Backyard Basketball 2007 (PlayStation 2)

BACKYARD BASKETBALL 2007 is the fourth iteration of the popular series where kids play basketball with fictionalized kid versions of professional athletes. In this game, kids can take it to the hoop with youthful versions of Paul Pierce, Shaquille O'Neal, Allen Iverson, Tracy McGrady, Yao Ming, and others. The game is available for Sony's PlayStation 2, PC, and Nintendo's Game Boy Advance. This is a review of the PS2 version.

Modes include Mini Games, Horse, Pick-up Game, and the single-player Season Game. Kids select five players from a pool of 18 kid-pros and 22 regular Backyard Kids. On offense, you push one button to shoot, and the others to pass, crossover dribble, or call for a screen; on defense, buttons are for trying to steal, rebound, guard hard, and switch players. And for kids who aren't very good with using the controls, the game's artificial intelligence kicks in to make things happen.

This game works well as an introduction to playing sports video games because the controls are easy. Minor annoyances include repetitive comments by the color commentators, limited dunk moves, and the inability to do much on defense. On the plus side, the sound reflects the ambiance of a real game, and the chatter is amusing.

It's just plain fun to play with pint-size versions of the pros on over 10 different courts with real NBA team logos and uniforms, three levels of difficulty, and with or without a friend. You can even unlock new players and bonus items -- in one, you can make players' heads expand. Don't be surprised if this game turns your mild-mannered kid into a boards-crashing hoopster.