NBA Action Starring David Robinson

Weakly related to NBA Action '94 for the Genesis, this cart brings five-on-five hoops to the Game Gear. If you like concentrating on strategy and player stats, then NBA Action might fit the bill. But it certainly won't make your adrenaline roar.

Air Ball

Initially, the number of options will impress you. You choose from all 27 NBA teams and their rosters, take on a 26- or 82-game season, and work toward the playoffs. Standard features like substitutions round out the game.

The good vibes fade quickly. David Robinson appears in the title screen, but he isn't much of a factor elsewhere. Even worse, the slow game play doesn't exactly pin you to your seat. When a player goes up for a well-animated dunk, you'll have enough time to catch a quick snooze. The controls perform their simple functions adequately, but there's not much work for them - you can't even pump fake.

Short on the Action

The graphics really strain your eyes. Unless you have a microscope handy, the tiny sprites blur into one shapeless blob as soon as players bunch together. If Sega hadn't crammed an entire half court worth of action onto the screen, you might be able to keep track of your player long enough to enjoy tackling this challenging game. The lackluster sound (crowd roars sound like radio static) buries this game for good.

Good basketball games do exist for the Game Gear, so for now, stick with NBA Jam.