NBA Live
| NBA Live | |
|---|---|
| Developer(s) | EA Canada |
| Publisher(s) | EA Sports |
| Designer(s) | EA Canada |
| Platform(s) | Xbox, Xbox 360, PlayStation 2 , Playstation 3 , Nintendo Gamecube, PSP, PC (Windows), Mobile |
| Release | NBA Live 07 - September 25, 2006 |
| Genre(s) | Sports |
| Mode(s) | Single player, multiplayer, multiplayer online |
The NBA Live series of basketball games, published by EA Sports, is currently one of the leading National Basketball Association simulations on the market. Its only major competitor is Take-Two Interactive's NBA 2K series.
History
The game is descended from the NBA Playoffs series, starting with Lakers vs. Celtics, released first in 1989 for MS-DOS-compatible PCs and later adapted for consoles in 1990 for the Sega Mega Drive/Sega Genesis. This game was played from a horizontal view (while later versions moved to an isometric view before ultimately moving to 3D on newer consoles). The game was one of the first to feature an NBA license, containing both real NBA teams and player likenesses and signature moves. For example, Horace Grant's goggles are clearly visible, and Michael Jordan's "Air Reverse Layup" is animated with very high accuracy. Detailed player numbers were also visible. The game featured only 8 of the sixteen teams that made the NBA playoffs that year, as well as both NBA All-Star teams.
The next game in the series was Bulls vs. Lakers, released in 1991, followed by Bulls vs. Blazers in 1992. Unlike the first game, these two releases were titled after the two teams who were in the NBA Finals the previous season, while the original release apparently chose the Lakers and Celtics due to both teams' historical success. Each revision added more teams and players, as well as more signature moves. The series also included an Olympic basketball game, Team USA Basketball (1992) which uses the same engine. The final game in the series was NBA Showdown 94 for SNES before the transition to the NBA Live series.
| Year | Game Title | Innovation |
|---|---|---|
| 1989 | Lakers versus Celtics | NBA team and players, signature moves in team game. |
| 1991 | Bulls versus Lakers | Instant replay in team game. |
| 1992 | Team USA Basketball | International player licenses. |
| 1993 | Bulls versus Blazers | Basketball game officially by EA Sports, custom team |
| 1994 | NBA Showdown 94 | Multiple custom team, 3rd party in game advertisement, white box cover, all NBA teams. |
NBA Live
Originally, the NBA Live series was released for the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis and SNES with NBA Live 95. The naming was changed from utilizing the last two digits of the year to the entire year number from 2000-2005, but returned to the original naming convention with NBA Live 06.
The Create-A-Player feature was not available in the 1995 versions of the game, but have been a mainstay since NBA Live 96. NBA Live 98 in 1997 was the last NBA Live game for the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis and the SNES. NBA Live 98 also was first NBA Live series game to support 3Dfx graphic cards. Only first generation Voodoo and Voodoo Rush cards were officially supported.
In-game commentary is currently done by Marv Albert and Steve Kerr. Greg Anthony and Ernie Johnson provide the commentary for the Slam Dunk competition. Previous commentators on the game have included Verne Lundquist, Don Poier, Reggie Theus, Bob Elliott, Mike Fratello, and Kenny Smith.
Due to licensing problems, some players did not appear in certain versions of the game. Michael Jordan (although he previously gave his likeness to EA's Jordan vs Bird: One on One and Jordan In-Flight) and Charles Barkley (who endorsed Barkley: Shut Up And Jam! games) for instance, appear in NBA Live 97/98 as Roster Guard and Roster Forward respectively. The former, however, returned in NBA Live 2000, which received a special mention in the game cover (in NBA Live 96, Jordan and Barkley, as well as Larry Bird, Magic Johnson and other legends could be unlocked simply by giving that name to a created player). Barkley had returned in NBA Live 98 after rejoining the NBA Players Association.
NBA Live 2005 brought the addition of the Slam Dunk Contest, Three Point Shootout, All-Star Game, and Rookie Challenge.
NBA Live 06 introduced "Freestyle Superstars", giving certain players the ability to perform unique moves based on their abilities and attributes. There are 8 types of Freestyle Superstar: Outside Scorer which gives players such as Tracy McGrady the ability to make clutch jumpers and running layups; Inside Scorer that lets players such as Kevin Garnett the ability to make difficult shots close to the basket; Highflyer which gives players like Vince Carter the ability to make seemingly impossibile dunks; Playmaker which gives players such as Jason Kidd the skill to complete tricky passes; Power which gives the players like Shaquille O'Neal the strength to make thunderous dunks; Shooter which gives three-point shooters like Peja Stojakovic aim, accuracy, and a quick release; Outside Stopper which gives the players like Bruce Bowen the quick hands to make sneaky steals; and Inside Stopper which gives players like Ben Wallace the ability to block most inside shot attempts and dunks.
NBA Live 07 is for the Playstation 2, the Playstation Portable, the Xbox, and also the 360. All the consoles except for the 360 received generally good reviews, but worse than NBA Live games in the past because of a lack of new features and gameplay flaws. The new features to the game was add-ons to the freestyle superstars. The 360 version got generally poor reviews because of gliches and fewer additions to the freestyle superstar.
NBA Live games have been released for the Sega Genesis, Super NES, PlayStation, Nintendo 64, Game Boy, Sega Saturn, PlayStation 2, Xbox, GameCube, Windows, and most recently with the PSP and Xbox 360. A PlayStation 3 version was due to debut in the series with NBA Live 07 along with the release of the PS3, but was canceled owing to "concentrating ... efforts on creating a spectacular NBA Street: Homecourt" (which will be available for the PS3) rather than porting the existing game to the console. [1]
| Game Title | Cover |
|---|---|
| NBA Live 95 | Seven player action shot from 1994 NBA Finals, Knicks vs. Rockets |
| NBA Live 96 | Tip-off before unnamed game of 1995 NBA Finals, Rockets vs. Magic |
| NBA Live 97 |  Mitch Richmond
|
| NBA Live 98 | Tim Hardaway
|
| NBA Live 99 | Antoine Walker
|
| NBA Live 2000 | Tim Duncan
|
| NBA Live 2001 | Kevin Garnett
|
| NBA Live 2002 | Steve Francis
|
| NBA Live 2003 | Jason Kidd
|
| NBA Live 2004 | Vince Carter
|
| NBA Live 2005 | Carmelo Anthony
|
| NBA Live '06 | Dwyane Wade Yuta Tabuse,  Tony Parker
|
| NBA Live 07 | Tracy McGrady Dirk Nowitzki,  Pau Gasol, Tony Parker/Boris Diaw [2]
|
Additional Information
- The Thomas & Mack Center makes its second appearance in an EA Sports game as the site of the 2007 All Star Game. The first time was in EA Sports Arena Football.
- Smush Parker, a point guard in the NBA who currently plays for the Los Angeles Lakers, is nicknamed "NBA Live"
NBA Live 2003
- This was the final game for the announcing team of Don Poier and Bob Elliott.
- NBA Live 2003 featured New Jersey Nets player Jason Kidd on the cover.
- Yao Ming, the first overall pick in 2002 is absent from NBA Live 2003 but a player can be created in his likeness.
- Rap artists Snoop Dogg, Fabolous, Just Blaze, Lil' Flip, DJ Clue and Hot Karl are unlockable characters who have songs in the game.
- The player can change the settings by choosing an exhibition game.
- Franchise mode is just about the same as season mode albeit the NBA Draft.
- Patrick Ewing is a free agent in the game.
- The song "Full Moon" by Brandy Norwood is in the game.
NBA Live 2004
- NBA Live 2004 featured then-Toronto Raptors forward Vince Carter on its cover
- Marv Albert and "The Czar" Mike Fratello debuted as the broadcasters in NBA Live 2004.
- This was the first game that had "My Favorite Team" feature where the player can choose his or her favorite team and it appears on screen.
- The game had the NBA Store(TM) a store where the player can buy retro jerseys and shoes.
- Sofoklis Schortsanitis, Sasha Pavlovic, Carlos Delfino, Mario Austin, Matt Bonner, Kyle Korver, Szymon Szewczyk, Xue Xuyang and others are unlockable players who were suggested they were originally going to be in the game.
- NBA Live 2004 is the only game of this date to feature the Basketball Hall of Fame.
- The Charlotte Bobcats made their debut on NBA Live 2004, but they consist of only eight unnamed players and their attributes cannot be edited like most of the regular players.
- Although he didn't start playing until the 2005-2006 season.You could create a player that looks like Andrew Bynum.
NBA Live 2005
- NBA Live 2005 featured sophomore Carmelo Anthony on its cover. Anthony was also featured on the cover of NCAA March Madness 2004.
- This was the first game to feature All Star Weekend, complete with the All Star Game, Rookie Challenge, Slam Dunk Contest, and 3 Point Shootout.
- Numbers can be retired in Dynasty Mode.
- Statistics show that it is the favorite out of all the series.
NBA Live 06
- Featured Dwyane Wade on the cover and coincidentally EA's rival title NBA 2K6 featured Miami teammate, Shaquille O'Neal.
- In Dynasty Mode, when your player is an MVP candidate, and he has the ball in the final minutes of the game, the fans will start chanting "MVP!" "MVP!" "MVP!" "MVP!". This is the only game it was featured in.
NBA Live 07
- Featured Tracy McGrady on the cover.
- New features like Total Freestyle Control, new Free Throw Shooting, The X-Factor, and ESPN Intergration.