is used to pass.

The graphics are nowhere near NBA 2K8, but they aren't bad either. Players faces look like the players, and there's a nice variety of dunks and finger rolls to give the game some authenticity.

The most difficult thing to do is shoot free throws. You have to do the shooting motion at the right speed/power level to make the shot. The better the free throw shooter, the greater the area on the meter for a successful shot.

Overall, a decent game that's a part of my rotation during basketball season.

Missing Manager Mode and Wii controls can be sluggish
This is your only choice for basketball with Wii controls right now so if you are a Wii owner and love hoops you should just grab this title as overall it is satisfying. The graphics are just good enough to represent the updated rosters well, the music is a nice mix of new tunes, and the Superstar Challenge mode is a blast even if it doesn't really lead anywhere. The controls are the real caveat here, at times they feel very good (flicking to steal, popping up to shoot/rebound/block etc), and other times you will feel like you are flailing them madly under the basket trying to get ANY kind of shot off let alone the dream dunk you had intended. The game doesn't really feel rushed but there is a "blockiness" to the gameplay that VG basketball really should have gotten past at this point. The best things about NBA LIVE 08 for the Wii are the the SLAM DUNK CONTEST which requires you to move the Wiimote a few different directions to pull of some spectacular rim rattlers. The soundtrack is good, the FAMILY PLAY controls are easy enough for anyone to pick up and the Superstar Challenge is something I could see becoming a staple of NBA games (they just need to add some unlockable/RPG style content to make it more compelling to return to)
Overall this is going to deliver what most Wii owners will expect, I just hope the controls are a little smoother and reliable in future editions.

Fun for anyone.
I was up in the air about getting this game on the Wii version after bad reviews. I decided to rent the games first and try it out before dishing out $30. I must say that it's not all that bad. I played a few games and won all but one. The hardest part was trying to figure out the moves to make on the controller. I would of likes to see an option where you can go, to familiarize yourself with the moves instead of just instruction. If you have the Bigs on the Wii system you know what I am talking about. The slam dunk contest is a but challenging since you have to be quick about your hand movement to ensure that 10 scoring dunk. The three point shoot out is great, which was easy for me to knock down the whole rack and win. There should of been more challenges to complete where you can unlock. Overall I am going to buy the actual game.