What's 'new', then?
Um, a single-button spin manoeuvre. It's quite sneaky, too. And icon passing - hold down L1 and use a particular button to chuck the ball to a specific player. Oh, and there are two 'special' events; the Three Point shoot out and the Slam Dunk Contest. In the former, you have to throw five sets of six balls at the hoop which are positioned around the 'D' area. You have to dap the shoot button when an on-screen gauge reaches a specific spot. It's enjoyable enough, if rather easy. The Slam Dunk Content is like Simon Says. A button combination is displayed on-screen, then it vanishes and you have to remember it. Bash the right buttons and your tall fellow runs in and slams the ball through the net. It gets progressively harder as you up the ante. An invisible jury judges your dunks and you're placed accordingly.

Sounds fun.
It's mildly diverting, no more.

And the basketball itself?
Knew we'd get around to it eventually. NBA Pro '99 is hardly the quickest game. It's rather lumpen, truth be known. The graphics are a bit rough around the edges, the shading's scruffy and as for those polygons! The control's are easy to get grips with and as is always the case in basketball games, you won't have much trouble sticking the ball through the rim. With the aid of Multi Taps and a wealth of pads, eight can indulge in hoopular high jinks.

You're not recommending NBA Pro '99, though, are you?
No. It won't get better either.

*All the NBA teams and players
*Slam Dunk and Three Point shot contests
*Slow
*Not pretty
*Wait for NBA 2000