Last week, we took a look at the Trick Stick, one of the major additions to EA's latest iteration of their seminal streetball series, NBA Street. The third game in the franchise is titled NBA Street V3, and it's as different as its predecessor as that one was from the original. Although many people (rightfully) claim that many of EA's series don't change from game to game, there's no denying that this is not the case here, as each title features a new style, new moves, and most importantly, new features to keep the fans interested.

While the Trick Stick is certainly a big change, it doesn't shake the gameplay foundations nearly as much as the new GameBreaker system. Fans of the previous games surely know what GameBreakers are, but here's a little primer for those of you who might have missed out. Every time you pull off a trick, make a big play (such as a steal or a block), or throw down a nasty dunk, you'll accumulate some trick points, gradually filling up your GameBreaker gauge. Once it's completely full, you can enter GameBreaker mode by holding down the turbo buttons and shooting or pocket it in an effort to reach the second level.


What's the difference between the two, you ask? To begin with, the number of points taken away from your opponent are greater if you're able to successfully pull off the second one, ranging anywhere from 2 to 4 points. This is the essence of the GameBreaker system, as you can blow a game wide open with just one shot., though yours can be erased if your opponent is able to fill up his or her gauge. The other big difference, and this is a significant one, is that on the first level, your shot can be blocked, although it's not easy. The second level GameBreaker, on the other hand, features an unstoppable animation, but you'll have to work much harder to get it.

Like I said, though, most of the last title's GameBreaker system (yes, the one I just explained in-depth) has been thrown out the window. You'll still have to fill up your gauge by performing tricks and slamming the ball home, and successfully pulling it off will put more points on your side of the board while taking them away from your opponent. However, that's essentially where the similarities end. In NBA Street V3, you only have one level to choose from, so you'll have to use your GameBreaker before the time limit runs out, or you're back to sqaure one.

The biggest change in the system, however, is that you'll actually be in complete control of your players as the action around them slows down. When you finally enable the GameBreaker, everything will fade to black, except for your players and the ball, and it'll be up to you what happens next. If you decided to shoot from downtown, you'll simply release the ball and it will go in. Though there isn't a lot of fun in that, it comes in quite handy if the game is going down to the wire.