HoopWorld
Encyclopedia
HoopWorld, is a 3-on-3 multiplayer arcade basketball game with a kung-fu power-up twist, released in North America on July 19, 2010 and in the PAL region on August 13, 2010 exclusively for WiiWare
. HoopWorld utilizes power-up
gameplay
, basketball
and Kung-fu
to create a unique and competitive experience reminiscent of Arch Rivals
, NBA Jam!
, and Power Stone
.
The game comes with three game modes (Quick Match, Tournament, and Survival) and has four difficulty levels (easy, normal, difficulty, and crazy) that enable the player to unlock teams and courts when played in Tournament mode . HoopWorld is an offline multiplayer game that can be played with 1-2 players. There is also a online leader board allowing players to upload their accumulated scores generated in Tournament mode. There are six available courts that are set in nature and outdoor locations, such as a jungle, a volcano, a Caribbean island, a Greek village, a desert, and a mystical forest. All courts are defended by their respective team that the player can pick from.
concerns and Streamline Studios
announced engineering support from Spanish developer
and publisher
Virtual Toys. In 2008, the developers decided to release HoopWorld as a WiiWare
title slated for release in 2010. The game launched in North and South America on July 19, 2010, and in Europe, Australia, and New Zealand on August 13, 2010, where it is available for the same amount of 1000 Wii Points
under the title HoopWorld BasketBrawl.
Continuing with the thought of difficulty, RunDLC commented that the AI will make you "scream" at times, but it was still considered to be a "cool new take" on the sport.
Wiiloveit.com praised the game for its "new dimension of gameplay" and "extremely intense" matches. Although the lack of online play was commented on, it was highlighted that the game is "a lot of fun", especially from the standpoint of it being a quality multiplayer game for the service.
IGN
mentioned that the control scheme "can take some adjustment" but described HoopWorld overall as one of "the most attractive WiiWare titles" and an "impressive alternative" to the NBA Jam
experience that excels beyond nostalgia memories of arcade classics.
WiiWare
WiiWare is a service that allows Wii users to download games and applications specifically designed and developed for the Wii video game console made by Nintendo. These games and applications can only be purchased and downloaded from the Wii Shop Channel under the WiiWare section...
. HoopWorld utilizes power-up
Power-up
In computer and video games, power-ups are objects that instantly benefit or add extra abilities to the game character as a game mechanic. This is in contrast to an item, which may or may not have a benefit and can be used at a time chosen by the player...
gameplay
Gameplay
Gameplay is the specific way in which players interact with a game, and in particular with video games. Gameplay is the pattern defined through the game rules, connection between player and the game, challenges and overcoming them, plot and player's connection with it...
, basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
and Kung-fu
Chinese martial arts
Chinese martial arts, also referred to by the Mandarin Chinese term wushu and popularly as kung fu , are a number of fighting styles that have developed over the centuries in China. These fighting styles are often classified according to common traits, identified as "families" , "sects" or...
to create a unique and competitive experience reminiscent of Arch Rivals
Arch Rivals
Arch Rivals is a basketball arcade game created by Midway in 1989. The game billed itself as "A Basket Brawl." It was also included on Midway Arcade Treasures 2 for the PlayStation 2, Xbox and GameCube and Midway Arcade Treasures Deluxe Edition for the PC...
, NBA Jam!
NBA Jam
NBA Jam is a basketball arcade game developed by Midway in 1993. It is the first entry in the NBA Jam series, and was written entirely in assembly language. The main designer and programmer for this game was Mark Turmell...
, and Power Stone
Power Stone
Power Stone is a fully 3D arena fighting game series made by Capcom. Power Stone was initially released on the Sega NAOMI hardware and later ported to the Dreamcast...
.
Gameplay
HoopWorld is an action sports basketball game in arcade style where two teams fight each other in order to defend their home courts. The point of the game is to get the highest score possible before match time runs out . The player runs, fights, kicks, steals the ball from opponents, and performs dunks and ball passes to win the match. Mystery Boxes will appear randomly on the court during the match revealing one of eight power-ups that impact game play.The game comes with three game modes (Quick Match, Tournament, and Survival) and has four difficulty levels (easy, normal, difficulty, and crazy) that enable the player to unlock teams and courts when played in Tournament mode . HoopWorld is an offline multiplayer game that can be played with 1-2 players. There is also a online leader board allowing players to upload their accumulated scores generated in Tournament mode. There are six available courts that are set in nature and outdoor locations, such as a jungle, a volcano, a Caribbean island, a Greek village, a desert, and a mystical forest. All courts are defended by their respective team that the player can pick from.
History
HoopWorld was first announced in 2005 for release on XBLA in spring 2006. In September 2006, the game was postponed due to quality and gameplayGameplay
Gameplay is the specific way in which players interact with a game, and in particular with video games. Gameplay is the pattern defined through the game rules, connection between player and the game, challenges and overcoming them, plot and player's connection with it...
concerns and Streamline Studios
Streamline Studios
Streamline Studios is an independent outsourcing and game developing studio. It was founded in 2001 in Hilversum, the Netherlands.-History:Streamline Studios worked on Gunman Chronicles , Unreal Tournament 2004, Saint's Row, Gears of War, Unreal Tournament 3 among others.Black Hole Recordings, an...
announced engineering support from Spanish developer
Video game developer
A video game developer is a software developer that creates video games. A developer may specialize in a certain video game console, such as Nintendo's Wii, Microsoft's Xbox 360, Sony's PlayStation 3, or may develop for a variety of systems, including personal computers.Most developers also...
and publisher
Video game publisher
A video game publisher is a company that publishes video games that they have either developed internally or have had developed by a video game developer....
Virtual Toys. In 2008, the developers decided to release HoopWorld as a WiiWare
WiiWare
WiiWare is a service that allows Wii users to download games and applications specifically designed and developed for the Wii video game console made by Nintendo. These games and applications can only be purchased and downloaded from the Wii Shop Channel under the WiiWare section...
title slated for release in 2010. The game launched in North and South America on July 19, 2010, and in Europe, Australia, and New Zealand on August 13, 2010, where it is available for the same amount of 1000 Wii Points
Wii Points
Nintendo Points are a currency that Nintendo uses for its Wii and Nintendo DSi systems through the Wii Shop Channel and Nintendo DSi Shop respectively...
under the title HoopWorld BasketBrawl.
Reception
HoopWorld has received a variety of reactions from varying media outlets. 1UP cited that the game's controls come with a learning curve, but it does "deliver... its promise of old-school three-on-three fun".Continuing with the thought of difficulty, RunDLC commented that the AI will make you "scream" at times, but it was still considered to be a "cool new take" on the sport.
Wiiloveit.com praised the game for its "new dimension of gameplay" and "extremely intense" matches. Although the lack of online play was commented on, it was highlighted that the game is "a lot of fun", especially from the standpoint of it being a quality multiplayer game for the service.
IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
mentioned that the control scheme "can take some adjustment" but described HoopWorld overall as one of "the most attractive WiiWare titles" and an "impressive alternative" to the NBA Jam
NBA Jam
NBA Jam is a basketball arcade game developed by Midway in 1993. It is the first entry in the NBA Jam series, and was written entirely in assembly language. The main designer and programmer for this game was Mark Turmell...
experience that excels beyond nostalgia memories of arcade classics.