OVERALL RATING		3.0
Presentation		3.5
Control		2.5
Gameplay		3.5
Fun factor		2.0
User Rating		4.5

Lots of anxious mobile gamers have been waiting to get there hands on NBA Live, myself included, especially since it's always been a great experience on traditional mobile phones. I guess I was expecting that same carry over onto the iPhone, but unfortunately that isn't the case.

While I like the fact that NBA Live continues to be very much a simulation game, filled with different modes, authentic teams and players, team customization and statistics, it just falls flat on the most basic of all features, the gameplay. The game isn't completely broken or anything, but I do wonder if this game had to be a rushed release. There just doesn't seem to be much polish to it.

The reason I say this is for a number of reasons, but let me start with the basics. First off, there's hardly any semblance of AI to compete with. It's very indecisive and quite often, while passing the ball around, throws it into the backcourt for a violation. Add this to the fact that there are really no offensive sets to call, or that you can stay in the lane for an eternity without having a violation called, there's hardly anything to keep you interested. The game basically becomes an  up and down dunkfest with little to no passion.

Even the free throws are a pain. You are supposed to tilt the screen forward and back to shoot them, but the calibration is completely off, that I have to lose site of the screen to get it done. The graphics are also under par, with characters moving quite choppy  and simply looking under-detailed. Sure, there's some nice replays and good play-by-play audio featuring Marv Albert, but quite honestly, it doesn't look much better than for a regular mobile phone. This is the iPhone, right?

Overall, the game doesn't feel even half as good as what EA has released in the past. You think that with so much more power available, it would be. There is a lot more stuff to do here, but I feel that the gameplay was sacrificed just to add more bells and whistles. Sure, you have cool replays, and a soundtrack featuring top hip hop artists and all, but really, what about the gameplay?

I think the worst thing about it is that the game is positioned as a premium game, and it costs almost $10.00, though I think it's been lowered to $6.99 as a special. But still, for that price, you should certainly get a much better experience that what is delivered. It'll work in a pinch, if you're really looking for some NBA action on the go, but you should really think about it.