This is the first basketball game to come to VC, and unfortunately for us, it's not very good. While Double Dribble was popular back in the day due to the graphics (there are some cutscenes with fairly detailed stuff, like a crowd marching into a stadium or a player making a slam dunk) it hasn't aged very well.
Like most NES sports games, this one is pretty simple. All you do is dribble the ball and try to shoot it into the hoop on the other side of the field. There are no special gimmicks. Unfortunately, this is both a blessing and a curse, as while the game is fairly easy to play, it gets boring very quickly. To top it all off, there's no music during matches -- only during cutscenes and in the menus. All you'll hear during matches is dribbling and throwing sound effects.
There isn’t much variation in the matches either, with only 3 teams (all of them American, hmm). You can select how long a match lasts (5, 10, 20 or a whopping 30 minutes) and select the number of rounds. If you have a friend willing to play the game (good luck finding him/her) you can also play against each other.
So, despite being made by Konami, Double Dribble is essentially the same as Nintendo's own NES sports games. Unless you were a fan of the game back in the day, I wouldn't really recommend it.
1. Mii be you
25 Oct 2007, 23:21 GMT
No offense, but NBA Jam on the SNES is better.
2. Mr.Nintendo21
15 Nov 2007, 23:14 GMT
I agree with Mii be you. Only thing is, would they ever bring out NBA Jam/Tournament Edition due to they have the actual players from the NBA at that time on there. Unless they would just do like what they did with Tecmo Bowl and take out their names, which that would take too much out of the game.
3. Ian
16 Nov 2007, 00:24 GMT
I have this on my NES, did you know that this game was the first NES game to use Digital voice? Back in the day I really liked the game despite the fact I could never time the jump right when the game started to claim the ball. It realy isn't that bad, but it is quite outdated.
4. deggs
16 Nov 2007, 03:59 GMT
nba jam TE on snes (up to four players) = best basket ball game ever... but it'll never happen. they had a ton of actual player stats and copyright issues if they were to release that one... oh well
5. KhaoShar
16 Nov 2007, 19:36 GMT
This is the game that crossed the line. There were two games released by nintendo today, Super Mario Galaxy and THIS- and, my Lord, I know wich one I would choose.
Do all of europe a favor and don't EVER buy this game. Send a message to Nintendo so when the next Zelda comes out we won't get screwed like this on VC again...
6. Bass X0
16 Nov 2007, 23:43 GMT
is the genesis version much better? its called hyperdunk in europe.
7. Boo!
17 Nov 2007, 11:40 GMT
Sucks to be Australian - we won't see Galaxy for another 2 weeks and we get this on VC. Whoopee. Ah well, its just a game.
8. Jsney20
23 Nov 2007, 04:06 GMT
Pretty decent for its time the only basketball you can probally find on VC anyway.
9. Keith
26 Nov 2007, 13:22 GMT
Oh, it's coming to Virtual Console. I remember that game when I
was kid playing with my cousin. I had fun playing video game with
him! Good times!
10. Stevii's Father
27 Nov 2007, 03:55 GMT
Of course NBA Jam on the SNES would be better... this came out on the NES.
Trippy though, that the dunk sound effect is the standard explosion sound used in Contra, Arkanoid and so many other games... haha!
11. Mark
27 Nov 2007, 08:47 GMT
I loved this game back in the day, and sometimes still play it. I'm sorry, but it seemed that the review was a bit European biased (as if European basketball was even something to make a game for on NES...or the Wii). It's worth 500 wii points IMO.
12. pricetag
29 Nov 2007, 18:02 GMT
The reviewer was way too tough on this game, IMO.
This was the first basketball game to come out on the console, and it was solid, for the entire lifespan of the NES. Only Tecmo's NBA Basketball game was better, and that was mostly because they had the NBA teams and players, season mode, etc.
13. Koolkitties
30 Nov 2007, 23:24 GMT
NBA JAM would be a great game with or without liscenses. It's the best Basketball game ever made.
14. learn japanese ds
08 Jan 2008, 16:43 GMT
Oh man, Double Dribble! I will always remember this as the game that made my best friend K so mad that he threw his controller at the NES, hitting the power button and shutting the power off!
15. SmaMan
11 Feb 2008, 19:51 GMT
Another thing that could possibly hold NBA Jam:TE back is the fact that they had other secret characters besides NBA players like Fresh Prince(Will Smith), Bill and Hillary Clinton, Al Gore, and many more. There were even Mortal Kombat characters in the early arcade versions!
But I think I'll pass on this game. I have NBA Street V3 on my GCN so even if NBA Jam doesn't come out, I can still play 3 on 3...
16. AndreasWii
23 Mar 2008, 09:34 GMT
It was a very nice game at that time! But i will give 2000 points to play NBA hang time on snes!oh my God it was great!!
17. Tony
09 Apr 2008, 15:28 GMT
Ok Konami lets see Track and Feild 1 and 2
18. TheDudeAbides
21 Apr 2008, 17:15 GMT
Forget about this game. Does anyone remember ARCH RIVALS? That game was a trip, especially when you trip over the blind referee.
19. Jona
15 May 2008, 04:44 GMT
i think this game is pretty good and fun. (i no call me crazy) remember this was made in the 80s and was 1 of the 1st basketball games ever created, and they did a pretty good job; 4 wat its worth u shud check out this game
20. Mr 64
08 Jul 2008, 12:50 GMT
I have to be honest, my critique would be "Double Drivel"! My mate had it for his NES and even as a kid I thought it was awful. Also, why on earth are Nintendo bothering releasing baseball and basketball games in Europe? It's about as logical as releasing Graham Gooch's Cricket on the C64 in Japan and the US!
I'm hoping that Sensible Soccer in some form or another will appear, even if it's the slightly ropey console versions!
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