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Basketball is a sport that everyone has played at school and enjoyed - unless they happen to be a midget! Slam dunks, steals and zone defence are words not often heard in British sport, but in the States and other countries the game is a national institution.

One or two players compete in either an Exhibition (a one-off game) or a tournament season. There are eight teams to choose from in Exhibition mode, with the selection spanning the States from Seattle to Boston.

When the team screen appears, it's time to choose who plays where. The Left Forward may have all the throwing power of an English cricketer, whereas one of the defenders might be a star shooter - so switch them around! Zone or Man-to-Man defence are selectable, depending on whether the team concentrates on attack or not. Shots from outside the area score three points, those inside get only two.

Stealing the ball happens when the C button is pressed, providing the player under control is able, and near enough to the opponent. Button A makes the player jump, either to shoot or to block a shot. Time Outs can only be called when the ball is dead, so wait until a travelling or pushing offence occurs.

The two-player option provides the chance for a friend to join in the action, and greatly increases the enjoyment of the game. Outfoxing the opponent requires skill and sneakiness - learn when to switch between zone and man-to-man defence, and how to move the players around for maximum benefit.

Otherwise, it's simply a case of stealing the ball as often as possible and getting the ball up the court quickly - and catching the opposition off guard!

Once in shooting range, two presses of button b makes the ball fly towards the basket. However, if the player is outside the area, the scene switches to an animated sequence showing the attempt.

Other special scenes include a slam dunk and penalties. If a defender is positioned well, he'll get the chance to block the shot, and the ball will fly off in a random direction, giving the opportunity for a steal.

Some players stand no chance of scoring from outside the area, whereas those with a high rating will plop it in every time - so experiment!

The graphics vary tremendously from the excellent shot sequences to the poor, blobby crowd around the court. The players move realistically, and being able to switch their positions can have a major effect - and adds another dimension to the game.

On the down side, the matches can seem to go on too long, and so monotony tends to set in, especially if the teams aren't evenly matched.

It's also much better when played against a human opponent - a common fault in sport games. So if you're a fan of the game, this is a good buy, but whether it's worth the price otherwise is debatable.

There's no doubting that this is an excellent game of computer basketball. The graphics are very good, with nice animation on the players, realistic ball movement and very impressive animated scoring screens.

The computer opponent is fairly challenging, but for maximum enjoyment you really need to play against a human player.

Basketball fans are bound to thoroughly enjoy the action - although I don't think the game has that secret ingredient which would make it totally appealing to a broader range of gamesplayers.

Presentation 84%
Colourful and clear option screens set the interest level very high.

Graphics 88%
The players are great, and the special shots are a joy to watch. The crowd is a little bland though.

Sound 74%
The ball whooshes into the basket, the cheerleaders chant to the music, and the players dribble!

Playability 81%
Brilliant in two-player mode, the game lacks thrills when attempting it solo.

Lastability 76%
This is a great game to have around, as sports sims rarely outline their welcome.

Overall 79%
Super Real Basketball gives solid entertainment to two players, but on your own it's a little wearing!