Flick NBA Basketball for iPhone

Freeverse's Flick Basketball is the first iPhone game that has been licensed by the NBA. With five mini games, an energetic soundtrack, and licensed players from every NBA team, Freeverse has given the game a great deal of superficial polish. But due to its thin content and missed opportunity for greatness, let's just say that Flick Basketball isn't "where amazing happens."

NBA fans will appreciate being able to play as the star player that represents each team. Some are obvious choices: Kobe Bryant represents the LA Lakers, Lebron James is the representative of the Cleveland Cavaliers, and Brandon Roy is the available player for the Portland Trail Blazers. Other available player choices are a bit suspect. Shaquille O'Neil is the only selectable player from the Suns, and any Suns will tell you that Amar'e Stoudemire or Steve Nash are the real stars of that team. Don't get me started on Freeverse's selection of Caron Butler over Gilbert "Agent Zero" Arenas for the Wizards.

Not that you'll have much use for the players' likenesses. Flick Basketball is actually not one but five mini-games in one title, and only three of these use the players and even then they all play the same. Shaquille O'Neil has the same 3-Point shooting skills as Chris Paul, so the players really act as aesthetic skins rather than active determinates of your strategy. Multiplayer is available for the 3-Point shooting competition and HORSE by way of clicking "versus" and trading off turns using the same iPhone. So far, Wi-Fi multiplayer isn't available.

The soundtrack is pretty catchy, and the commentators veer from overly laudatory goofball comments ("Boo-yah!" et al) to overly dismissive clichés ("I'm sure glad his mother wasn't around to see this!"). In this respect, yes, the game is a realistic recreation of the insufferable NBA commentators I usually hear on TNT.

While the graphics are impressive and the players' appearances are fairly accurate, you'll be limited to using them in a 3-point shooting contest, playing HORSE, or engaging in a "Long Shot" race against time that you might recognize from various college basketball halftime competitions (you need to sink a layup, a free throw, a 3-pointer, and so on before time runs out).

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