Graphically, NBA 06 (Featuring The Life: Vol 1) is like a high-schooler playing in the big time -- there’s some potential, but it has a lot of growing up to do. Players really don’t have a specific life-like appearance like other NBA games out there, but the models look okay in their own right. Where NBA 06 shines instead is in its animations and voice-overs.

Now I’m not really talking about anything in-game here. Yeah, the animations are okay, but I really enjoyed the excellent voice acting and animations that occur as your begin your career in the The Life mode. Everyone from the coaches who train you to the announcers who talk about you have a very animated life about them, through their voice acting and the story that surrounds your career. In-game sounds, voices, and music are all also great and keep things interesting as you’re battling your way to the top of the NBA.

NBA 06 (Featuring The Life: Vol 1) is, out of the box, not a great basketball game as far as gameplay is concerned. On the court, the players just didn’t have the control that you find in other titles. Sure, you have a lot of special moves to perform (juke, spin, and jab step, just to name a few), but I kept wishing for more control in the form of special plays on offense and defense. Also, the special moves didn’t seem to perform when wanted all of the time, which made the controls feel clunky. In addition, playing defense is very hard and stealing passes seems almost random at times.

Now even though NBA 06 is a bit clunky on the court, it does have some features that I really enjoy. For starters, when you begin your shot, a colored meter shows above your head. This is a great indicator, and even adds a bit of a challenge to guide you in your shots. If someone has a hand in your face or you are out of your shot range, your "sweet spot" is much smaller on the meter, making skill a factor instead of simply a result that the computer interprets whether it should be 2 points or a brick off the board.

Another thing I like about the gameplay of NBA 06 is that you get bonuses for style. It’s not just about putting the rock in the basket, but getting the crowd pumped as you do it. Sure, you can pass the ball and get the assist, but you can also no-look pass, even for alley oops, to get the style points jumping. And if you really get some perfect timing, you’ll even be treated to a slow-motion breakdown of the action.

As mentioned earlier, the heart of NBA 06 is in the career mode called The Life. Here is where you’ll train to become an NBA player, first to get drafted and then working your way into the rotation for games. While at first I found it a bit cheesy, I actually got hooked on the mini-games that make up The Life. You’ll have different challenges, ranging from self-competition like shooting and passing drills, to team events like 2-on-2, 3-on-3, and full out games. (You can also play many of the mini-games online.) Each event has a specific set of goals. You’ll have to complete some of them, while others will be optional. The events don’t go unrewarded. As you finish goals, you’ll gain attribute points for your character (by the way, the create-a-player lacks any depth) to help power him into a superstar.

Here’s the deal. The AI is quite predicable in some cases, and in others, these computer-controlled ballers will school you as if your hands were tied. It almost seemed like there was a "keep it close" setting that isn’t really there. The normal full court games usually aren’t as bad, but some of the mini-games had me retrying them countless times before finally prevailing, yet other mini-games were quite easy. Either way, on the court shooting takes some skill, or a lot of very close shots so that your shot meter has a bigger sweet spot.

The controls of NBA 06 on the court don’t always perform like they do in training, unfortunately. I found myself trying to spin and jab step (as well as perform post moves) with the right analog stick only to not have anything really happen as intended. Fortunately, the shot meter’s color-coded goodness is great. Depending on how difficult the shot is, you’ll have a meter that has red, orange, and green areas of varying thickness. To guarantee a shot, you must release the shot button in the green (be careful, it can still be blocked). Hit the orange, and you have a chance. And in the red, you’ll be firing bricks.

If you’re looking for a game to purely play basketball, then look elsewhere. NBA 06 just doesn’t thrill like NBA Live 06 or NBA 2K6. But, if you have a love for mini-games and small challenges, then jumping into The Life of NBA 06 may be right up your alley.