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SCENE
GENRE
GRAPHICS
SOUND
PLAYABILITY
VALUE
OPINION



REVIEW INDEX

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NBA LIVE 96

Developer

EA Sports

Options

Distributer

EA

1-2 Player

Game Type

Sports Sim

Mem. Card

Review Date

July 1996

Setting the Scene

A basketball connoisseur's opinion...
First, let me confess my addiction to basketball games, there I said it. If you give me the greatest RPG's, action, shooters known to mankind, they will all gather dust as I tap the full potential of a great basketball game.
That being said, allow me to dive right into a review of EA Sports NBA Live'96.

When I first heard that the makers of Gameday were releasing a basketball game, I rushed to Babbages. Right when I pulled out my money, something caught my attention, it was a picture of Shaq dunking on the cover of NBA Live '96. I then looked at the back of the NBA Shootout game and saw a picture of John Koncak on the Orlando Magic. A sudden ache shot through my stomach as I was revisited by nightmares of `In The Zone` where a monstrous 'Tree Rollins' was the dominating center.
I then remembered that Electronic Arts owned the rights to Shaq, and switched games.
When I placed the game into console, I enjoyed the intro, hurriedly picked a team and began playing. Although awkward at first, I soon learned the controls, and marveled at how every button on the controller had a function. At last, a basketball game that doesn't rely on three buttons.

Genre

Basketball game.

Graphics

The SGI rendered players looked decent enough not to gripe

Sounds and Effects

The audience applauded when it was supposed to, (home team does something good) and booed appropriately when the referees missed a call against the visiting team. All of the other "typically basketball" sounds are also in there

Playability

Well aside from the obvious perks: instant replay, different angles, trades, roster re-ordering, hot streaks, and multiplayer ability. This game is unequaled. After mastering the basic skills, I started learning the plays. In this game, you can not only call Offensive Sets on the fly, but you can also call plays, Defensive Sets, Double teams, and Intentional fouls all with the touch of a button. Another added feature is the 'let the computer control the man with the ball' feature. This allows you to call for the pass, or pick when you want the computer to shoot the ball. (Perfect for Give N Go).

After I got my first adrenaline surge, I started poking around the options, trading players, rearranging the starting orders when I noticed something. This 'thing' should be paramount to any basketball fan. Every roster had 14 roster slots, meaning that the last two were on injured reserve. This means that if you want to simulate an injury to lets say Alonzo Mourning, you can. What this also means is that EA Sports found a way around the contracts of Michael Jordan, and Sir Charles. They are both named "Player" and look and play just like their professional counterparts (Jordan lit me up for 48 pnts). Also, being the Laker fan that I am, checked out Los Angeles for a gamble, and there he was. MAGIC JOHNSON was there (also named player) with the same attributes of Magic #2 that recently retired. (meaning that he`s a Power Forward, instead of Point Guard). I can't imagine what is like to play a season, without having Shaq, Jordan, Barkley, and Magic, and expect it to be accurate. No matter how beefed up John Koncak is, or A.C. Green, or Steve Kerr.

Value for Money

At last a basketball simulation that employs strategy. Complete rosters included. Tactics may be changed at any time during the game. Captures the essence of NBA basketball, the others just don't compare to the reigning champions of sports EA Sports.

Opinion

ANDRE

GRAPHICS:

Average

Pretty Thorough, It gets more play-time than my copy of Resident evil.

SOUND:

Average

PLAYABILITY:

Good

VALUE:

Good

OVERALL
7/10

JIM

GRAPHICS:

Good

This game has had its day. There are better alternatives now available. Its still worth checking out if you can get a second-hand copy pretty cheap.

SOUND:

Good

PLAYABILITY:

Good

VALUE:

Average

OVERALL
7/10

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