Mario Hoops 3 on 3 (DS) Review

Nintendo and Square Enix have teamed up to enter the world of basketball in a style very reminiscent of Super Mario Strikers and Mario Baseball. This is the first of its kind too make it to the Nintendo DS and I anxiously awaited to put my feet on the court.

Graphics

Minutes into the game, MH 3 on 3 proves that this is one of the most polished looking games on the Nintendo DS. Very smooth frame rate and the details are top-notch. Each and every court has a beautiful presentation and rich colors that compete with the gorgeous tracks on Mario Kart DS. All of the characters really stand out as the amount of detail that was added to these players is very eye-pleasing.

Gameplay

Upon entering the menu, players have the option of starting a tournament, exhibition, multiplayer game or a practice session. I started with the practice session to learn how to play. The session starts off by showing players the basics from the offensive and defensive side of the ball. Once the game shows the player how to do a particular move or play, the player then has to try to duplicate it 3 times before moving on to the next exercise. I found the practice session very helpful as most players learn the controls of a game hands on as opposed to reading the manual. I must say however that some of the exercises were extremely hard to pull off which is odd considering I could do them in a regular game. There are tons of moves to learn in the game and it seems smart to learn a few of the basics then come back at some point when you’re comfortable playing normal games. This will ensure you’re learning new techniques without getting confused.

I’ve learned some good moves and its time to put them to the test….Exhibition style! Initially there are 10 characters to choose from and each has its own attributes which include speedy, all around, power, and technical players. Of course it’s good to mix n’ match to have a balanced team of 3. The game itself is divided into 2 half times (which can change later) each a few minutes in length. Each score is worth 20 points but players can dribble the ball on “?” blocks to gain more points that are cashed in when scoring. This can prove invaluable especially if you are far behind. On defense, moving the character over one of these boxes will cause an item to appear which can be used to attack (think Mario Kart) or increase your abilities.

Going into the 2nd half I realize how ridiculously easy it is to spank the CPU. Every time they start with the ball, you can simply walk up to the player and steal it with ease, and then its fast-break, dunk, SCORE! I swear I played 3 consecutive exhibition games and won 512-0, 467-0, and 611-21 respectively. The developers have GOT to do a better job with AI intelligence as I could steal the ball and score while never even having to pass the ball. Most of the time, the other characters will simply stand around as you dribble all over the court. To play 3 games and have all 3 games be complete ass whoopings is not acceptable. (Where are the difficulty settings???)

After 3 shellackings I decided I must be a powerhouse and it was time to win some tournaments. Initially there are 3 cups to win; Mushroom, Flower, and Star. (Sound familiar?) Three more POUNDINGS and I’m the Mushroom Cup Champion. I know it’s supposed to be the “easy” tournament but c’mon! After playing through the Flower and finally Star Cups, I’m glad to say that the difficulty level definitely jumps up especially in the Star Cup where I had a game as close as 97-92. (I actually broke a sweat!)

Multiplayer is where it’s truly at. Now the only issue is that download play only features mini-games and not a true exhibition experience which is really a drag. Wi-Fi was a no-brainer and I’m shocked that it was not implemented for this game as it could have become a Wi-Fi hit. All squabbles aside I must say that multiplayer is a very entertaining experience. Much like Super Mario Strikers, where single player is enjoyable for about as long as a pizza is delivered, the multiplayer game is extremely fun. Knocking your friend out with a red shell and taking the ball for a slam dunk is very satisfying and takes me back to the good ol’ days of “Arch Rivals”.

I have to comment that after playing for a while, there’s going to be players with a left hand cramp. It’s just unavoidable! Players do have the option of playing with the buttons but I found it easier to remember the techniques with the stylus as it becomes second nature.

Sound

Quirky music accompanies the game experience as one comes to expect from such Nintendo titles. The music actually adds to the hilarity and chaos that occurs on the court. The sound effects really come to life when using headphones as one can here characters making noises, items being thrown and also environmental activities such as cannon balls being shot onto the court.

Lasting appeal

The single player tournaments will keep you playing until you’ve unlocked all the characters, basketballs and uniforms, but once you’ve done all that, there’s not much reason to keep playing alone. On the other hand, if you can find people to play with, you’ll find yourself hooked for hours at a time. Trying out different combinations of players to smash on your buddies never gets old!

Fun Factor

If multiplayer is an option for you, there’s no reason you should not be having fun. Single player is only fun when the difficulty has increased. Much like Mario Kart however, the fun never stops and is always a joy.

The 411