NBA 09: The Inside: NBA 09 Has Got Mini-Game Company: Sony Interactive Entertainment America If nothing else, NBA 09: The Inside should offer plenty of things to do when it releases this October. In addition to a solid game of basketball, it also offers a number of play modes and mini-games. Before getting into the new play modes, let's look at the game mechanics - which have always been one of the series shakier, yet constantly improving elements. The best news to come out of NBA 09 is that the three-colored shooting mechanic is back. This has always been my favorite aspect of the game, especially since I'm not that great at knowing when to take a shot and when to try for a better angle. Just as you're about to shoot the ball, a ring will appear around the ball; if the ring turns green you've got the shot, while a red outline means you're not going to make it. The first time you use the ring it is confusing and it is tempting to turn the feature off. However, given some time it grows on you and becomes your best friend on the court. The other play mechanics feel good despite the PSP's nub - which in my opinion is the system's key flaw. Compared to NBA 08, things feel a little tighter; the passing system has been reworked and the A.I. gives you a better game. There are a few minor bugs, though nothing that can't be squashed before the final release. When it comes to play modes, the NBA series has never come up short of things to do. NBA 09 keeps or tweaks nearly every mode from past series. Franchise Mode has been completely reworked and gives you full control over all basketball operations. As your Franchise plays out, everything about your team is monitored and displayed via several tracking charts. In addition to stats like team performance, you're also able to check on play morale, giving you a nice inside look at your team's mental state. Negotiating contracts is a little more realistic and feels like a true basketball sim. A.I.-run teams aren't as gullible, so you can't hoodwink it on trades anymore. In other words, you won't be able to trade up a few worthless benchwarmers for a star player and build a super squad. Last year's excellent Conquest Mode, which allowed you to take over territories by playing rival teams, is back and is complimented by Elimiquest. The mode runs similar to Conquest, though instead of taking over territories through games, you're using Elimination mini-games. As you play through games, you earn power-ups which you can then use when trying to decide how to best conquer surrounding territories. Elimiquest is joined by four other types of mini-games: Solo, Team, Carnival and Pinball. Solo games are one-on-one games, such as Bang the Boards, that emphasize one particular skill. In Bang the Boards, you place bets on how many rebounds you can snag in a certain amount of time. Team games are similar, only instead of focusing on solo skills, you focus on skills like passing. Carnival games are a series of basketball-themed games that you would expect to see on a carnival midway. For example, Block-a-Shot is similar to Whack-a-Mole, only instead of hitting a bunch of blind rats, you're stopping shots. The final type, Pinball, is an expanded version of last year's game. It offers seven different tables to play on, each with their own features such as a smack-talking robot. I've been following Sony's NBA series since the PSP's launch, and though it got off to a rocky start, it is hard to ignore that the series has been getting better over the last few years and so far, it looks like NBA 09: The Inside is continuing the tradition. -Starscream, GameVortex Communications AKA Ricky Tucker Related Links: Sony's Site