EA Sports Big sure knows how to expand upon a series, don't they? Over the years, the company has been making some waves with each of their franchises, what with the release of NFL Street 2 and Def Jam: Fight For NY over the past year. However, to me, it seems like the brand has been going a bit flat. Maybe it was because I was so spoiled by the fantasticness of SSX 3 that everything else past that seems to be substandard. NFL Street 2 had the wall-running trick, yeah, but past that, it felt a bit stale. As for Fight For NY, it was so busy spitting out attitude that it forgot to include fun in the picture, and became incredibly frustrating as a result. That left me to wonder if EA Sports Big was starting to become a bit too big for their own britches.

Well, leave it to them to make a turnaround with the release of a solitary title. NBA Street V3 has come around for the Nintendo GameCube (as well as the PlayStation 2 and Xbox), and it appears that the company is back on track by bringing forth yet another thrilling chapter in their arcade basketball line-up. Packed to the point that the digital briefcase is ready to pop open, the game's got improvements all over the place, but keeps its general nature of fast-paced 20-foot high dunks and smooth-as-butta offensive and defensive maneuvers intact. There's something that's so familiar, and yet something that drives you to dig a little deeper, beneath the initial plays, to see just what kind of balling you'll be doing.

I think the change that's most significant here has to be within the game's design. The first two series have been known for creating a comfortable atmosphere, with the kind of "street" attitude poured onto the courts and the players, but just barely stopping on the edge of looking too realistic. With NBA Street V3, EA holds nothing back, as the game looks much more detailed than before. Players are more true to their real-life counterparts, right down to their pre-measured height and even the most minor of facial expressions when putting the hammer down. They also seem to animate a bit more smoothly, even with the most basic of moves like diving for a loose ball or bouncing a ball off the "bootay", or butt if you will. Lighting is also a serious factor, especially during night games when you want to show 'em who's boss under the flood lights. The day games are equally well done, with the shadows faithfully translated to show the sun is shining down on your A-game. The whole thing moves at 60 frames per second, and the cinematic replays have even been rebuffed to give the game a sense of drama. In a simple sentence, the game looks fantastic.

But of course, what's a basketball game without a little depth to it? That's like having a Harlem Globetrotters game where they don't do something to the ref throughout the game, like drench him with water or pull up his shirt or some other act of buffoonery. NBA Street V3 also comes up enormously in this department, with many modes scattered throughout the game. You can take on a quick game and just challenge some friends to some straight up b-ball, or you can go right into Street Challenge, which is more jam-packed than it ever was. Not only do you have to get right into the beginning by building your own custom court and player, you also have to make sure that your team is well-balanced and your calendar maintained. A missed date here or a team argument there, and your reputation could find itself buried deeper than any submarine can go. However, play everything to the hilt like you're supposed to, and you'll find yourself soaring high, being offered new leagues and tournaments to take part in and earning some extra bling-bling to customize your team with the goods, right down to the jerseys and high-tops. Balance is everything in the Street Challenge mode, and it's got enough hours of gameplay to keep you dunking for weeks at a time.

And that's not even scratching the surface on customization. The options that are provided for building every aspect of your player and home turf are astounding. The court options let you choose different hardwood flooring, background set-ups, and more, so you can adjust to the right kind of street attitude that you feel best represents you. Your players can also be built from the ground up, particularly with your captain, who has to have a look that represents, but not necessarily in your typical standards. They could have long hair, like Steve Nash, or even a big puffy afro that says "king of funk dunk" or whatever. Another neat option is being able to build your own shoes. Sure, on the court, you can't really see what they do for you, but the fact that the option is there shows how much time EA has put into this latest edition. Note: you are going to need to build your own court and player to engage in Street Challenge, so you'll need to set aside a few minutes to get yourself started. It would've been nice to skip this and just get in the action, but I can understand why it's there.

Even if your own court isn't anything to write home about, there are still some stylish places to play some ball in the game. Whether it's indoors at a jam-packed gymnasium or on the outskirts of the city, where traffic is passing by and spectators are cheering on your moves, there are plenty of locations to show what you've got. And GameCube owners will probably get a kick out of the Nintendo court, a slickly designed place filled with pipes, mushrooms, and other stuff with just the right amount of "street" look to it. It's pretty cool.

Getting back to the modes now, let's take a look at the Dunk Contest. New to this volume of the series, this is a mode that really shines and puts NBA Live 2005's dunk contest to a bit of shame. It's really just a stylish showdown for anywhere from two to eight players where you take control of a particular star, put 'em on the court, and then set yourself up for a killer dunk. This involves the use of the Trick Stick (more on that in a second), and can also involve such props as dumpsters and ladders to launch yourself over for more style points. You have to impress three different judges, and you'd be surprised how quickly they might turn on you if you miss the crucial slam or mess up over a prop. It takes a little practice (especially when you try going off the backboard), but this is a great little contest and adds to the multiplayer. I actually consider it more crucial for the GameCube, since this version of the game can't be taken online.

Now we slowly move into the terms of game control, a very important aspect of the series. NBA Street V3 does contain some good offensive and defensive tactics, that's for sure. But it relies heavily on an arcade formula. You shouldn't be surprised to see players launch themselves fifteen feet in the air for a slam or prepping for an alley-oop. With that, once you play for a couple of minutes, you will be incredibly hooked. The game contains lots of power dunks, two-point shooting opportunities, and the ability to block shots and steal the ball- you know, typical moves. But there's also some trick moves to put into play with the help of the Trick Stick, the right analog stick. Using this in conjunction with the analog pad helps you pull off some marvelous combos, as well as some pass and rebound moves that will leave your opponent feeling a little embarrassed. You can pass a ball on the floor off the "bootay", slam it against an opponent's butt off the "bootay", or even use the backboard to get a cross-court pass to your teammate or bring it right back to you. These style points add up quick, as you build up your Gamebreaker meter with each combo completed.

Let's talk about the Gamebreaker. This is a fantastic moment in the game where, once fulfilled, you can launch yourself into a huge playmaking opportunity. Score a typical distance shot with the Gamebreaker turned on, and you'll score 2 points (out of the necessary 21) while removing a point from your opposing team's count. However, the dunks are what come into play to make the Gamebreaker something to remember. After launching yourself in the air, you can use the Trick Stick to add a signature style to your play. And I mean signature quite literally- after completing it, the player who made the dunk has their simulated autograph appear on the screen as they taunt their opponents. But this is just a Level 1 Gamebreaker. You can actually further the score up to 4 by involving your teammates. As you come down from a dunk, you can pass the ball to a teammate and then do the same thing with them, mixing up your dunk with style. This can be done three times and, if done perfectly, you'll score 4 points. It can turn the tide in a game rather easily, and provides a spectacular rush as a result.

There are some things I did notice slightly with the gameplay that bothered me. For instance, I kind of noticed how easily the computer was able to get the ball back, even though I SWORE I got to it first, well ahead of their dive. And sometimes the steals don't come as smoothly as they should. But, overall, the Trick Stick adds many miles to it and makes it that much more fun to play, right down to the set-ups of the alley oops that are unbelievable and will leave the boards rockin'.

As for sound, this is an area that seems a bit questionable in parts. The music selection for the game is excellent, intertwining the likes of old-school De La Soul with some new spins by the Beastie Boys without missing a beat. The sound effects and player taunts are also on the money, right down to the sound of the rim ready to give after the weight of a player has been forced down on it. But, really, the announcer has got to go. The way he comments during a game could be fun if it was intermittent, but he simply will not shut up, as he makes wry barbs and even sings annoying songs after a big play has been completed. This is one area where EA needed to do a little more homework. Smart is good, smart ass simply is not. Not in this case.

That leads us to the unlockable and bonus items you can find in the game. There are plenty of street legends to find, including Earvin "Magic" Johnson among others, as well as a wide variety of courts to choose from. The Beastie Boys also managed to find their way hidden into the game, and there's even a little featurette in the main menu that lets them explain how much fun it was to be involved in arcade basketball again. (Trivia buffs might remember that the Boys originally appeared in the home versions of NBA Jam many years ago, alongside President Clinton.)

But the real draw for GameCube owners will be the inclusion of the Nintendo All-Stars, as Mario, Luigi, and Peach all make their way to the court for a little dunking action. It's a nice novelty, I admit, but the gameplay seems a bit stunted when you play with them. Their height may have something to do with it, as Mario looks a bit off performing a power dunk. It's a nice touch but you probably won't be able to handle going through a whole season with them. Plus, on another note, if both teams select Nintendo All-Stars, their colors don't differentiate, making it confusing during a game to tell them apart.

Oh, well. So the GameCube version doesn't have the stellar online play of the other consoles, and instead offers up Nintendo icons trying to hold their own against the likes of Lebron James and Shaq. But that doesn't make it any less of a ride. NBA Street V3 is a vastly improved game of b-ball, a heaping of extra ice cream on a cake that didn't really need it, but we're happy to have any way. The looks are more visually realized than ever before; the sound, aside from the announcer, is easy on the ears; the gameplay is a lot more unpredictable and entertaining; and the modes are bountiful and worth investing in. If you have four friends looking for a slam-dunk evening of pure, over-the-top basketball, or even if you're just a solo player tinkering with the thought of creating your own legacy, there simply is nothing better on the market. NBA Street V3 is so good, you'll want to tell your mama. Hell, the whole family.