NBA players defend earth from an Alien invasion
Control NBA players fighting against aliens in this running game for iOS.
Saving the Earth one dunk at a time
Taking a cue from Space Jam, NBA players are fighting back against an alien invasion. The point of NBA Rush is to endlessly run across a ruined cityscape whilst destroying aliens, collecting coins and earning experience. You have a team of 3 NBA players, but you'll most play as one baller. Most of the time the street will be filled with city buses, ramps, and road blocks. There are some odd moments in NBA Rush: one powerup briefly launches your player into space to collect coins while flying towards the alien's mothership.
Experience is earned by jumping on alien spaceships or destructive dunk powerups. After the experience meter is full, players can be subbed out by double-tapping the screen. Coins are all over the level and can be used towards drafting or upgrades. Unfortunately, the price of everything in NBA Rush is very high so it will take quite a bit of time to collect a considerable amount of coin.
New players in NBA Rush can be bought with diamonds or by drafting. The draft consists of spinning a basketball that has the possibility of landing you three different levels of skills. The game hasn't been updated to reflect recent trades: Luol Deng still plays for the Bulls. The price of drafting costs far too much gold so you're not likely to be changing your players without inapp purchases.
How to play
Like Subway Surfers, your NBA player is controlled by swiping left or right will make your player move to the corresponding direction. Players can jump or slide by swiping up or down, respectively. Timing the jumps correctly takes some practice and feels counterintuitive.
How it looks
NBA Rush has mediocre graphics, but the game recycles landscapes quickly; you'll see the same devastated city over and over. However, the animations are smooth as the players switch lanes, jump, and dunk. The brief moments where your player flies through space also look impressive. Most of the players seemed to be based upon on the same character model and it's hit-or-miss as to whether they resemble the actual player (I'm looking at you, Joaquim Noah) they are supposed to be.
The soundtrack for NBA Rush consists of one song best suited for a title screen that quickly becomes irritating. Other sound effects include dribbling basketballs, explosions, and a voice that shouts out (and often improperly) phrases such as, "JAM SESSION" after destroying two aliens.
The Verdict: NBA shoots and misses
Even though this is an officially licensed NBA product, NBA Rush brings nothing new to an already overcrowded genre and doesn't appear to have been made by people who actually watch the league.
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