NBA Live 96

NBA Live '96
Developer(s)	PlayStation/MS-DOS: EA Canada SNES/Sega Genesis: Hitmen Productions Game Boy: Tiertex Design Studios
Publisher(s)	Electronic Arts, THQ
Series	NBA Live
Platform(s)	PC, PlayStation, SNES, Sega Genesis, Game Boy
Release	DOS PlayStation SNES Sega Genesis Game Boy
Genre(s)	Sports (Basketball)
Mode(s)	Single-player, Multiplayer (Head to Head or Cooperative)

NBA Live 96 is the second installment of the NBA Live video games series. The PC and PlayStation covers features Shaquille O'Neal of the Orlando Magic, while the Super Nintendo Entertainment System and Sega Genesis box covers show a photo of the tip-off to Game 1 of the 1995 NBA Finals. The game was published by EA Sports and released on November 30, 1995. The PlayStation and PC versions were the first games in the series to feature a 3D rendered court, allowing for multiple camera angles using EA's "Virtual Stadium" technology (also used by FIFA Soccer 96 and NHL 96). The on-court player graphics remained 2D sprites. It was also the first NBA Live game released for the PlayStation. NBA Live 96 is followed by NBA Live 97.

Notes

• Live 96 introduced the Free Agent pool and Create-a-Player to the series.
• The first NBA Live to utilize Virtual Stadium Technology and multiple camera angles.
• Michael Jordan and Charles Barkley were not included due to licensing issues. They did however exist as hidden players in the console version of the game. Players could unlock them by entering their surnames (along with the surnames of various legends and rookies from the draft class of 1995) in Create-a-Player.

Reception

Johnny Ballgame of GamePro said the SNES version "is bigger and badder than previous versions on the SNES, and it's the first to be comparable to the acclaimed Genesis versions of the past." He praised the new features, excellent controls, improved graphics, and "jammin' soundtrack".