![NBA Action (UE) [!]-01.png (4281 bytes)](../dpsightz/gamegear/NBA_Action_UE_-01.gif)
The only true
attempt at a basketball simulation on the console, NBA Action is limited by the
hardware, and it cuts this game down in every area. It's an admirable effort, even
offering full season play, complete with full rosters. On the court, this is a plodding
game of basketball that can't attain the speed it needs to be an acceptable representation
of the pro game. Things begin to go wrong with the screen. Players are miniscule on the court, and when added in with the muddy colors of the court and screen blur, they disappear in a mass of simplistic sprites. Flicker is a problem, and this will definitely prevent the player from seeing where they're passing. The only way to tell which player is which is the number square above their head, and these can be tough to read.
When the action is this slow, you will have a second chance to make sure you're controlling who you want. The pace back and forth can only be described as plodding. This is not the fast action fans expect from the NBA. AI isn't a factor either. In-bounding the ball cross-court isn't a challenge, and rarely is there a defender to make the stop. Pushing the ball inside is even easier, and since the game doesn't recognize height, anyone can snag a rebound.
![NBA Action (UE) [!]-02.png (3895 bytes)](../dpsightz/gamegear/NBA_Action_UE_-02.gif)
When you're not on
the floor, the options seem impressive. That full season mode is great, but only if you
have the patience to jot down 17 character passwords to resume it. Stat tracking is
obviously limited without a battery back up, and it almost ruins the point of having a
full 82 game schedule in the first place. Standard exhibition is available, and you can
watch the CPU play a game, though the actual point of that beyond some marketing value is
unknown. The Game Gear wasn't built with involving basketball simulations in mind. If you need a fix, just go for either of the NBA Jam versions, which offer classic arcade gameplay. There's no reason to fight with this Sega produced game for portable basketball.
