NBA Live 10

Review

Common Sense Media says

Exciting sim of pro hoops with challenging shooting.
greenON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
yellowPAUSE: Know your child; some content
may not be right for some kids.
redOFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
not for kidsNOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age.

Find out more

Quality
 
Sometimes media can be age appropriate but a real waste of time. Our star rating assesses the media's overall quality.

Find out more

Parents say

Not yet rated

Kids say

Not yet rated

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that NBA Live 10 is a straightforward simulation of the National Basketball Association. As in real life, the arenas feature advertisements and ESPN is prominent in the game. The game is playable online, a feature Common Sense Media does not recommend to children under the age of 12, and it offers open chat so that the conversations can be unpredictable.

  • Positive messages1
    The game is a straightforward take on professional basketball.
  • Positive role models1
    The game showcases real athletes playing the game. Some are great role models for kids, while others just aren't.
  • Ease of play1
    When players fire up the game, they pop up on a practice court they can use to learn the game's moves.  The left stick moves players, while the right stick executes Freestyle moves such as fancy dribbling and passing. While there's only one button to shoot the basketball, a player's momentum dictates what type of shot they'll take. For example, if they're moving backward, they'll shoot a fadeaway. It can be tricky to judge what kind of shot players will take, but it gets easier as you practice. The controls can turn pretty advanced for players seeking more on-court options.
  • Violence0
    Not applicable.
  • Sex1
    The game includes cheerleaders wearing tight clothes that dance during timeouts, but nothing racy.
  • Language0
    Not applicable.
  • Consumerism2
    ESPN plays a big role in the game, including providing sports updates and other news. There are also some ads that appear in arenas.
  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking0
    Not applicable.
CloseExpand to see more details

What's it about?

NBA Live 10 is a video game simulation of professional basketball. Players can guide one of 30 teams to an NBA championship in Dynasty or Season modes, or control an international team and lead them to victory in the FIBA World Championships. The signature feature of the franchise is Dynamic DNA, where athletes' skills are presented in a DNA style grid. The feature closely follows the real-life NBA season, and will update as the season progresses. So, for example, if a player is injured or changes their style of play, it will be reflected in the game. Players can also participate in a Dynamic Season that changes along with the real NBA.

Is it any good?

 

NBA Live 10 definitely looks and sounds like the real thing. Developers did a great job of making the pro players look exactly like their real-world selves. Arenas are filled with chanting, lively fans.The announcing team, led by Marv Albert, packs strong levels of energy.

Overall, gameplay is solid but the shooting controls aren't very friendly. Taking shots is based on a momentum system where player movement dictates what type of shot they will take. If a player moves off a screen to shoot, they may take a running jumper, or they'll attempt a lay-up when driving the lane. It simplifies the shooting mechanics, but experienced players might find the lack of control frustrating. Dribbling and other ballhandling techniques are pretty easy to pick up and execute. The intelligence of computer-controlled teammates is questionable at best. They don't contest shots enough, attempt steals, or move effectively without the ball. Opponents, however, play quite well, particularly once you try the tougher difficulty settings. While the game does pack some solid additions, it could use some on-court practice.

Online interaction: Online chat is available and open to all other players which can create an unpredictable situation.

Sign Up Message
Sign up for our weekly newsletter
Each week we send a customized newsletter to our parent and teen subscribers. Parents can customize their settings to receive recommendations and parent tips based on their kids’ ages. Teens receive a version just for them with the latest reviews and top picks for movies, video games, apps, music, books, and more.
Please enter an email address.
Please check your email address for possible typos.
Sorry, you must be 13 or older to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.
Sign me up!

What families can talk about

  • How do the video games compare to the real-world counterparts?

  • Which sport makes the best transition to the video game medium?

  • What's it like to play as one of the league's superstars, like Kobe Bryant or Lebron James?

This review was written by Brett Molina
Kid, 11 years old
January 19, 2010
AGE
2
 
Awesome
this is a great game.
Was this review useful?
Helped me decide (2) | Had useful details (4) | Read my mind (3)
Flag as inappropriate 
See all user reviews
This review was written by Brett Molina
Topics:sports and martial arts
Platforms:Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PSP
Available online?Available online
Genre:Sports
Developer:EA Sports
Release date:October 6, 2009
Price:$59.99
ESRB rating:E for (No Descriptors)
This review was written by Brett Molina

Contact us to give us more feedback on our learning ratings.

 

Review It

Share your review with others

Hang on! You need to be a member to post your review.
A safe community is important to us. Please observe our guidelines.

Screenshots

  • 1 of 2
  • 2 of 2

Tell us what you think about our new Learning Ratings. We value your feedback.

About our rating system
ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids.
OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
Learning ratings
BEST: Really engaging, great learning approach.
GOOD: Pretty engaging, good learning approach.
FAIR: Somewhat engaging, OK learning approach.
NOT FOR LEARNING: Not recommended for learning.
Our child development rating guidelines

Great alternatives handpicked by our editors

Other sports titles
For kids who love fast-paced games
Browse more games
 

vote now

Will you play NBA Live 10?

Game on
Press pause
Game over

Already played it? What do you think?

I recommend it
It's a pass
 
More from Common Sense Media
Age-appropriate reviews
Top advice and articles

Been There? Tell us about it