The team-up between Sierra Online and Korean game developer JC Entertainment has finally borne fruit. FreeStyle Street Basketball has finally started making its way to virtual courts across North America and is now available in retail stores or via digital download.

FreeStyle Street Basketball is a fast-paced MMO basketball game where players meet on virtual courts to challenge each other in a dynamic pick-up game environment featuring cool tunes, fashions and gravity defying basketball moves. Gamers can play 1-on-1, 2-on-2 or 3-on-3 street basketball online against people from around the country.

It's essentially free to play, but gamers can also purchase a premium account via retail or digital download for US$ 19.99 to get access to unique items and other goodies.

Sierra Entertainment's Freestyle Street is currently making some waves in the MMORPG market. With customizable avatars and killer moves that'll leave your defenders in a knot, how can any sports aficionado not fall for the game?

Of course, any baller with some street cred knows that "it ain't the same without some rhymes." The song they chose for this vid is very apt "Go Hard or Go Home" by Lloyd Banks. The footage they got of the game is really cool with some dunks, fadeaway shots, and blocks that would really make defenders look like fools. After watching that video, it made us want to just lace up our sneaks and hit the courts hard even if we can only dream of pulling off most of the moves the avatars do in the game.

This game is already out now, so if you like "b-ball" you should check it. Here's the video, enjoy.

Need a refreshing break from all the war-and-combat-loaded MMOGs you've been playing lately? Would you like to just sit back and chill with something that's more laid-back and fun? Fret not you weary MMO-playing souls, because JC Entertainment is right there with ya. No idea what we're talking about? We're talking streetballin' action, baby!

And with Freestyle Street Basketball all geared up for release a few days from now, Sierra's online sports game for the PC is just about ready to hit the streets and unleash some phat hoop-shooting action. And the fact that the game is being developed by folks from MMO-land itself (Korea, for those not in the know), we can pretty much rest assured that Freestyle Street Basketball will have the essential MMORPG elements that you're looking for.

Featuring RPG elements such as experience points and equipment upgrades all in cel-shaded environments with an urban hiphop feel to 'em, streetballers can look forward to having Freestyle Street Basketball in the coming months. Now sit back, chill, and bask in all the cell-shaded glory from these screenies via WorthPlaying.

   

Speaking of looking forwards to Freestyle Street Basketball, we've been getting completely different release dates from everywhere. IGN says March 15, but Gamespot says May 15, and Amazon's got it up for April 24. One or two of them's got to be tossing bricks at the hoop, that's all we can suspect. Can anyone help us here?

Sierra Online recently announced that they've drafted some of the hottest hip-hop artists to provide phat sounds to their upcoming JC Entertainment-developed basketball sim game for the PC, FreeStyle Street Basketball.

Some of these artists include Young Hot Rod, Sha Money XL, and G-Unit's Lloyd Banks, who has been tasked to create the official theme song for the game and whose debut album has sold more than three million copies. Lloyd Banks says,

I jumped at the chance to create an exclusive song for FreeStyle Street Basketball, especially since hip-hop has always been relevant in the street basketball culture. I'm always playing video games so to have the opportunity to record the theme song for a game is crazy.

Good thing we didn't have to bleep any of the words there, huh? Harhar. So anyway, just in case you've never heard of the game, it's an MMO game that allows players to go on 1-on-1, 2-on-2, or 3-on-3 street basketball battles and currently has more than 30 million players in Asia.

When asked about the reasons behind the selection of the game's soundtrack artists, Sierra Online President Ed Zobrist said, "G-Unit artists embody the spirit of street basketball so Lloyd Banks, Young Hot Rod, and Sha Money XL are a perfect fit for FreeStyle Street Basketball.We are excited to combine great artists with great gameplay." Interested parties can now download the Game Client for FreeStyle Street Basketball by hitting the read link below.

When we think of sports games like basketball, it doesn't always occur to us to think about a company that isn't American to be developing something for the mass market. You can now throw away that assumption because there's a different b-ball game getting ready for a US release, and it comes from the land of the online game, Korea.

The name of the game is Freestyle Street Basketball, made by JC Entertainment in Korea and set to be distributed by Sierra in the US. The object of your basketball battles? To take basketball, mix in urban hip-hop flair, add RPG elements such as experience points and equipment upgrades and have some intense, cel-shaded streetball action.

Yes folks, it might be a sports game, but what should be of interest to casual gamers and RPG fans is the inclusion of things both sets of people like. You can be as good or as bad as you want to, but you earn cash and experience by playing well, letting you buy performance enhancing gear to look good and play even better. At the same time, think of it as sports-based PvP action, either as one-on-one basketball, or b-ball in teams of two or three. It's an interesting take on the basketball game that we know, especially since there aren't any big names: just your character, the ball, and every baller that's in your way.

Expect Sierra to spread the word about this game in the coming months, and pray that the early 2007 release doesn't get pushed back. In the meantime, master your skills and enjoy this stylish hip-hop trailer for the game.