Taking a rest from their usual style, 1940s serial-orientated games, Cinemaware have once again turned to the US TV sports channels to bring us a second sports sim, TV Sports Basketball.

Following in the same veins as their previous sports release, TV Sports Football, the game places you as a player or manager (or even both) in an American basketball league. You can either opt to play as an established US league team complete with its own set of players, or perhaps design your own team from scratch.

Those not wishing to take up any exercise - be it computerised or otherwise - can just watch their team carry out the set tactics and shuffle the figures around depending on the results.

If you feel left out of the action you can always jump in and start controlling the team directly, if, on the other hand, you feel like putting yourself in the shoes of a single player and following him through his career then you can select the 'role playing' section.

The pattern of play in the league follows very closely the pattern of the actual American basketball league, the top teams from each division qualifying for the play-offs, which may even lead to playing in the World Series - but only if you're good enough!

GRAPHICS AND SOUND

As you would expect, Cinemaware have done the business in the presentation department. The intro screens are humourous, the animation is superb and the music is atmospheric. All the usual touches such as the wacky promoters and charismatic TV presenter have been included, as well as extra features like cleaner sweeping up pieces of broken backboard in the distance. The overall feel is very much in the American TV mould - even the programming credits read like the end credits of a TV show!

LASTING INTEREST

The wealth of options initially presented to the player makes it seem as though there is a good deal to keep you playing, but unless you have a large supply of friends to play against in the league or you prefer watching the computer plays the games for you then you'll soon wander off find something else to lavish your attention on.

The whole thing is rather like watching a cartoon of a game of basketball rather than actively taking part - the computer does far too much, which prevents the player from getting seriously involved. Only dedicated 'manager' fans will find the game enthralling enough to capture their attention for more than a few hours.

JUDGEMENT

The dividing line between an accurate simulation and a playable action game is often considered a narrow one. Unfortunately, Cinemaware's latest offering falls the wrong side of the line. TV Sports Basketball is packed with information to make it one of the most stunningly accurate sports simulations ever, but the actual game sections are severely lacking in gameplay. Stopping the opposite team storming past your players and scoring every time is virtually impossible - a task which isn't helped by the unruly and badly-implemented control system.

It's hard to believe that the team that brought us the superbly-presented and wonderfully playable TV Sports Football can have come up with a product that's enough to put people off the game of basketball for life.
Nice graphics, a myriad of setting and options and slick presentation are all very well, but look a little deeper and all that is left is nothing more than an expensive and frustrating basketball manager game.

Basketball is big - almost as big as Oliver North - in the land of apple pie. Many reserved Britons fail to see the attraction of a dozen men, each in excess of six foot in height, bouncing balls through nets and squeaking their Adidas trainers, but that is their loss. The rules are quite simple. Five players, no physical contact, no holding the ball for more than three seconds and all on a court no bigger than a hundred feet long.

Naturally, Cinemaware's adaptation is up to their usual, highly polished standard, and it owes more than a little to TV Sports Football. The intro sequence features a panning camera shot showing the crowded arena, followed by a message from the program's sponsors, then the ever-smiling front man, prattles on about the features of the match and its grand finale.

Next off it is time to arrange your team. Pick five players, tell them who they have got to mark and then you are away. The action starts with a tip off, in which the referee throws the ball into the air while the players try to gain possession. From there onwards the game is divided into four sections: defense, attack, midfield and the subs bench. In the defence section you have to try to pick off the passes of the opposing teams in addition to blocking their shots.

Intercepting a pass gives your team automatic possession and the chance to catch your opponents' defence off guard.

Once you have made it out of your goal area and into the midfield, rather than control players, you set up the next play. By moving the joystick you tell a player to try and break away from his marker so he becomes free to receive a pass.

Once in scoring distance it is a matter of trying to get closer for a more accurate shot, or shooting from a distance and scoring a higher - either way it is all over in the stab of the fire button. Unless the player in possession is really accurate it pays to try and get in close. Getting really close to the basket allows you to attempt a slam dunk. This involves the player physically placing the ball in the basket. It will not give you extra points, but it does look good all the same.

Sadly TV Sports Basketball lacks interaction, there is less to do than in TV Sports Football. Although the action is fast, a lot of the time you end up getting left behind. Do not let that put you off though, this game has a lot to offer and it is good fun to play.
Definitely the best of the few basketball sims available.

From humble beginnings basketball has developed into a modern sport with highly paid professionals playing in America's NBA Championship. Cinemaware, however, have their own league: the CWBA, with 28 teams (any of which can be human or computer controlled) competing in four divisions. Teams may be edited to change players' abilities and names.

In exhibition (friendly) matches, up to four players can compete (using a special joystick adapter available from Microdeal), either on the same side or two against two. There are also options for the number of players in a team (2-5) and the length of the quarters (3-12 minutes - real-time).

All games start with the 'tip off'. Two players stand either side of the ref as he throws up the ball, and jump up in an attempt to knock it towards another player on their side. The substitution screen then appears, allowing you to replace tired players with fresh men off the bench (substitution is unlimited) as well as changing their positions and choosing which opposing players they mark. This screen can be called up during play by taking a time out.

There are two ways of playing for your chosen team: you can either switch between the players at will, or play the role of just one chosen player.

The player in possession dribbles automatically. Passing is achieved by pressing fire; the ball is aimed towards the nearest player in the relevant direction. To aid passing, the most open player is indicated by a circle, the colour of which indicates the risk of the ball being stolen by the opposition.

Hold down the fire button and the player jumps up, shooting at the basket when fire is released - shoot at the top of the jump for the optimum chance of scoring. Shots can be blocked by jumping opposing players. But with both offence and defence, care must be taken no to make illegal contact with an opponent. As well as giving away free throws, the offending player could be eliminated from the game if he commits too many fouls.

Direct control of players is only possible at the two ends of the court. When players are crossing mid-court the play-calling screen appears, allowing the offensive team to select a player to try to get open in the subsequent attack. Simultaneously, the defensive team can choose an opposing player to guard more closely.