The original NBA Ballers is a decent game but the whole one-on-one gameplay got old fast, but the same cannot be said of Midway's sequel, NBA Ballers: Phenom. There's just so much to do that playing one-on-one isn't even the focus. It's just a small piece of a much larger picture, a basketball experience that'll ask you to dance with cheerleaders, customize your own player, and play a little NBA Jam session.

The most notable addition, at least for an arcade junkie like me, is two-on-two gameplay. The one-on-one stuff is still in there, but come one! One-on-one!?! Midway obviously knows where its bread is buttered, or rather, where its bread was buttered, so it's gone back and resurrected the classic gameplay from NBA Jam as well as its numerous clones, and the result is a fast-paced dunk fest full of earth-shattering slams and glorious sky hooks. It's certainly not the most original of concepts, but it adds a wonderful dimension to the game and serves as one of its many faces.

I was also pleased to learn that the game has plenty of familiar faces from the NBA such as Dwayne Wade, Stephon Marbury, Steve Nash, Tim Duncan, and cover boy Chauncey Billups, among other players. There's also a plethora of courts/cribs to check out including North Hollywood Prep, Muscle Beach, Lebron's Cliffside Estate, The Magette Marina, the Stoudemire Fitness Academy, Ludacris' LA Crib, and many more, most of which are full of spectators and interesting scenery such as gigantic mansions and other luxuries. And of course, there are all new moves and tricks that you can pull off.

Unless I missed something, NBA Ballers: Phenom plays almost exactly like its predecessor. Midway isn't messing with the game's formula, so if you're used to the last one then this sequel will fit you like a great pair of slippers. That's not to say that I think this is the greatest arcade b-ball game ever made, but the players control decent enough, the moves are easy to pull off, and with little effort, Phenom provides near instant gratification.

The actual basketball is all well and good, but I'm far more interested in the career mode. In this highly ambitious and enjoyable portion of the game, you create your own basketball player using a host of different accessories, skin tones, and hair styles, then you travel to Los Angeles to win a contest. Basically, the NBA Finals have come to town and there's a competition being held to uncover the best street baller in LA, the winner receiving a cool one million dollars and an NBA contract. But in order to get a shot at glory, you'll need to travel to Venice Beach, Hollywood, and Beverly Hills, interacting with a host of NPCs and completing various objectives. Some of them will take place on the court and you'll have to show off your skills, but you'll also compete in some mini games where you'll have to out-rap someone, dance with the Laker girls, and complete other cool scenarios.

Then there's the whole business of leveling up. When you first start out your game's going to need some work, but over time, your character will gain experience and become a better player, and all the while you'll be earning credits that can be used to purchase new basketballs, clothes, energy bars, and even your own crib! You can select a plot of land and create a custom mansion, spending as much time as you want on the interior decorating and the decorum outside such as basketball courts. It's a true basketball RPG, and it helps to separate Phenom from anything EA and 2K Sports are developing.

Another area of separation is the game's visuals, but unfortunately, this isn't a good thing. Phenom doesn't come out until April 5 so there's probably time left to tweak the graphics, but the build that I played is not attractive. Midway insists that Ballers has the most accurate player faces and I'm going to give the developers some well deserved kudos for capturing most players to a T, but the game as a whole is jaggy and rather simplistic looking. The final product could look like an entirely different game, but considering how long the Xbox and PlayStation 2 have been on the market, I'm disappointed that Phenom doesn't look all that good.

Regardless of how it looks, it's ultimately the gameplay that matters most, and with that being said, I had a lot of fun playing NBA Ballers: Phenom. I'm not sure if I want to spend $39.99 on it, but at the very least it looks like a very solid rental. But regardless of whether you plunk down the cash or a busy weekend affair, Midway's game will definitely satisfy your NBA cravings. Expect a detailed review shortly after its April 5 release.