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Before buying this game, I suggest you rent it if possible. Theme Park Rollercoaster is no where near worth the price I paid for it or even 50% off. I was expecting "real-life", "sim", or "Rollercoaster Tycoon" like coaster game, but no. This was designed for little kids who are capable of keeping track of 30 things at once. For an adult playing this game the cartoon characteristics are annoying. Essentially, I wouldn't pay five dollars for this game. I'm selling mine, you want to buy it?

This game is Sim Theme Park for the PS2 So if you have ever played the addictive Sime Theme Park this is for you.

Okay, everyone else compares this game to Roller Coaster Tycoon. Newsflash: THIS IS NOT ROLLER COASTER TYCOON!!!! If you ever spent what seemed like minutes but turned into hours playing SimCity, adjusting your taxes and meeting the demands of the citizens, then this game is for you. Taking the same detail-oriented, behind-the-scenes approach to game play, the game presents the challenge not only of building your theme park but managing your employees and keeping everyone happy. The game is very simple to play, thanks to an interactive tutorial as well as on-screen detail of which button does what. No need to worry about digging out manuals to figure out how to play or how to access and important feature. You start with your first park and a set of goals to meet. As you meet these goals, you earn gold tickets, which you can spend to open up new parks. As you progress through the game, the goals get harder and harder. You have to keep your park in business longer, you have to turn more profit, and you have to attract more visitors. Not to say that if you liked Roller Coaster Tycoon, you won't like this game. Just don't expect it to be the same thing.

The graphics in this game were good, but the gameplay was down right childish. See I'm 17, and I was expecting something close to Roller Coaster Tycoon, but its nothing like that. I'll just sum it for you : if your ages 0-12 this game is for you. If your ages 13 and up and have a PC get Roller Coaster Tycoon. But if you don't have a PC just pray that Hasbro Interactive makes RCT for PS2.

Madden 2001 is one of the greatest football games i have ever played its graphics cannot be touched by any other football game I've seen. The sound quality and realizism is great. The pros to this game is that you have a new 2 minute drill and trades are great. the only thing i see wrong with the game is sometimes the computer has weird plays called and sometimes are tricky to beat other than thatthe game is great. if you don;t own a madden or any other football game you have to buy this one.

I will give credit where it's due, this game does have good graphics and a lot of options. But that's about it. I was so dissapointed when I got this game home after having heard that it was "the greatest football game ever" and so on. this game is such a waste of time. if this is the best that the playstation has to offer then we're in trouble. The AI is absurd to say the least. The dumbest plays happen and succede for no reason while simple passes often fly half way across the screen from where they're supposed to. The computer constantly makes false calls that don't even have anything to do with the play. The play editor is complete garbage. If you don't believe me, just make up a play and try it in the game. The commentary makes me want to listen to chalk grating against a board rather than the stupid things they keep saying over and over and over again. The dificulty setting is useless too. The game is the same difficulty no matter where you set it, the only difference how many points you and the computer will score. I could go on for a long time talking about how poor this game is but I'm going to stop and actually go trade it in at EB now instead. Maybe I'll get a worthwhile game instead, or maybe I'll just sit around and watch the grass grow. That would probably be just as entertaining.

This is what a sequel should be like. Gameday 2001 cannot touch Madden 2001 in temrs of gameplay, replay value, graphic, sound, and the overall football experience. This game is awesome. From little things that you notice, such as wrist bands and elbow pads, to the Create-A-Player feature, to the awesome Franchise mode, this game has it all. This game is packed tight with features and other bells and whistles. The Franchise mode rocks this year, allowing you to pick an existing coach and their coaching style, or create your own. You can also pick your team's uniforms! Play with the Eagles' 1980 uniforms (if you believe that'll make your guys better players, but oh well). The draft is 7 rounds now instead of 4 a year ago. You can also play pre-season games to get your players in shape for the grueling regular season! Not to mention player awards, and you can keep track of Pro-Bowl voting (kinda unnecessary, but a cool feature nonetheless). The gameplay rules, as the options and front end menus are done so much better than last year. The sound and graphics also rule, making it the most realistic PRO football title on PS-X (I still think that NCAA Football 2001 is the best football title on the PS-X TODAY). Should you pick this up if you've never played Madden? Definately! It's the best NFL football game on PS-X. If you had Madden 2000, should you pick this up? Without a doubt! This version blows away what the previous Madden had to offer, and will keep you playing for hours on end. It's deep, the options are amazing, and you will see the days fade away as you try to bring the Browns back to their glory days. If you're getting a PS2, you might wanna hold off, unless you gotta have a football game before then.

Like every other game in the series, Madden 2001 has it all and has enough features to satisfy everyone. For the hard core football fan, the game is very realistic with a multitude of in-game plays and strategies. You can even plan out your strategy before the game. This is best used in two player mode where luck doesn't determine the winner. The computer is also more advanced than last year and the AI is adjustable, so you can make the game progressively harder for yourself. Still, an experienced gamer should beat the computer with a relative regularity. For the casual gamer, there are plenty of features that will keep you occupied, such as the cheats found in Madden Cards, the many teams and stadiums and the ability to create your own fantasy team. Franchise mode is great as it simulates actual NFL seasons and offseasons and includes a Pre Season. Personnel, coaches and strategies all change with the passage of time. One problem is that the schedules aren't properly updated, so if you remain the same team, you'll play mostly the same opponents every season. Madden's commentary, though revamped, is still poor and the graphics aren't a huge upgrade from Madden 2000, but, this is PlayStation and these negatives don't nearly outweigh the many positives in the features and gameplay. Buy this game if you like football and be wary of the "better" versions on better systems as it is often the case that options and gameplay are sacrificed for graphics.

I buy the new Madden installment every year-this one does not dissapoint. The franchise mode is out of this world. You have to love the ability to sign, re-sign, and trade players at your whim. The gameplay and graphics (until the PS2 platform arrives) is top-notch. I'm not quite sure what to make of the Madden Cards feature. It isn't very clear, unless you buy a cheat book, what you would do with them. If you have an eye for detail, you'll love the fact that, on any game, you can pick from several different uniforms for your team based on past eras. Great idea EA! This game is a must-have!

This is just another great game from EA Sports. Overall the game is just an updated version of last years game. The graphics are about the same with better collisions. The Francise mode is better this year with a 7 round draft! I would recomend this game to anyone that is not going to buy the Playstation 2, otherwise I would just wait.

This is a good game with solid play. The addition of a two-minute drill mode is a deffinite plus, and the players look properly demensioned for the first time. The Madden Card system is also interesting, and the basic game set-up (music, opening screen, etc.) are all pretty good. There is also the plus of being able to create your own team, uniforms, name, standium and all, that adds a large amount of replay to the game. All of these things are basic improvements on Madden 2000. There is really thing that sets this game apart from its predessor, and that's the added realism. Not only do the players seem more real both in their movements and in their grafics (players can now be distinguished by what they wear, such as long sleeves, gloves or turf tape) but there is a great feature in the game that monitors whether they are hot or cold. You could have a cold Jevon Kearse being out-performed by a hot rookie with only a 70 overall rating. Deffinitely a plus. There is also now a seven round draft instead of the limiting four round draft in the last two games, and for once there is actually incentive to pick up late draft picks because players sign contracts according to their draft position and not their actual value. I picked up a strong safety with a rating of 83 in the sixth round and he signed a seven year contract at the league minimum (250K). The draft is also less predicatable, where as in the last game it was easy to spot the diamonds and the duds. There have also been many features added to the coaching, including a screen where you can determine how your team plays in simulated games. If you have a strong rushing game and a poor passing one you can actually do something about it this time, a huge improvement for a franchise junky like myself. All in all Madden 2001 is just a very solid game that's great for even casual football fans. Two years ago when I bought Madden 99 I hardly ever watched football, even casually, but now I not only watch it religiously but I've become a certified expert on it. Madden 2001 is the perfect game for kindling your football passion, with amazingly addictive gameplay and remarkable replay value.

I must say that this is a provisional review, but from what I have seen so far this is a great game. Current teams are stacked with real players. Great teams of all time are available also but, players are only numbers. You can make your own team if you want even choosing your own logo and team colors. The coolest feature is collecting the madden coins by making certain goals in the game such as running for 100yds, getting sacks and safties, kicking long punts etc., etc. You collect 40 coins and you get to buy a pack of "cards" which contain legendary players, current players get performance boosts for a game, game play modifications and so on. There are 296 cards in the game and you can trade cards with friends through your memory card or even sell cards for coins if you don't like the ones you get. Unfortunatly the only legends I have gotten so far are Boomer Esiason and Matt Millen but there are supposed to be 50 all- time greats in the game. The gameplay itself is fantastic, running is very balanced and passing has always been done well but it is slightly easy to go long to a great receiver. There is a new curved kicking meter but kicking is still the same. I must admit this is probably the best football game i have ever played but we will see after I play a season or so. Still highly reccomended though.

This is by far the most addicting game I have ever played! I recommend it to everyone!

I had purchased a PS2 and one of the first games I rented for it was Theme Park Roller Coaster. I was hoping to get a game that took some of the aspects of 'Roller Coaster Tycoon' (Which I have for the PC and really like), but would give you the ability to 'Ride' your rides. Boy! Was I in for a rude awakening! This game makes you build your 'Park' in special 'Worlds' (Space world, dino world, halloween world) and your available ride and attractions change to fit the 'world'. Now most of these are just stupid rides. Yes, you can build your own Roller Coaster...and Yes, you can ride it, but the coasters you build have too many limits set on them and the 'ride' is not realistic AT ALL (very slow, wrong camera angles, etc). Basic Story: You are a Manager of a Park and you need to build attractions and make money to earn 'tickets'. Now some tickets are VERY easy to earn, but many of them take so long to earn, you lose patience waiting to get to the next 'world' so you can try more rides. I was VERY Disappointed in this game. I am a 21-year old Roller Coaster Fan and I thought this would give me something to tide me over until summer when the parks open again. So much for that idea. I have a 11-year old brother who Loves the 'Roller Coaster Tycoon' game, and he played this a couple times and lost interest too. I came this [ ] close to buying it with my PS2, but I'm glad I didn't. On Top of all this...the graphics don't due justice to what the PS2 can produce. This is NOT 'Roller Coaster Tycoon' but you can ride the rides. No Where near in comparision! Unless you have tons of patience and not really looking for much in the entertainment dept, I wouldn't recommend this game to anyone. I would have expected better for a 'Sim' Game. Note: The '6 & up' rating isn't accurate since it would be too complicated for players as young as 6.

I reviewed this game if you look, and I said the game isn't good. Its too cartoony..well, isn't it amazing that of all the reviews here for this game, the only people who are writing good reviews for this game are under the age of 18?. My point proven :)

since rollar coaster tycoon isn't available for ps2 this is your best bet. if like the rollar coaster tycoon gameplay and game genre i suggest you get this game.

Im a 20 year old male who thought roller coaster tycoon was awsome so when i recieved ps2 this was the first game I bought. To even put the two im the same sentence is ridiculous. The ps2 version is looney and requires no actual creativity and skill. The rides are all predone for you and building a roller coaster is childs play. Although my 5, 8, and 9 year old brothers do enjoy it even though the all prefer tycoon also.

I recently picked up this title after reading several favorable reviews. To sum it up I have not been disappointed. There are several themes available (Jungle, etc.) and the gameplay becomes intuitive very quickly. You start with one park and one theme available and set out to meet certain goals. Some include attracting a certain number of guests, earning a set amount of cash, staying in business for a minimal amount of time, etc. Completing the goals earns gold tickets which can be used to open up other parts of the game. The interface is easy to navigate as descriptions for the buttons are always on the screen. There is also a helpful, although annoying sometimes, tutor that will guide you through handling problems and the various interfaces. You have to decide which rides to build and their placement. The coaster design system is fairly simple to pick up on. The only problem I had was trying to tweak one ride where it would go from 'boring' to 'sickening' with just one tweak of a pylon for my coaster. But that is also what makes it fun. You can even get awards for really good coasters. You also have to hire staff such as security, researchers, janitors and entertainers. This isn't an adrenaline fueled game. I really enjoy because I can kick back on my couch and relax while having a great time. One of the highlights is that you can walk around you park, play the games and ride the rides and coasters you have constructed. This one requires a little more in the congnitive department than a fighting or shooting game. But pick it up, it's definitely up there with SSX and Madden.

This game was a major disappointment, especially since I already have EA Sports' NCAA Football 2001. The NCAA game is light years ahead of this claptrap! John Madden, aside from being one of the most overrated "experts" on football, is also one of the dumbest, most annoying announcers ever. You WILL get tired of his commentary--probably before the end of the 1st quarter. Also, the players are blocky and shown from too far away--the game resembles Super Techmo Bowl in that respect (all you old- timer Nintendo freaks know what I'm talking about). The playbooks on offense and defense are pretty small, and no wide receiver except Chris Carter can catch the ball on a regular basis. You can adjust the aggressiveness of offense and defense, but that allows the computer opponent to complete every pass, since your defense always blitzes, and the computer defense has no problem sacking your quarterback when your "aggressive" offense fails to get open. As noted in other reviews for this game (and EA's NCAA 2001), it does seem like the computer tries a little too hard to keep itself in the game--it will score on you whenever it wants to. This is pretty frustrating, especially when a horrible player burns your D for 400 yards, while simultaneously fighting off your whole team of tacklers. Oh, and Jerome Bettis is unstoppable, so don't even try. This game was bad, bad, bad--what are people talking about when they say the Madden series is "fun" or "interesting" or "good football"? Thank God I bought this on sale. Stick with NCAA 2001--the graphics are better. ....

Do not buy this item . It is too hard . I only played it for a couple minites it was so hard and boring . (...)

I lost 10 straight exhibition games against the computer, but once I got the hang of the game controls I can't be stopped now. This game is pretty enjoyable, I'd recommend it for any football fan.

Madden 2001 has proven to be worth the money I paid for it. First, the loading of the game is much faster and the menus are simple to navigate through. The graphics are impressive and has very realistic gameplay. (i.e. Sometimes the referees call a reviewing on the play which I haven't seen in the other football games i've played, madden 99, gameday 2000, and gameday 2001). One feature i love about the game is the madden cards. They let you improve the quality of your players and have hidden cheats. I haven't found any flaws in the game and i bought it 8 months ago. I am still playing it today.

This was a Christmas gift from my in-laws last year. Little did they know what they were unleashing... This is so good, its about the only PSX title I play anymore. Now, granted, this review may be somewhat biased since I have little or no experience with other PSX Football titles, such as Gameday. But what I see with this is amazing fun! Graphically, the game is very good, though suffering from the limitations of the PSX platform (from what I've seen, playing w/PS2 is like watching video!). The individual player detail is a fun little add-on. The other detail I noticed was an eye-opener. I played a game in Tampa Bay in the rain...and players that went down on the ground had stained jerseys! The Franchise mode is solid! It is detailed enough to keep the football buff interested, yet not so complex that it will turn you off. The salary cap is not a "hard cap"-- as soon as you cut a player, you are free of any cap limitations his salary might impose. The other thing I noticed in this mode, is the roster. The CPU only requires 36 active players (!), far below the 45-man active roster in the NFL. Currently, in year 4 of my franchise I'm playing with just 41 active-players. This is a minus, but also a plus. It's a minus in the "realism" department, but a plus because it does not require the player to completely fill the roster and hassle with real-life salary cap dillemmas. The ability to deal draft picks definitely helps keep a team stocked. I'm in year 4 of the franchise mode, and I've already turned over about half of my defense. I've traded good players in one position for a good player at another position, as well as for draft picks. For instance, this season I was able to upgrade my secondary by trading two subs for draft picks to clear cap space and pick up a free-agent veteran SS. It's complicated enough to keep me interested, but not so daunting to make it impossible! All in all, I'm very impressed with this title! Like I said, this is about the only title I've been playing since Christmas-time, that's how much I've enjoyed it! And my wife has told her folks to NEVER buy me another game, ever!

I bought this game in January and it is GREAT!!! If your a football fan this is the perfect game for you. It has everything anyone would want in a football game. Buy it.

This game is the closest I've seen to being perfect (by Playstation standards). The graphics are nice, but not so overwhelming that it takes away from the real game at hand. The fact that there are so many different difficulty options that affect SPECFIC aspects of the game comes in very handy. You can change the accuracy of the opposing team's QB, the amount of protection he gets, as well as how wel his receivers catch. You can also change the def. ability. Make them lesser or greater tacklers, pass defenders, run stoppers, and so on. You can also change the ability of YOUR team. This is good after you've begun to master the game and would like a little competition. You can simply drop your team's abilties down to a point low enough to give the other team a chance. The best feature in this game is the franchise mode. There are the 31 NFL coaches and like 9 generic coaches to choose from. Coaches have career records that are affected by their team's records. If the owner is dissatsfied the guy is fired and a coach usually of simliar style is hired to carry on. The drafts are fun and are longer than previous Madden games. 7 rounds are in this edition and you can trade picks. There are many good things about this game as well as there ar bad. It is often too easy to get the deal you want and you are often able to rip the other team off. o-linemen in the drafts are not very good, so you are better off creating them a you go with the create mode. Teams are too easy to beat after awhile causing the game to become mundane and boring despite the smooth gameplay. On the plus side however, players of all ages progress and regress as the reg. and pre-seasons end depending on age and performance. Older players often regress wihile younger ones get better. Overall I'd say that despite its problems Madden NFL 2001 is the best football game out there for playstation and because it is such a fun game with many options you won't have to buy another NFL game at least for another 2 years.

is watching TV....... Very deep game, the looks to the game are 8 or better, sound could use a little help. Game play is fun an easy.....In the harder levels it feels like a real game. There are no sure thing plays so this is great for any SIM fan. To be able to Really GM is great, signing players, trading everything is very good. This is a MUST GET if you do not have it already! I have enjoyed playing hours an hours of playing this.

This game is the best. Especially when you play on All Madden. Its even better when you have the coach being more aggresive and the players even more aggessive.

I thought madden 2001 will have a lot of difference with madden 2000 just like what fifa did, but the game was not even better a single bit! The linesmen in the game still aren't 3d modeled but still are 2d modeled! The graphics may be a bit better but has made the game very slow! Then i thought about the new players in miami dolphins. At madden 2000, dan marino was concederd still playing in real life but was not! And i saw that in madden 2001, Dan marino is still concedered as a player at the dolphins. The whole setup was bad. Madden also put in european football teams which i think is gossip. If those teams they put were real, i'd bet that the players aren't real players at all!

I bought Madden football for my son as a Christmas gift and he regrets it most evenings when I am playing either him or the computer. The game strikes the right balance between sophistication to keep more knowledgeable players engaged, yet not so complicated that you cannot figure it out. I would strongly suggest people not familiar with football to take advantage of the practice mode. Its pretty easy to learn how to run the ball. It took me some time to get the hang of passing and kicking. The practice mode really helped in that regard. I would further recommend that you set aside about 40 minutes to play each game (5 minute quarters) as it takes time to choose plays ect. One drawback is that you cannot save partially completed games. Overall a great game, one that makes good use of the Playstation.

This game is great I love it. It has some great modes like Franchise, Season, Exhibition, two minute drill, custom league, and tornament. I think that is it. i love the things you can do in franchise mode. you can make the deals with the players when you sign. If the player doesnt accept the deal his manager will tell you what he needs. Its cool. but the graphics aren't great and the commentation is very repetitive

In a bare bones sense, the gameplay of the newest installment in the Madden series hasn't changed much. The interfaces are as involved, yet simple to use as ever. The gameplay is smooth for the most part...there is some choppiness at times, but the game runs well. So from a gameplay perspective, Madden 2001 would still rank at the top of football games I've played. I do have some problems however. Chief among the drawbacks I have with Madden is with the kicking. Long fieldgoals seem next to impossible. The power meter moves too quickly...and making the adjustments needed, especially from an angle is exceptionally difficult. Punting is no easier. Having played the PS2 version of M2001, I wonder why this game didn't go with the more intelligent idea of the arching arrow. Another drawback as mentioned in a previous review is in the pass-happy style of the computer. Teams that are built and known for running instead throw the ball at almost every opportunity. It takes something away from the play. There seems to be little variation is the play styles from team to team. The final drawback I have is with the rough looking graphics. Everything seems to have a rough, fuzzy look to it. Some of the location scenes are nice, but the messy look takes away. As many features as the new Madden game has, something seems rushed about the entire thing. Personally, I think the last Madden incarnation was better all-around.

When my brother asked me what I wanted for Christmas, I immediately told him NFL2k1 for Dreamcast. I own a PS and Dreamcast, and already have NFL2k. When my brother gave me my present early, he told me that he looked in 6 different stores, but they were all sold out of NFL2k1. I opened it up and it was Madden 2001 for PS. At first I was kinda upset, but then remembered the good reviews I had read of the game. Now, I have played the game almost non-stop since last night(taking a short break for sleep). First of all, people used to NFL2k will at first be disappointed with the graphics of the game. PS isn't Dreamcast. But the graphics in Madden 2001 are the best I have ever seen on PS! They won't "blow you away", but the game offers a smooth framerate and the best football visuals in any game on the system. The gameplay is what really makes this game shine. There are so many modes to choose from: Exhibition, Season, Custom League, Tournament, Franchise, 2-Minute Drill, Practice, and Fantasy Draft. I have started a Franchise, and find that this is the best mode. You pick a team and guide it through up to 10 years. You can take a bad team like the Chargers, make good management choices, and in a few years make them and NFL powerhouse. Thats right, I said management choices. You have to deal with the salaries of the players, trades, salary caps, and make players offers. For instance, offer 900k a year for 4 years. If the player rejects, it will show a statement from his agent offering advice on how to sign the player, i.e. "He wants a long term deal and more money." Everything I just wrote about was all in ONLY the Franchise mode, which shows how deep this game really is. The gameplay is very fun, with tons of plays, and new moves to execute. Both passing and running are easy to learn how to do. Once you can blow out the CPU, up the challenge from Rookie to Pro, then to All-Pro, and finally to All-Madden. You must get one thing straight, though: THIS ISN'T NFL BLITZ! In fact, it is nothing like Blitz. This is a simulation football game, and the best one at that. Overall, Madden 2001 is an excellent game! I'd recommend it to anyone!

I've been playing Madden football since the Sega Genesis days, so let me tell you what's good and what's bad about Madden 2001. The good: the franchise system and the Madden Cards. Playing franchise mode is the best part of the game for me, because I like to create a dynasty. 2001 has added more draft picks and a preseason, which allows you to play your rookies. The problem with the preseason is that I rarely see improvement, and too often I find myself in salary cap trouble due to injuries. Although it's fun to make trades and try to improve your team's weaknesses, the game makes it a little too easy. I turned the Chargers from a 66 overall to a 95+ in one season, without draft picks or creating any players, simply through trades and free agents. The game should be a bit more stingy when it comes to giving up players. Still, this is one of the more enjoyable aspects of the franchise mode, so I can't complain too much. The Madden cards allow you to earn tokens for certain plays (like sacking the quarterback or scoring more than 21 points), which you can use to buy Madden cards. There are cards for most of the major talent in the league, which you can activate for a particular game if you need that player to shine. They come in gold, silver and bronze, the difference being in the amount each card boosts the player's attributes. You can also get great players from the past, such as Dan Marino, Rodney Hampton or Jumpy Geathers, who can be added to the free agent pool and included on your team's roster. The cards also feature different stadiums and great teams of the past for exhibition mode. The problem with the Madden card system is that there are no instructions for creating a user profile or saving the profile. It takes a lot of effort and cursing to figure out how to do it. Once you've got it down, however, it's addictive. Still, why is it so hard? Why can't you save your user profile at the same time that you save your franchise? It doesn't make any sense. Now, for gameplay: the game plays at least as good as Madden 2K, with additional taunts, etc. Players move smoothly, with nice tackles, jumps, dives and other moves. However, the AI doesn't behave sensibly. For example, the computer WILL NOT RUN THE BALL. EVER. The only time the computer opponent runs is within the 2-minute warning, inside the 5 yard line or on a 3rd and short (sometimes). No matter what team you play, or how good their running back is, have no fear. If the HB gets more than 5 carries it's a miracle. So, the computer passes constantly. And successfully. No matter how good your secondary is, unless you have a dime-protect defense out there, the computer is going to complete pass after pass. If the computer has decided it's time to score, there is no stopping it. A pathetic team can rack up 300+ passing yards on a team with a good secondary no matter what you do to try to prevent it. In addition, no matter how bad the computer opponent's OL is, or how good your defensive line is, the quarterback will be well protected throughout the game (unless you blitz, in which case the computer will throw pass after pass out to the FB to take advantage of the lack of LB coverage). The AI will pick up on your favorite moves pretty quickly, particularly running plays, and you may find it virtually impossible to convert a 3rd-and-2 unless you throw the ball. It's amazing how fast the computer's defensive ends are all of a sudden when you're running your halfback outside on a third-and-short play -- you'll find yourself tackled for a five-yard loss. The best way to get around this is to start mixing up your running plays, running between the tackles, up the middle, etc. And throw the ball. Then you can go back to your favorite halfback toss or sweep play. The juke moves that were introduced in M2K (using the R1 and L1 buttons) are less effective here -- the move has to be made well in front of a tackler, and that just gives the tackler time to adjust. Otherwise, you go down. Although the spin move is more realistic this time around (you can actually keep your forward momentum), it almost never works unless you're in the open field with only one tackler to beat. Same for the stiffarm. The kicking and punting system has been changed, for the worse in my opinion. I haven't kicked a field goal over 40 yards in probably 50 games due to the awkward display system in 2001. As for Madden and Summerall, this is where the game really tanks. They say the same things over and over and over. For example, if the computer opponent completes a short pass to a fullback, Summerall will say something like "the quarterback had a nice quick release on that pass" followed by Madden saying "yeah, he really fired that one in there." Two plays later, same exchange. Next play, same thing, ad nauseam. Every punt is "skied"; if Summerall doesn't say "So-and-so really skied that punt," Madden will step in and say "yeah, he really skied it up there." If you get a sack, Summerall will say the player's name who sacked the QB, followed by a pause, then "goes down" or "is sacked for a loss." So it sounds like "Kearse... is sacked for a loss." Huh? If EA can't figure out how to more effectively cue the color commentary, they should just not bother with it. It detracts from the game play and can drive one to distraction. Overall, buy the game if you enjoy the franchise mode and don't get easily distracted by the senile Pat and John show. But otherwise, you might want to just wait until you can get your hands on a PS2 and buy the PS2 version of Madden 2001.

Yes, Madden NFL 2001 will knock you out of your cleats. This game is, by far, the best professional football game around. The graphics are easily the best in the business, and now, there is even more detail like the addition of arm pads and wrist bands, making this game extremely realistic. The addition of the two-minute drill and an enhanced franchise mode are nice add-ons as well. The Madden cards are also an amazing new concept that adds to the overall enjoyment level. As always, the commentary is very good, although you won't find too many pearls of wisdom, the constant chatter makes for a more realistic feel. This game pretty much has it all, even the little things like crowd chants. It is a super game, and just another smashing success in a wonderful line of EA Sports games. Madden NFL 2001 is a winner.

Madden are the greatest football video games but the 2001 edition does not have much more gameplay improvement's.and the cpu mode is still very beatable. Woo woo I WAS THE CHARGERS YESTERDAY AND WE BEAT THe raider 42-3. Stick with the 2000 edition cause it is almost the same woo woo

Madden 2001 can be described, basically, as a cleaner, fresher version of Madden 2000 for Playstation. There have been no real big changes as far as graphics: the game is still amazing considering it's only 32-bit. But there have been several small upgrades--from the variable equipment, armpads, etc. that the players actually wear, to the all-around slightly better look of the player movements and the fields. As far as the intangibles, there have been many improvements over 2000. The addition of Madden Cards is a definite plus, as is the 2-minute drill. The Hot and Cold feature is very interesting, and adds a more realistic feel. Do you start a cold Marshall Faulk, or a hot Trung Canidate? A cold Drew Bledsoe, or a hot Michael Bishop? The Franchise mode has seen improvement as well: the salary cap seems to be more realistic now when signing free agents, and the NFL Draft is now 7 rounds instead of just 4. But maybe the best new feature is the addition of the Preseason mode, which allows you to pick your opponents for 4 or 5 games, to sharpen the skills of your rookies and get a feel for your new acquisitions. Then once the preseason ends, young players who performed well will see added points to their attributes. Really helps to develop rookies, and just to try new plays which you aren't accustomed to using. All that being said, this is still not the perfect football game. There are statistical errors you will encounter at various times, most notably the tracking of kick-off and punt returns during a season. You see, it only tracks 2 players' stats for kick-off returns, and just 1 for punt returns. Thus, if only 1 of your kick returners got the ball during the first week, and at the end of the game the opposing team attempts an onside kick recovered by one of your linemen, the return stats for that lineman will be tracked for the rest of the season. And your second return man is left statless. Same thing with punt returns. If your returner is performing badly and you choose to bench him, his replacement will see zero stat-tracking. Pretty frustrating if that player returns one 80 yards for a touchdown. Another minus is the commentary, which tends to induce sleepiness. Summerall has no enthusiasm in his voice, and Madden repeats the same stuff when he does choose to say something (he can go a full game on here and only speak 3 or 4 times). You'd think he'd know he made his point when he says "Randy Moss is one of the best receivers in the league today." But then, two plays later when Moss makes another catch, you hear him repeat the same thing yet again. Still, this is an all-around solid game, which succeeds in most areas. It is much better than Gameday 2001, so if you're looking for a football game for Playstation, this is the one you want.

I bought this game on the day it came out. This is by far the best looking basketball game EVER made for a console. With new moves like up and unders, jump hooks, turn arounds, fade away jump shots. The game plays like a real basketball game meaning you can't just blow by your man with turbo they actually play defense and is a much more realistic feeling downlow to uptop I've ever experienced. Considering this is just the first generation basketball game for the PS2 its absolutely amazing. They didn't scan every NBA players faces but that should be expected but they have all the big stars. I would imagine they will do that when the technology is there. The graphics are awesome and the overall feel is extremely accurate. If your a sports fan pick this title up you won't regret it.

I am a big NBA live fan, and i tell you this is not worth your time! I have playd LIVE since it was on supernintendo, and this game is a waste! The graphics are crisp, but the moves are slow, the play control is in no comparison the other versions of live on the PS1. PLEASE do not encourage the purchasing of this game!! EA sports did a HORRIBLE job, after madden 2001 they give us this weak title.....

My only complaint is that the player graphics don't compare to Madden 2001, the player rendering is maybe a step or two above the PSone graphics. The players are not as smooth graphically or as detailed as Madden but it is better than most games I have seen or played including the Dreamcast. All the players are skinny and to get a good camera view of the game you have to zoom out and this makes everything a little smaller than I would like. Overall game play I think is wonderful, real life movements, i.e crossovers spin moves etc....I really like the new lowpost moves especially up and under and spin moves which I could never master on the earlier versions. Still a must buy and hopefully EA is listening and will get the graphics right next year.

This game is totally off the charts. The graphics and play is just like Madden 2001 but the speed and feel of the game is better. EA Sports did a great job with game, and I now saw the reason why it took so long for the game to come out into the market. Great game, especially for those Die Hard Basketball gamers. IT'S A MUST BUY!!!!

NBA LIVE 2001 FOR THE PS2 IS VERY DISAPPIONTING. THE PERFECT GAME WOULD BE A HYBRID OF SEGA'S NBA 2K1 AND EA'S LIVE 2001. WHILE LIVE HAS THE FRANCHISE REPUTATION, IT'S NEW HYPED-UP RELEASE FOR THE PS2 DOESN'T FULFILL THE TRUE NBA GAMING EXPERIENCE. WHY? 1ST OF ALL, THE ABILITY TO SHOOT THE BALL IS VERY SUSPECT. 2NDLY, THE MODES THAT MADE LIVE GREAT R GONE FOR PS2. FRANCHISE, 3PT, AND PRACTICE R GONE. WHERE'S THE COACH, WHERE'S THE REF? EA, HOW DO U PRIDE YOURSELVES ON MAKING THE MOST REALISTIC BASKETBALL GAME WITHOUT PROVIDING US WITH THESE 4 SIMPLE CHARACTERS- 2 COACHES & 2 REFS? I RESPECT THE LIVE FRANCHISE & GIVE IT A LEARNING CURVE TO REALLY ENJOY. GOOD LUCK! TAI

Received my copy yesterday and here are some observations. The interface is very clunky and poorly visible, similar to FIFA 2001 as compared to the clear menus in Madden 2001. The graphics have their moments, and there is no slowdown or breakup, but compared to Madden or SSX, Live looks PS1-ish. The gameplay is exactly like the recent editions of Live, it is fun to play, but after all these years the AI of your teammates is still at the Genesis level, no motion on offense, no boxing out. Also there is no challenge system or franchise mode, which is unforgivable compared to Madden.

Ok, I picked up live 2001 the day it was released and I had already read some luke warm reviews on the title so my expections were somewhat lowered as a result. I am a huge fan of the series and I have played the previous titles more then I care to admit. After playing this game for several hours here are my opinions of the game. The graphics are the best I have ever seen, bar none. The gameplay is a little slower then I care for, but overall it is very solid and most people will really enjoy it. The lack of a franchise mode is a complete joke, there are no free agents and you can only make 1 for 1 trades. After the first season, that's it. For EA's first run at a basketball game for the PS2 I think they have a good one, but they certainly feel short on some of the extras that made this title so appealing in the past. One last thing worth mentioning is that the game seems a little tame, I can't quite put my finger on what it is, but EA needs to increase the "fun" factor of the title. For those of you that have played NHL 2001 for the PS2, I think you would agree that after playing both titles, that EA hit the nail on the head with NHL 2001 from an excitement stand point. In summary, EA needs to incorporate the franchise mode in Madden 2001 PS2 and the excitement of NHL 2001 with the awesome graphics and style of Live 2001. Ok, so how much longer will it be before Live 2002 will be out ?

NBA Live is one of the best basketball games I have seen. It is completely detailed in every aspect from players faces to the way they move around the court. It has all the current team rosters. It has a ton of new features. It is a more cleaned up version of NBA 2k for the Dreamcast. I recommend this game for any fan who loves to play basketball games. It was definitely worth the wait SPORTS FANS!

EA Sports new basketball title is just the beginning of what I hope would continue to be the best title, I was disappointed in the lack of response between the controller and the action on the court, The AI can get a little wild when a player gets a big lead, I mean 5, 3 pointers from mid court in one game, come on! The players movement is not that great, I hope that ea sport will go back to the drawing board and speed up the play. I would say that I know that they will improve this title for playstation 2 If you love basketball EA sports is in the Game!!!!!!!

I love basketball games, and this is the best one I have ever played. I would recommend that you start right out on the highest level versus the computer, otherwise the game is way too easy. At the highest difficulty setting, it will be a challenge versus the computer opponent, unless you choose Portland, L.A., or another top tier team. And this is what I look for the most in terms of rating a game, whether the computer opponent is sufficiently good enough to provide a challenge. A few drawbacks are: often the fouls are attributed to the wrong player. For example if the PF goes up and is fouled by a double teaming guard, some times the foul will be assessed to the PF assigned to guard the shooter, even though he will be out of the play. Second, fast breaks are few and far between. After a rebound and outlet pass, your PG can push it up the floor, but your teammates rarely follow suit, instead, they sort of loaf it up the floor. Sometimes one player will get out and run the floor. But not usually. This is a game that is played almost all within the halfcourt sets. Finally, shooters miss wide open easy shots way to often in their "Field Goal" rating isn't at least in the 90's. And in real life, even a scrub player will 90% of the time make a wide open layup. But overall, the graphics are excellent, and so is the gameplay. I would recommend it. And don't be frustrated if you cant compete right away on the highest skill level vs the computer.....it takes more then a few games to find sets you like to run, and how to use post moves effectively.

Just as the title states. A perfect NBA game needs certain things. Everything must be on a professional court, unlike NBA Street. Throw in about 7 game modes. (Try single game, season, franchise, 1-on-1, 3-point shootout, practice, and create-a-player.) If you guys ever get a chance to watch TV, turn to basketball. Watch the enemy AI. What the crowd is looking for is awesome gameplay and realistic graphics. Some people even like animations. (arguing with the referee, post-game celebrations, ect.) Put in a variety of options, so the user can perfect the game him/herself. How about some secret players and street courts. I've played other EA Sports games, and I know what their capable of!

Iv'e been playing nba live since 95 on sega. It has gone a long ways, ive enjoyed all of them. 98 and 99 were both kinda easy after a while. I have 2001 on ps1 and 2. i couldn't wait for it to come out on ps2. It was alright on ps1 but ps2 kicks [....] The most real one yet. For me i find that the shots are way harder than all the older ones. Which makes it harder, just the way it is in real life. Thats what i like the most ,the challenge, and i like everything else about this game. It still beats all the other basketball games.

NBA Live 2001 hardly has any improvement over the 2000 version. You can see some minor improvement on players' facial details, but other than that, everything else is basically the same. In the 2000 release, one could make a custom team, but in the 2001 release, you can't. And the interface is smoother yet harder to understand. If you already have 2000, just keep playing that one until 2002 release comes out (hopefully, 2002 will be less dissapointing than the 2001 release. But if you don't have the 2000 release, i'd recommend that you get the 2001 release. Overall, the game is still fun and more realistic than any other basketball games out there.

THIS GAME IS ONE OF THE TOP RATED GAMES ON MY LIST AND I AM SURE IT WILL BE ONE OF THE BEST ON YOUR LIST. I AM A BIG SPORTS FANATIC AND I LOVE TO PLAY THE BEST SPORTS GAMES. BELIEVE ME I HAVE TRIED THEM ALL OUT. THIS IS ONE OF THE BEST BASKETBALL GAMES I HAVE EVER PLAYED. SO TAKE IT FROM ME THIS GAME IS A KEEPER..........

Sorry NBA2K1. I think someone has beat you. His name is NBA LIVE 2001. Do you know why? Ill tell you. First the graphics are superb. Allen Iverson is doing his greatest thing doing the spin move in the air with the lay up. That looks just like a game on tv. Garnett is on a clear breakaway and he jams it just like on a tv game. The graphics has to be better. Its ps2 and the other is Dreamcast. Second there is a franchise mode. If you go on the season you go to that thing on the very bottom of the screen where you save it and all that junk. There is a jersy and you click on it. click on trade and your there. If you want to continue the season you do or if you don't want to play the games you do to the last game and you push simulate. Third is you might think that some players are missing. If you go on the main menu. And do the franchise thing without trade but rosters and te might be in active at the bottom. If you want Matumbo you have to trade Ratliff for him. All the rest is great. like the 1 on 1. In NBA 2K1 i bet you don't have Michle Jordon or 1 on 1. i recomend this game for PS2. Its great. better than the rest.

This is a terrible game, not what I expected for a PS2 game made by one of the better known gaming companies EA sports. The graphics are ok, sometimes some of the players look the same, not to realistic IMHO. The worst part of it is, the gameplay. They seem unresponsive at times and takes awhile getting used to (that is if you don't quit before that) I gave NBA 2K1 a 3 1/2 stars for DC, but after playing NBA LIVE It's a 4 1/2. Save your money and cross your fingers for next years release, or if you have a DC pick up NBA 2k1! Bottom Line NBA LIVE is an AIR BALL! Grade: D GAMER247 is OUT!

After my 2 year old daughter left her teeth-marks in my NBA 2K1 for Dreamcast, I figured that with that system's impending doom, I'd just pack it up and auction it off. But I STILL needed my NBA basketball. A review stated that NBA Live 2001 was the best (so far) for the PS2, so I picked it up. While nowhere near as good as NBA 2K1, Live 2001 gives me what I need...a decent basketball game. I don't care for the hip-hop music that's played during the setup screens and the announcers are the two most boring and unenthusiastic guys I've ever heard in a game. Gameplay is fair enough, but the constant offensive rebounding by the computer is irritating. If you have to have THE BEST basketball game on any console EVER, get NBA 2K1 for Sega DC...it's the best to date in every aspect. But if you don't already have a DC and don't want to fork out the dough for a dying breed, NBA Live 2001 for PS2 should give you enough NBA action...at least until a better game comes along.

This game is absolute garbage. I opened the box and I could've sworn my dog went in the house. It is definitely not up to par with other NBA Live games. Graphically, it looks like they should've released it on PS1 or Sega Genesis. The players look nothing like the real thing unlike Madden for PS2. The only highlight of the game is Michael Jordan and I feel sorry that he had to be in this game. If you want an exceptional basketball game pick up NBA2k1. If you don't have a Dreamcast just buy NBA Live 98 or Lakers vs. Celtics or even Double Dribble and you can get the same appeal as this piece of junk. Don't buy it, Don't rent it, and if your friend has one beat him up and tell him that you never want to borrow it. I have one for sale if anybody wants it. Never been played.

I have read many articles and reviews about NBA Live 2001 for PS2. If you are looking for a great basketball game with state of the art graphics than this should be a great game. If I were you I would stick with EA sports since they make great products. It is always risky to buy a game if you have not read reviews or played it prior to puchase. EA sports is definitly a great brand to trust. I strongly recomend other games by EA sports.

The only reason why I purchased PS2 over the Dreamcast is because EA Sports only writes games for Playstation. And I usually love EA Sports games, but this game is just horrible. I cannot believe that the same company that developed Madden would associate their name with this product. First the positives: 1.) As usual the graphics are pretty good and 2.) the stadiums are customed to the team. 3.) The game play is challenging which could make for fun games. 4.) The one-on-one mode is great and features many of the all time greats. Now the negatives: 1.) I don't believe there is no franchise mode. That is just a terrible decision not to include the franchise option. 2.) The court is too small, whenever you spin or do a cross over move you go out of bounds or nearly go out of bounds. 3.) And on that note the game play is not very realistic. As just stated the cross over and spin moves are too wide. Also in the post you can't back anyone down (they don't move) and the post moves are not very good (no drop step). 4.) The shooting is terrible, although in the 2000 version it was too easy to hit a shot, in this version of the game it is way too difficult. Jump shots from 10-15 feet nearly never go in. 5.) Also it is too difficult to get a rebound. Your player can be right next to the ball and not grab it, while the computer's men all converge on the ball. 6.) Sometimes the game does not want to let you dunk when you have an open lane to the basket or on a fast break. You stop and take a short jump shot, and half the time you miss. 7.) The menu operations are completely different than other EA Sports games (they need some uniformity). I recommend that you do not purchase this game. EA Sports should be ashamed of this game and should go back to the drawing board.

NBA Live has consistantly been the best basketball game on the market and every year new things are added. Untill now. This years version is just average. The game looks great and the players are very detailed and the new post up option is great. Unfortunatly the 1 on 1 mode is very boring. Another downer is that the players don't have thier actuall faces and the three point shootout is missing. The games season option lost some of its appeal without a franchise mode available. I hope EA uses this game as a stepping stone and improves on it next year by adding some new modes and working on the gameplay. Despite these few let downs the game is still a blast when playing with a group of friends and a multi-tap.

THIS GAME IS ALL THAT AND THEM SOME.IF YOU LIKE NBA OR JUST BASKETBALL GAMES , YOU NEED TO GET THIS.THEY HAVE A BETTER CREATE A PLAYER THEN THE PSX VERSION , A HOLE NEW LINEUP OF DUNKS AND THE BEST SOUNDTRACKS EVER.THE ONLY BAD THING THAT I DONT LIKE IS THAT THERE IS NO CUSTOM TEAM CREATIONS AND NO FRANCHISE MODE BUT THE GAME IS SO COLD BLOODED THAT IT DOESN'T REALLY HAVE TO HAVE THEM.THE 1 ON 1 IS EXTREMELY NICE.WHILE UR PLAYING , THE BOOMBOX IS PLAYIN ALL THE MUSIC FROM THE GAME SO U CAN GET YO JAM ON.BUT IF YOUR LOOKIN FOR SOME REAL STREET BALL THEN GET NBA STREET WHEN THAT COMES OUT.BUT OVERALL I GIVE NBA LIVE A 100% MUST BUY.

It is very good. But the players don't look like the players real faces. Also, they took of the three point contest. Overall, it's an A game. EA Sports improve the game evey release and this game they made it a better. I hope next realease it will have more contest like slam dunk, sophomores vs. rookies.

EA Sports games never fail to deliver. This game has everything for an NBA fan. All the players including Some NBA legends like Julius Erving and Michael Jordan. The gameplay is smooth and feels like the real thing. The commentary is perfect and there are plenty of moves to play with. Put it all together and add a kicking soundtrack including Montell Jordan and you've got a great game. The only reason it didn't get 5 stars is that its very hard to make jump shots. Unless you shoot with a player like Gary Payton you'll probably miss. Still a great game.

One of the most anticiptated sports games for the Playstation 2 turns out to be one of the 1st bombs for the system! I've been an EA sports- NBA Live fan for over 8 years now. Playing it on all the major systems; like, Playstation, PC's, Genesis, Super NIN, etc.. So I'm a devoted NBA Live fan. This game is a complete disgrace to the series! You can tell that they rushed the product to compete with other games that came out the same time; like, ESPN NBA 2 Night and NBA Hoopz. Okay, let's go over the Pro's of the game. Yes it's got Michael Jordan in it, and yes it's got classic legendary teams on it. Overall though, I don't think that balances out the Con's of the game. The biggest disappointment being the response time from when you hit the buttons, to the time it actually does the movement. You can press the button to shoot the ball, and release it before it even does it on the screen. It's that bad! The movements are pretty choppy also, it's not fluent. You can be driving to the hole, and it would be real sluggish. Also, the percentage ratio of making a basket is EXTREMELY low! You can be wide open for a 5 foot jump shoot, and completely miss 10 shots! You pretty much have to dunk it to score. Another big con are the players. Yes, the body shape fits the actual players, but none of the faces look anything like the players at all! I rather take a buffed out Reggie Miller with a face that matches (like in NBA 2K1 for the Dreamcast), rather then the actual shape of a skinny Reggie Miller with the face of a complete stranger. What...some more Con's? Well, they took out the Franchise mode, from previous games, as well as the 3 point contest. Why, I don't know? Next year, they should bring back the Slam Dunk contest on the game (remember Jordan vs. Bird?). Just like they brought back fighting in hockey games! So overall, the game wasn't worth the $49.99. I thought it would match up with the same quality as NBA 2K1 for the Dreamcast, (like Madden 2001 for PSX2 and NFL2k1 for Dreamcast), but it doesn't even come close. I'm getting tired of companies rushing to put out games. Don't they realize that when people are devoted NBA Live or Madden fans (or any game) would rather wait for a great quality game.

As a loyal EA Sports fan, this game did not disappoint me. As a matter of fact, it ranks among the BEST basketball games in recent memory. The smooth cross-overs and gameplay shows why EA Sports is still the King of Basketball games. Yes, some of the faces of the players do not resemble the exact contours of the real life players. But the game makes up for that with awsome graphics and smooth gameplay.

Graphics are good but a little ghost like. The audio (specifically, the player comments or complaints) is not satisfactory. Post moves are an improvement over previous versions. EA did a very good job with the player edit options. But there is no franchise mode. Not having a franchise mode makes the game a disappointment . Without a draft and free agency aspect you lose a huge aspect running a team. Advice to those considering the game, unless you need a basketball game, wait until they get it right. At the end of the season all you can do is start over, maybe with another team.

Yes, NBA2k1 is a little better. But only because of the all mighty franchise mode which live doesn't have. But nbalive has better graphics(i think) and 1 on 1 mode which is fun to. If you miss the franchise mode like i do play season it will ease the pain :-) This game is the best regular b-ball game around for ps2, but nba hoopz also kicks a$$! So for a first generation game for ps2 i give this game 4 to 5 stars give or take.

This game is much better than what a lot of people make it. It's a complete game with great graphics...Well, they could have left out the game intro where everyone is dancing around like it's a "I Feel Like Chicken Tonight" commercial but that's ok, that's what the Start button is for. Everyone is pretty much as good in this game as they are in real life which is much different from other basketball titles I care not to mention. Overall, if you are a slight fan of the series, it's still worth the purchase. A good buy!

The reason I ranked this game so poorly is that for the so called "power" of a Playstaion 2, this game really is a big joke! The new moves and plays a great but the graphics look no better than that of Live 98. The reason it is a 3 is that i understand that the game just came out, but if The game came out in like a year, then the rate would be a big 0!

As a long time fan of the NBA Live series, I can honestly say that I purchased the PS2 almost only to play this game. NBA Live 2000 was so good, with the challenges and the unlocking hall of fame players, that I expected this game to blow my mind. Unfortunately, it only blew a hole in my wallet. First off, the gameplay is sluggish and staid. Player movement seems barely a step faster than slow motion video. Power forwards like Elton Brand are treated as 2nd class players, not able to score and rebound. The post up moves are a big yawn, given the game's focus on guards. Secondly, they eliminated the 'fantasy draft' option whereby all the players are stripped from their team and reordered based on your and the computer's picks. This option was made even better in NBA Live 2000 as when you unlocked the classic players you could thrown them into the draft too. We had Wilt and Karl Malone as our back court for example. In this game, none of that is possible. Finally, the graphics are subpar. Not only are the faces unrecognizable, but if you notice, all the ears of every player have this white 'glint' in the middle of the ear, making the ear look misshapen, like the slave race that served the Shape Shifter Dominion rulers in Star Trek Deep Space 9. In addition, no one has tattoos. I care little for them myself, but given that almost every NBA player has one, what is the point in not doing it here? To be honest, I was so disappointed in this game, I considered returning my PS2. If you have any desire to get an EA sports game, get Madden NFL 2001, that is an example of what the PS2 can do, and an example of how EA could have done their NBA franchise.

I bought this game having both SSX and Madden 2001. I thought that this game would be one of the best basketball games I had ever played. The actual game starts off in a view from the side. It is hard to control a person in this view because it gives you little depth perception. When the ball comes off the basket for a rebound, it is hard to put your player in the path of the ball. When a person is trying to steal, the player constantly bats the air until he pops the ball loose. I do think that for the most part the gameplay in this game is pretty good. You can't fly by your defender by just pushing the turbo button, but if you are the defender, and the ball carrier charges, you usually get called for a foul. If you wan't a good basketball game, I recommend NBA 2K1 for Sega Dreamcast.

I rented this game because I had a feeling it wouldn't be great. Turns out I was right. The graphics are good, however need improvement. Especially when you compare them to Madden. The gameplay through me off because it was awful. The controls don't react quick enough and that makes it really annoying. What really annoyed me with this game is the way players keep on bumping into each other and nothing happens (at least have a player fall down once and a while).This game is missing fast breaks (and I mean fast breaks like Iverson and Carter), quick steals, better passing (Jason Williams style), cleaner and more accurate graphics, and a franchise mode. The one on one mode is an excellent addition, but I would much rather consider a three on three or two on two.

I'VE BEEN A FAN SINCE THE ORGINALLY STARTED ON SEGA. THE OTHER PLAYSTATION LIVE GAMES WERE EXCITING AND FUN. THIS GAME HAS NO LIFE TO IT AT ALL. IT'S HARD TO GET A SHOT OFF IN THIS GAME AND AT TIMES WHEN U TRY TO RUNA FASTBREAK YOUR THE ONLY ONE RUNNING WHILE THE REST OF YOUR TEAM IS WALKING DOWN THE COURT. THERE IS NO MORE PRACTICE MODE TO WORK ON YOUR SKILLS OR THE 3-PT SHOOTING CONTEST TO WORK ON YOUR SHOT. HOPEFULLY THIS IS A 1 TIME ERROR BECAUSE IT'S THE 1ST GAME ON PS2. THE PS1 VERSION IS ALL THAT AND NBA2K1 ON DREAMCAST HAS THIS BEAT HANDS DOWN. SAVE YOUR MONEY ON LIVE AND WAIT TILL NEXT YEAR WHEN THEY WORK OUT THE KINKS.

I hope NBA games get better because this is a disappointment. The game is just like PS1 counterpart, with slightly better graphics. I bought this game because I wanted a basketball game and that out of all the ones coming out, this is the better one. Why couldn't EA do the same for b-ball like they did for football & snowboard?

Let me first start off by saying that I think that the people who have NBA2K1 for their dreamcast are just jelous because they probably played NBA LIVE 2001 at Best Buy and know that it's better than NBA2K1. Hence the reason they are telling you that it's a terrible game. This game is not near as bad as what the other reviewers have given it. This game has better player models than NBA2K1, the only downer is that the details on the players could have been better considering that this is a PS2 game. The commentary is good, and the create a player, which seems to be a staple feature in basketball games anymore, is pretty good as well. (create a player mode--->) I just wish someday instead of the commentator saying "number 55" they'll acctually be able to say your last name. Another great feature is that there is an option where you can keep the games close. instead of killing the computer you acctually have to work hard for your win. Finally there is the 1 on 1 feature, which is okay. What this game is definately lacking is the "challenges mode," which was already on the PS version. I definately think EA was rushed in making this game, but over all this game is worth your money.

From the opening, cheesy intro I knew it was in trouble. I loved the last 5 ps1 titles in the nba family, and I was excited to see this one come out so soon(probably the problem). Graphics-good, Gameplay-the worst I've seen in a while. Players look choppy when they dribble down the court, horrible basket driving capabilities. Very hard to control them. The only great thing about playing this game is to have control on your inside shots like the hook shot. The one on one feature is ok at best. This game is no doubt a dissappointment and a renter at best. I am trading it in only after a week of owning it. Better luck next year EA

I had waited long and hard for NBA Live 2001 to come to the PS2 and am diassapointed with the the final copy. It is very uncommon of EA Sports games to be missing lots of fantasy options, I mean the franchise mode of Madden is one of the things that made it so great. There's no franchise mode here, there isn't even a three point shoot out. The actual game though is fun fun and more fun. But that does not make up for the lack of options and annoying music. Finally graphically the game is great, not as graphically great as Madden but then again what is? Overall, its good but just doesn't have the feel I was excpecting it too have. You should probably Rent it before purchasing.

As a loyal fan of EA Sports products I said I would give this game a chance even though I had read all the bad reviews it had received. I was expecting Madden 2001 game play when I bought the game, but what I got was Nintendo Double Dribble! . They (EA Sports) really jerked us with this game. First they give us Kickamus Maximus whatever... and then they deliver this. The controls are horrible and the actual game play is so unrealistic that this game could have waited for release in 2002. Please rent it from Blockbuster first; do not waste your money! It sucks.

Don't waste your money renting this game. Don't even steal it. You would be doing the store a favor. You would have to pay me to keep this game. I've kept up with EA's NBA Live series for a while and now it's EA's NBA Dead 2001. I love my PS2 but I'm starting to miss my Dreamcast and NBA 2K1. Now that was a basketball game. Many options and features were taken out from this game. I thought enhancing the game system would allow the capability for better games. To think EA has the best reputation for basketball games for the PS.

This is the biggest release to sport less options than it's PSX counterpart. No franchise, No create-your-own teams, "bad" response from buttons, and no difference in play from PSX. It does have better graphics, better create-player options (even if it is missing the glasses and headbands i used to love), and smooth frame-rates. Definately wait for 2002, unless you really need a basketball game. I am always disappointed when I have to say Sega has a better sports game than EA Sports.

You can barely even make a jumper above rookie level. This game is so bad and frustrating I can't get over it. The game play is slow, the other team waits until there is one second on the shot clock to shoot, and every time you play unless you jam every time your shooting percentage will be about 15%.This game is horrible. I am so dissapointed that EA would come out with a title this bad, after the PS2 potential they showed us with Madden. This game isn't even worth renting.

This is a shame. I love the PS NBA Live series, but this is a far cry from it. Listen to the people here bashing the game. Rent it and you'll know. The graphics (for a PS2 game) are awful, even compared with Live 2K1 on PS. The gameplay is more like Shootout. The shooting motion is jerky and dribbling is just a joke. How could EA send this game out?!? I don't care that "this is the best basketball title for PS2". Then that means all PS2 bball games are worthless. EA still rules for Madden and SSX, but how could they have screwed up such a sure thing?

NBA Live 2001 is not a good game. That being said, I will tell you why by arguing againt what EA states are the games high points. 1) Motion-captured dunks by NBA star Kevin Garnett... I had no idea that Kevin Garnett had a policy of doing "soft" dunks. The true power of a dunk is totally left out. Its like your player goes up and calmly puts down a swish dunk. What happened to break-away rims and hanging? If the lame excuse for dunks has been attributed to capturing the motions of Kevin Garnett I say next time invest in any old jo-schmo highschool kid - the dunks would probably be better and have more "umph" and feeling. 2)Challenge Michael Jordan and other legends in 1-on-1 or 5-on-5 games...Who really cares? I say give me a fantasy season mode in which I can put Jordan back on the Bulls and Magic on the Lakers. 3) Unlock championship teams, such as 1972 Lakers or 1986 Celtics...OK, Ok, this is a cool option but I would prefer a franchise mode over anything. Perhaps the EA NBA live people should talk with the EA Madden 2001 people and learn how to make a real PSX2 game. 4) Customize players with everything from height to tattoos...They actually put this is a feature? For a 2001 PSX2 game this is what should be what's expected. On this game I think only about 35% of the PSX2's potential was utilized. Graphics are bland and after 5 games you have seen all the game has to offer. Overall NBA Live 2001 just doesn't live up to the EA Sports name. It's a bad effort at best. Nothing really sticks out. An the game play is not that good. For instance when going in for a layup your players movement slows down. This allows any player to catch up and block your shot. Why the hell does a guy slow to a crawl on a fast break lay-up is beyond me. Take my word for it...rent this game before you buy it so you won't be shocked.

Hi! This game is okay, it has good music and graphics. But what stinks is that there is not three point shootout and slamdunk contest. You can play one on one, season, playoffs, and exhibition. This game is not a must want. Thanks for reading. Hope this was helpful.

This is one of the best PS2 games I have played yet. It has excelent graphics, awesome gameplay, easy controling, and is fun for the whole family. There is no other games like it. It is non stop fun.

As an owner of 3 other EA Sports PS2 games(Madden, NHL, and F1) I can honestly tell you that I am gravely bummed out. I wish that I had rented this first. Basketball is a difficult game to recreate but this reminds me of my old 1st and 2nd generation playstation games, slow and unrealistic. I am also majorly disappointed with the graphics. All of the stuff on the commercial is from replay movies. Most players lok unlike themselves. A major flaw is what should have been a major success, the back down option. When backing down a player you run straight out of bounds when you go to shoot about 26% of the time. I hope Knockout Kings isn't as disappointing. I will rent it first.

EA Sports really had a chance to knock our socks off with NBA Live 2001, but they gave us a real stinker. First off, the control is pretty bad, as you never feel that you have control of the players. The graphics are really pathetic, as the courts look really aliased and *cough* PSone like. The player models move with such rough animation that its hard to watch. The camera angles are also bad. Pass on this game ... hopefully EA can get it right next year.

When I think of ea sports, I think of qualtiy sports games. So far ea sports has put out 4 quality games in ssx, nhl 2001, fifa soccer 2001 and madden 2001. I held out on buying NBA 2K1 for dreamcast because I was really looking forward to what EA Sports was going to put out. However, when I was rented NBA Live 2001 from blockbuster, I was really disapointed. First off, it is hard to tell who some of the players are. I look at a Jamal Crawford on the bulls and just simply look at what is supposed to be him in disgust. Another thing that is missing is the coaches. Madden had them, NHL 2001 had them, but NBA LIVE 2001 DIDN'T. Why? I have no idea. In addition, the pre game introductions are horrible. All the players look like gorillas doing the bob and weave of the rams. This is simply ridiculous. Plus, the absence of the franchise and a 3 pt contest was a let down. Another reason why this game was a huge disapointment were the loose controls. You can easily run someone over and draw a foul on a leaning jumper. It is extremely hard to get past the computer on defense and three pointers are just to hard to make. The post up game is bad as well. And after many games in the series, I would have thought that ea sports could have improven the stealing in the game. I would just sit there with the computer standing there and i couldn't take the ball away. This was really annoying. With NBA 2K1 out there, i would recommend buying that game instead. It looks like EA Sports just rushed this game out to market and didn't pay attention to detail like they should have.

First of all I would like to say I played every single NBA Live Product ever made. and I think NBA LIVE products were far better than any other wannabe basketball game. Having said that, NBA LIVE 2001 was grossly hype-up and came about as a pure disappointment. Some of the things I found made me feel the game was rushed to meet deadlines. 1. You can't even do multiple player trades and with single tradingyou can even trade shaq for eddie jones. The trading .... 2. The graphics are ok, but can be a lot better. FIrst impression you will get is that the gameplay is smooth but bland in nature. NO DETAILS. 3. You can't have a career mode. FInal Comments This is a game for people who have ... dollars to burn and tend to collect games for the PS2 just because it looks cool next to the system. Other than that, I consider this game an unplayable game which lack quality, gameplay, graphics. I am a hardcore Bball game fan.

NBA Live 2001 is a good basketball video game compared to NBA2K1. But if you already have a Dreamcast and NBA2K1, you probably don't need to put out another ... for NBA Live. Since there aren't any other Basketball games for Playstation 2, it makes this good. Since I have PS2, not Dreamcast this is the best basketball game out there to me. Of all the cool features, one of them is playing 1 on 1. With this you can be Michael Jordan, Wilt Chamberlain, Bill Russel, etc etc. You can be anyone from the 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s, and 90s All Star Teams. Or you can be any current player in the NBA. You can be any of those teams in a regular game as well. Another feature I liked was editing current players. If there is a player who you really like then you can edit them to make them almost perfect. It is cool to play as them against the computer on 1 on 1 because of how good they are. Another thing a liked about the game was the control you have during the game. You can decide what offense, defense, in-bound plays, pressing, and press break you want. You can switch from one to another with the press of a button. One other cool thing is the dunks. There are several different ones like 360s, windmills, etc. They are all cool and all you need to do is push shoot at the right time, and it will do one of them. This is a good game and I would recommend to anyone, especially if you are a basketball fan.

NBA Live 2001 is a huge disappointment, I'm really sorry to say. I really wanted a fast, uptempo, exciting game - this is the only basketball game on a console I've ever played - I'm thinking more like NBA Jam in the arcade, a long time ago. But this game feels dead, and it feels like an unfinished product. The controls feel awkward, and like I don't really have control -especially when one is moving "diagonally" with the keypad. Trying to steal is too hard and unpredictable - the player keeps batting the air and can maybe knock the ball down to the ground, where the other player just shuffles to the left and picks it up. The gameplay is really quiet, like you're always playing one of those mid-season games where nobody really cares. Some of the UI is a little inconsistent, like how you can press the Start key to cut off an animation, but sometimes it just loads the Options screen, which is a major annoyance. The animations themselves are weak, and the characters do uninteresting things like slightly shake their fists. Yay. NBA Live 2001, while playable, is just not exciting. What happened? EA Sports usually rocks - NHL 2001 and SSX are some great games that I bought without seeing and was really happy. This one, I wish I could get my money back, but I already opened the package. Well, it means that I'm not going to buy anymore PS2 titles sight unseen anymore. Sorry, Sony.

For a sports game to come out in the middle of it's season, is just, well bad. Madden 2001 was understandable, because it came out with its system, but NBA Live should have been better then it is. The huge flaw is the controls. They're the same from the previous games(X-pass, O-shoot etc,)but when you press to shoot, your player doesn't. This happens about 25% of the time, and mainly when you're in the paint. If not for this problem, NBA Live could be called the best basketball game this year. Fortunatly, however, the gameplay is good. The graphics are superb, as are the animations. The commentary is great simply because the announcers rarely repeat themselves. You can hear the players argue calls, and the people in the crowd and bench look real!!! Not 2-D, flat things. Get this game, but only because Shootout isn't much better.

To say this game was bad is giving it way too much credit. After seeing NHL Live 2001, I purchased the PS2 in hopes for the same quality for all the other sports games. This sad version of NBA Live remain UNCHANGED since NBA Live 97. Even the one on one feature is boring. What a waste of money.....

If the graphics weren't so good, this would be called NBA Live 2000. That being said, you can take it or leave it. If you liked last year's version, then you'll like this one. I don't think that this will convert non EA NBA Live fans however. All in all it's a solid game with few suprises.

this is not nba basketball if you want nba basketball buy nba2k1 nuff said!!!

I have a Dreamcast and a Playstation 2 and except for maybe 2 or 3 titles I think the Dreamcast is winning in the gaming department. I bought NBA live and was very upset with everthing but the graphics. Now a days we expect great graphics what we want is game play, and in this area NBA Live 2001 hits the bottom of the fish pond. NBA2k1 is far, far superior in every aspect. I believe next year the makers of P2 games will finally use the potential of the system but for today they are not. So with that said if you want to play basketball go get NBA2K1 and leave NBA Live 2001 on the store shelves.

MO' MONEY WAISTED, MO' MONEY WAISTED, MO' MONEY WAISTED, MO' MONEY WAISTED, MO' MONEY WAISTED, MO' MONEY WAISTED!!!!!!!For all old school NBAlive heads you got what you wanted, your old game back again with a slight facelift. For a system with a 128bits, you would think that E.A. could have improved the graphics a lot with all the time they had to work on it. Game play has not change at all and this disappoints me the most about this game. The need for a "dunk" button is ridiculous. Why can't you just go to the whole and score according to their skill. The only change that's noticed in the graphics is on the action replay. The only props I'm given for this game is the cross over dribble, Sega could have done better. Over all the Nba2k1 is a much, much better game. If you're able to put these 2 games (NBAlive & NBA2k1) side by side, you noticed right off that Sega spent more time in the designed room.

After years of slow progress the nba live series has actually managed to take a giant leap backwards. There are so many flaws with this game I couldn't possibly name them all. First of all there is no franchise mode. This is the seventh game of the series and there still is no franchise mode. That's just lame. On top of that huge mistake there are tons of little mistakes that really ruin this game. No three point contest, No challenge mode like the ps1 has, No multi-player trades (that means no trading two players for one), No big increase in graphics, horrible gameplay flaws,(computer animations that run to long, crossover, spin move, don't do any of these moves around the sidelines, its a sure way to give the other team the ball), and finally no past championship teams like the 91 bulls or 94 rockets, or any of the great 80's teams. In conclusion don't buy this game its a waste of money. If you can't wait for a b-ball game buy nba live for playstation 1. Im hoping next years live will be way better. But I have definetly lost some faith in ea sports and the nba live series. Im going to have to start doing something I thought I would never have to do with an ea sports game, rent before I buy.

I was truly stunned once I opened the game. Bought it on the release date and returned it the same day. I would not give anybody advice to pick this game up. Slow gameplay, the list can go on. Just plain awful! Do not give EA any reason to think this was a success. DO NOT BUY THIS GAME. Pull out the old Genesis and give that a play. Its almost no different. Thanks EA for going all out on this one!

After playing Madden 2001 for PS2, I was really looking forward to NBA Live 2001 by EA Sports. So far it has been a major dissappointment for me and a waste of money. The game play is very slow, game menus not only look weird but also are not very user friendly. The one bright spot for the game is that the graphics are pretty during game play. If your considering buying this game I would definately rent it before buying so you know how your spending your money.

Compared to Madden 2001 this game falls way short. I did not buy a Dreamcast basically because they did not make EA games, if EA keeps putting out games like this, I am going to have to get a Dreamcast. The game is adequete. The courts look extremely realistic, and the player's uniforms look good as well. However, besides hairdo's and height every player looks the same. Look at NBA live 98 on the PS1 (easily the best B-Ball game of all time) and the realism of that game is better than this one. The way players shoot is real awkward, there is some herky jerky motion, and the dribbling is weird as well. The AI should be much harder as well. A person will like this game if they never have played Madden 2001, if they have the flaws will stick out immediatly.

This is not a game you want to play season after season. Compared to Madden, this game does not have any type of franchise mode. The graphics are better but this improvement doesn't warrant a purchase. Also, coming out halfway through the current NBA season, we know that NBA Live 2002 will be out sooner than we think this October. By then, we'll see some major improvements. We'll hopefully have the franchise mode, better game play/graphics, challenge mode, etc... If anything, this game offers less than the PS1 NBA Live 2001. The only new things we're getting is the better graphics and you can view them at your local store display or rent the game to appreciate that. Other than that, there's no reason to own this long term because EA Sports has not provided us a reason to play it long term. Let's hope NBA Live 2002 is MUCH better.

NBA live 2001 was a highly anticipated release that did not even come close to meeting expectations. The graphics are terrible, the gameplay is choppy and extremely unrealistic. This game reminds of the sega version, but with bigger characters. I highly recommend that you stay away from this game.