Thinking about the last time I seriously followed the "Slam Dunk" animation, it was the days when I was hiding in bed and watching it secretly on my mobile phone during the Symbian era. After so many years, I have even watched the high-definition remake version. To be honest, I got goosebumps the moment I heard the opening song, I'm not going to lie to you 😭
Without bragging, let's talk about the graphics of this game first. After all, it is authorized by Toei Animation, and the character modeling and scene restoration are indeed done well. Sakuragi's red hair, Rukawa Kaede's cold face, and Mitsui's three-point shooting posture, you can tell it's that flavor at a glance. The action details during the game are also relatively smooth. Although it cannot be compared with the console, on the mobile phone, it is a sincere work.
Let's talk about the gameplay, it focuses on real-time competition with real people. I must say a few more words about this, because there are too many mobile games on the market with emotional cards. Eight out of ten are idle cards. They are just IP skins. They are not worthy of the word "competition" at all. But this game is different. It really requires you to operate. Defense requires manual switching of positions. Blocking, pick-and-rolls, and rebounding all rely on your own operations. It is not a game where you play with numbers without thinking.
Game modes include story mode, ranked matches, matching matches, etc. The story mode is almost a bonus for veteran players, because you can replay the plot before the national competition and fight side by side with the Xiangbei gang. With that familiarity, I basically finished the game with tears in my eyes😭 As for the qualifying match, to be honest, I was a little panicked when I first started playing, after all, my hand was raw, but the tension returned to the time when I was arguing with my brothers in the class "Can Xiangbei beat the Sanno?"
In terms of operating feel, it took me two or three days of practice to fully adapt to it. The design of virtual joysticks and skill keys is considered the standard configuration of current mobile games, but its skill release design is very particular, and the skills of different characters are highly interactive. For example, Sakuragi's rebounding skill needs to be in a good position to be triggered, and Miyagi's quick passing requires the coordination of teammates' movements. It cannot be won by just random moves.
In terms of money, it seems to be quite conscientious so far. The main points are skins and some star card fragments. To be honest, veteran players like us in our 30s have long passed the age of earning money by climbing the rankings. We usually have a lot of fun playing two ranked games after get off work and chasing progress. Of course, if you want to reach the top rank, you will definitely have to spend money. I won't brag about this, everyone knows it.
But there are some minor flaws to mention. One is that the matching mechanism occasionally has a large gap in ranks. I don't know if it is because of the small number of people. The other is that the game will occasionally get stuck when loading. I hope that subsequent optimization can keep up. But these are common problems in mobile games and do not affect the overall experience.
A few final words. As an old player who has been around since the era of button machines, I have seen too many so-called "emotional games" that are short-lived and run away after making a lot of money. But this Slam Dunk mobile game, although it is also commercialized, at least it made me really find the feeling of sweating on the basketball court.
The dream of “dominating the country” may never come true in our lifetime. But being able to control the Five Tigers of Northern Hunan again on the mobile phone and compete with masters from all over the country on the field, for old guys like us, it's a youthful wish that has been fulfilled🏀
Anyway, if you are a slam dunk fan or you like to play competitive mobile games, this game is worth a try. Not bragging, it can bring you back that passionate summer