Parents' Guide to

NBA Baller Beats

By Marc Saltzman, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 10+

Rhythm game about dribbling a real basketball to music.

Game Xbox 360 2012
NBA Baller Beats Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this game.

  • NBA Baller Beats Game: Screenshot #1
  • NBA Baller Beats Game: Screenshot #2
  • NBA Baller Beats Game: Screenshot #3

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What’s It About?

What do you get when you combine basketball dribbling with a rhythm-based music game like Guitar Hero? The answer is NBA BALLER BEATS, a motion-sensing game designed to work with Kinect for Xbox 360. After you've set up your Kinect sensor, which monitors your movements in front of the television (and the ball you're holding), Majesco Entertainment's game has you choose a favorite NBA team, difficulty level (rookie to pro), and a song to play through (from popular hip-hop and pop artists including LMFAO, Kanye West, Lady Gaga, Tiesto, Common, Skrillex, Queen, and more). Similar to other music games like Guitar Hero, Rock Band or Tap Tap Revenge, icons float down the screen and you must bounce the ball in time with the beat.

While dribbling, you'll be prompted to switch between your right and left hand and perform 20 other moves such as through-the-legs dribbles, behind-the-back crossovers, or around-the-world finger rolls. Kinect's sensors and camera capture your dribbling and other movements. Like other music games, you're graded on your performance by receiving points and star rating out of five. Play well and you can also earn achievements and unlock additional assets (such as virtual trading cards, posters, and songs) and bonus gaming content. NBA Baller Beats lets you take in-game photos of your ball handling to share with friends on Facebook.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: Not yet rated
Kids say: Not yet rated

The game is a mixed bag. On one hand, gamers (and their parents) will appreciate the physical activity by dribbling through each song -- but on the flipside, parents, spouses, or siblings might grow annoyed by the constant thump-thump-thump on the family room floor. Those who live in an apartment or condo must also be aware of this. Another issue is if the ball gets away from you, and it will, you risk breaking something on, say, a coffee table, end table, or even your HDTV itself. And the game requires quite a bit of room (Majesco suggests 7 to 10 feet from the TV) so expect to see a warning about moving back further if you creep forward toward your television throughout the song.

But along with the 30-odd songs, the game offers a couple of different modes, including a Move Skill practice mode and a head-to-head multiplayer mode for up to eight players. There's a lot of gameplay here. Capable of making you a better ball-handler, NBA Baller Beats is ideal for those who love hoops, hip-hop, and rhythm games –- and you'll certainly get a good workout from playing it. But be sure to have a large playing space and move anything delicate or valuable out of the way before you begin dribbling to the beat.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about whether this game is a good idea or not. It encourages activity and exercise but basketballs can break items in a home and produce loud sounds when dribbled on a carpet or floor.

  • Do your prefer playing games that are active? If so, why?

Game Details

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