The concept and execution are miles apart, and Mario Hoops will only last long in the hands of someone with strong multi
The game sets up like you'd expect, with a few modes to choose from, a variety of familiar faces to play as, and some locales from all sorts of Nintendo games to tip-off at. However, the gameplay sets up a little differently, as mostly everything you do is engraved into the touch screen and stylus. You shoot with the stylus, pass with the stylus, defend with the stylus, and even dribble with the stylus. The formula works quite well to a degree, but the camera angles don't, making it tricky to position yourself for a specific play.
The action and interaction throughout a match is very slow-paced, and the controls don't always respond in the proper fashion. There are no boundaries (but invisible walls) on the court, no fouls, and no conventional scoring. On average, a player may get 25-30 points in just one shot, because of the obscure dynamics of scoring. You can gather up coins by dribbling the ball on a series of coin blocks dispersed all over the court, and when you do score, the totals points rack up from the amount of coins you had. In addition, instead of 2-pointers and 3-pointers, you'll shoot 20-pointers and 30-pointers.
One of the most interesting aspects of the game is the specials for specific players. By sketching a particular pattern on the DS, your character will frantically dribble the ball adeptly and produce an unstoppable dunk or an imposing feed to another player for the ultimate alley-oop. In theory, the main concept of the game actually confides within style points, rather than simple basketball fundamentals. You'll mainly find yourself dunking the ball and setting up long range alley-oops to set the bar for your opponent.
The artificial intelligence is really one of the worst executed parts of the game. The game is either too easy or too hard, so you'll never really experience a formidable opponent that can rack up points, but at the same time, give you an edge in your game. That said, you can blow away some of the competition by up to 500 points with ease, while some of the later teams can beat you by over 100 with ease. The game really lacks feel in the difficulty layout, and it's difficult to get "better" by practicing against mediocre teams, only to get beat down by a much more superior opponent later down the road.
In all truth, there's nothing really apparent that stands out with Mario Hoops. Square Enix doesn't fit the bill for a Mario sports title, and disappointingly, neither does the DS. That combination alone makes Mario Hoops a flashy, but overly degrading Mario game. If there was more execution and polish to go along with the slick concept, it may have been more appreciable. In the end, however, this is a game you shouldn't bother with unless you have a friend or two willing to play you head-to-head.