NBA Ballers: Rebound is a PSP version of the NBA Ballers franchise featuring features that are more akin to the PSP, such as using the D-pad for movement rather than the analog control, which is used in the console versions of the franchise. In addition, users can take on the roles of prominent NBA players from that era, such as Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant, and compete in arcade-style action on outdoor courts.
Players can compete in various modes, including TV Tournaments and a “story mode” called Rags to Riches. In this mode, players can create their own “baller” and bring him up through the ranks, defeating the game’s top players and gaining notoriety.
Players who are victorious in these bouts will earn money that they may put toward the purchase of jewelry (often known as “bling”) and the enhancement of their “crib” with additional accessories as more time passes in the game. The gameplay resembles that of NBA Jam, featuring arcade-style one-on-one action with ridiculous techniques such as half-court dunks and intricate alley-oops. The game is available for both Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. After a certain number of these maneuvers have been completed, a meter known as the “House Meter” will have been filled. Once this meter has been filled, the player can do a unique alley-oop known as the “juice house.” This alley-oop will shatter the backboard and smash the hoop, giving the player an automatic win regardless of the game’s score.
Players can also compete against each other using the Ad-Hoc mode, in one-on-one matches, utilizing the players’ generated “ballers” or unlocked professional players, and play in “cribs” constructed by the players within the game. Alternatively, players can compete using professional players.
