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Wayback Wednesday: Double Dribble Video Retrospective

Double Dribble Title Screen

This is Wayback Wednesday, your midweek blast from the past! In this feature, we dig into the archives, look back at the history of basketball gaming, and indulge in nostalgia. Check in every Wednesday for retrospectives and other features on older versions of NBA Live, NBA 2K, and old school basketball video games in general. You’ll also find old NLSC editorials re-published with added commentary, and other flashback content.

I’m long overdue to do another video retrospective for Wayback Wednesday, and a recent incident involving Family Guy inspired me to cover a game that’s been on my list for a while: Double Dribble, for the Nintendo Entertainment System. Double Dribble is a game by Konami that a lot of you have probably heard of, and it’s a hoops title that I wanted as a kid, but never actually played until many years later. Having played the game since as an adult, I certainly have a few thoughts on it that I’d like to share with my fellow basketball gamers. Since it’s recently come up in gaming news and been thrust back into the public eye, now seems like an opportune time.

It’s a significant basketball video game in its own right, one that’s worth revisiting if only for its memorable animated dunking cutscenes. With that said, let’s take a look back…way back…

Catch the retrospective here on our YouTube channel if you can’t see the embedded video. Making another video retrospective has certainly got me in the mood to get back to creating them, so stay tuned for further video content, as well as other Wayback Wednesday features, coming your way every week here at the NLSC!

NLSC Podcast Episode #160 Mailbag Call

NLSC Podcast

It’s almost time for us to record Episode #160 of the NLSC Podcast, so get your topic suggestions and mailbag questions in as soon as possible! This week, we have a couple of recent NBA 2K16 and NBA 2K17 news items to discuss, as well as a few interesting mailbag questions, but there’s still room on the docket to touch on a few more topics.

As always, we’ll consider any and all suggestions, though we do give preference to submissions that are along the lines of our core content (NBA Live, NBA 2K, and basketball gaming), community-related topics (modding and site history), or the real NBA. We’ll certainly touch on other subjects from time to time, but generally speaking, we’d prefer to keep the shows focused on the content that brings most people to the NLSC in the first place.

With that said…do you have any suggestions for this week’s Podcast? If so, please let us know within the next 30 hours or so, either in the comments section below, or in this thread in the NLSC Hub section of the Forum. Submissions are also welcome via our Facebook and Twitter. Once again, if you haven’t connected with us on social media yet, please feel free to do so at your earliest convenience!

Thank you to everyone who continues to tune into the show every week, and send in topic suggestions on a regular basis. It seems we have some more people tuning in lately, so we hope you’re enjoying listening to the NLSC Podcast as much we enjoy recording it! If you haven’t caught Episode #159 yet, be sure to check it out here. Don’t forget that you can also subscribe to the NLSC Podcast on iTunes, as well as find us on Stitcher if you’d like to listen to the shows on your mobile or tablet. Stay tuned for Episode #160!

File Additions for NBA 2K14

NBA 2K14 Cover Art

Here are some more file additions for NBA 2K14 PC! Today’s new releases include the Utah Jazz’s new jerseys for the 2017 season, a pack of four face updates for Manu Ginobili, and a new face for Bismack Biyombo. Download them all at the links below!

RamBu
Utah Jazz 2017 Jersey

martosonic
Manu Ginobili Face (4 Versions)

Infinity2K
Bismack Biyombo HD Face

Monday Tip-Off: The New Game Blues of MyCAREER

Dunking in NBA 2K13's MyCAREER

We’re at midcourt, and the ball is about to go up…it’s Monday Tip-Off! Start your week here at the NLSC with a feature that’s dedicated to opinions, commentary, and other fun stuff related to NBA Live, NBA 2K, and other basketball video games.

In the best case scenario, the release of a new NBA Live or NBA 2K title will tip off several months of enjoyable basketball gaming. Ideally, we’ll see enhancements to the gameplay and game modes, with troublesome issues being resolved and much-desired features being added. In short order, we’ll start building our Ultimate Team or MyTEAM, meet up with friends for some Pro-Am games, choose a team for Dynasty, MyLEAGUE, or MyGM, or step into the shoes of an NBA player with a new Rising Star or MyCAREER game.

Of course, even if we’re enjoying a new basketball video game as much as its predecessor – or enjoying it more, as the case may be – it’s possible to feel at least a little bit of regret about what we’ve left behind. If we spend a lot of time with a game, sinking hours upon hours into a mode that has us hooked, it can be hard to move on. The bar will be set very high for the next game, and recapturing the magic that enchanted us for close to a year is easier said than done.

That’s how I felt when I made the jump from NBA 2K13 to NBA 2K14, and tried to follow up on a memorable MyCAREER experience.

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File Additions for NBA Live 08

NBA Live 08 Cover Art

Today’s new file addition for NBA Live 08 PC is S_Brat’s latest face pack, which updates the Oklahoma City Thunder for the 2016 season. Check it out at the link below!

S_Brat
2015/2016 Oklahoma City Thunder Team Update

File Additions for NBA 2K14

NBA 2K14 Cover Art

Check out the latest file additions for NBA 2K14 PC! Today’s new and updated releases include a couple of player faces, and new versions of the Kuroko V Slam Dunk and PBA 2K14 mods.

Mongolgamer
Myles Turner Face

SUPERSUB47
Brandon Ingram Face

Medevenx
Kuroko V Slam Dunk Appdata Files (Updated to v1.1)
PBA 2K14 Appdata Files (Updated to v11.0)

File Additions for NBA Live 06

NBA Live 06 Cover Art

Today’s file additions for NBA Live 06 feature the latest court updates from magiciangirl06. The latest releases include 2015 Summer League courts, a new version of the NBA Live 16 Melo Terminal 23 court, and 2016 season courts for the Boston Celtics and the PBA’s Smart Araneta Coliseum. Please see below for all the download links.

magiciangirl06
2015 NBA Summer League Courts
NBA Live 16 Melo Terminal 23 Courts
2015/2016 Boston Celtics TD Garden Courts
2015/2016 Smart Araneta Coliseum Court

The Friday Five: 5 Trades You Make in Franchise Modes

The Friday Five

Welcome to this week’s edition of The Friday Five! The Friday Five is a feature that I post every Friday in which I give my thoughts on a topic that’s related to NBA Live, NBA 2K, and other basketball video games, as well as the real NBA, and other areas of interest to our community. The feature is presented as either a list of five items, or in the form of a Top 5 countdown.

One of the most appealing aspects of the franchise modes in NBA Live and NBA 2K is the ability to make the trades that you’d love to see happen in real life. Frustrated that your favourite team can never seem to pull off a blockbuster deal that lands them a superstar? In franchise modes, you can make it happen, and live out a few fantasy scenarios. Of course, just as in real life, you’ll need to deal with the restrictions of the salary cap, as well as convince other teams to agree to the trades that you offer. I’d suggest that a few of us have found out that building a great roster isn’t always easy.

When we don our virtual GM suits and start wheeling and dealing, there are some common types of trades that we end up making. Sometimes, we try to be realistic, while other times we’ll make unthinkable deals. Some trades are very good, some trades are very bad, and some trades work out very differently than how they looked on paper. Sometimes, they can make or break the franchise mode experience. In this week’s Friday Five, I’m looking at five types of trades we’ll make when we play through a franchise game in NBA Live or NBA 2K.

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NBA 2K16 PC Receives Patch V6

Kyle Lowry dribbles the basketball in NBA 2K16

At long last, the sixth official title update is now available for the PC version of NBA 2K16. Patch V6 was pushed through for the PlayStation 4 on May 2nd, while the Xbox One version received the update on May 5th. The PC patch weighs in at 150.5 MB, and will come through automatically as long as you’re online, and automatic updates are enabled in Steam.

If you need a reminder of the release notes for Patch V6, they are as follows:

  • Updated player portraits for a number of players.
  • Tuned the effectiveness of long outlet passes for players with the Break Starter badge.
  • Delay branching from Kobe Bryant Back size-up.
  • Re-worked size-up dribble launches to prevent unnaturally explosive first steps.
  • Tune miss chances for deep downcourt and cherry picking.
  • Dock vertical and rebounding when you go behind the basket. Don’t reset 3-in-the-key offense timer in baseline behind paint for human controlled blacktop players.

If you have any thoughts on the latest NBA 2K16 patch, feel free to share them in the comments section below, as well as in this thread in the Forum. You can also find a complete history of updates for NBA 2K16, from release dates to patches, here in our Wiki.

NLSC Podcast – Episode #159

NLSC Podcast Logo

Join Arcane, Kenny, and I for Episode #159 of the NLSC Podcast! Tune in for this week’s discussion on future content and title updates for NBA Live 16 and NBA 2K16, tales of our latest exploits on the virtual hardwood, thoughts on the 2016 NBA Playoffs, and a mailbag question that really made us think outside the box.

On this week’s show…

  • We tip things off with an update on the latest NBA Live 16 roster patches, and Patch #6 for the PC version of NBA 2K16.
  • With NBA Live 17 being delayed until early 2017, do we expect post-release support and content updates to be extended for NBA Live 16?
  • In response to one of the most creative topic suggestions we’ve received, we compare the Golden State Warriors in NBA Live 16/NBA 2K16 to the Chicago Bulls in NBA Live 96. Yes, really!
  • Our Week in Basketball Gaming includes triumph and tragedy in 2K Pro-Am, Dynasty and MyLEAGUE plans, and some further reflections on the future of the NBA Live series.
  • Moving on to our NBA discussion, we ponder the futures of Chris Bosh and Tim Duncan.
  • The 2016 Conference Finals are upon us. Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals hasn’t made us fans of a certain Warriors player.
  • It’s time for another NBA Fashion Critique, as the Philadelphia 76ers get a jersey sponsor for the 2018 season, and the Utah Jazz unveil their new branding.
  • We give a couple of thoughts on some recent coaching changes, including one that really seemed to come out of left field.
  • As is the norm, Episode #159 of the NLSC Podcast ends with another round of Bold Predictions.

Click Play to listen to the show!

Have some thoughts on the latest episode? Sound off in the comments below, or here in the Forum. Also, if there’s a topic you’d like us to discuss on the next episode of the NLSC Podcast, feel free to hit us up in this thread.

File Additions for NBA 2K13

NBA 2K13 Cover Art

Today’s lone file addition for NBA 2K13 PC is the latest version of PatTheHead’s pack of retro season rosters, spanning from the very first BAA season to Michael Jordan’s rookie campaign. Check it out at the link below!

PatTheHead
1946/47 to 1984/85 NBA Seasons (Updated to v3.6)

Wayback Wednesday: Long-Lost NBA Live 2002 Preview Screens

Steve Francis in NBA Live 2002

Welcome to Wayback Wednesday, your midweek blast from the past! This is a feature where we dig into the archives, look back at the history of basketball gaming, and indulge in nostalgia. Check in every Wednesday for retrospectives and other features on older versions of NBA Live, NBA 2K, and old school basketball video games in general. You’ll also find old NLSC editorials re-published with added commentary, and other flashback content.

The next game that I’ll be looking back at as part of our 20th Anniversary of NBA Live celebrations is NBA Live 2002. As I’ll discuss in more detail in my retrospective, NBA Live 2002 was a controversial release, as it was the first game in the series to be console exclusive and also had its fair share of issues. At the same time, it’s also a game that I managed to have a considerable amount of fun with back in the day, and I kind of have a sentimental attachment to it, as it was the first new NBA Live game that came out after I took over the NLSC in August 2001.

On a recent dig through my archives, I uncovered a collection of NBA Live 2002 preview screenshots that were posted on the NLSC all those years ago, but had since gone missing following a couple of hosting and design changes. I’d previously searched high and low for them, but I just couldn’t seem to find them anywhere. Now that they’ve turned up, I thought it might be fun to exhibit them again, especially with NBA Live 2002 being the next game I’m posting a retrospective on. It’s also a reminder that NBA Live’s graphics have indeed improved over the years.

So, what did basketball video games look like in 2001? Let’s take a look back…way back…

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NLSC Podcast Episode #159 Mailbag Call

NLSC Podcast

We’ll be recording Episode #159 of the NLSC Podcast very soon, so this is a last call for any and all topic submissions and mailbag questions for this week’s show. I didn’t put out a mailbag call last week as we had a pretty full show with our discussion of EA Sports’ announcement regarding NBA Live 17, but we do have some room for a couple more topics in Episode #159.

Needless to say, we’ll be discussing the latest action from the 2016 Playoffs, the Draft Lottery, and a couple of other news items from the past week, but if there’s anything else you’d like to hear us talk about, please let us know ASAP. As usual, while we will consider any and all topic suggestions, we do give preference to topics that are related to our core content (NBA Live, NBA 2K, and basketball gaming), the community (modding and site history), and the real NBA.

With that said…do you have any suggestions for us this week? If so, post them in the comments section below, as well as in this thread in the NLSC Hub section of the Forum. You can also submit topic ideas and mailbag questions via our Facebook and Twitter. If you haven’t connected with us on social media yet, now’s as good a time as any!

As always, I’d like to thank everyone who tunes in to the NLSC Podcast every week, and hits us up with topic suggestions and mailbag questions whenever they have them. We really appreciate the support, and enjoy bringing you a show each week. If you haven’t caught Episode #158 of the NLSC Podcast yet, be sure to tune in here. You can also subscribe to the NLSC Podcast on iTunes, as well as find us on Stitcher if you’d like to listen to the shows on your mobile or tablet. Stay tuned for Episode #159!

File Additions for NBA 2K14

NBA 2K14 Cover Art

There are three new or updated files for NBA 2K14 PC today, including a pack of fictional NCAA Ph courts, a new HD face for Carmelo Anthony, and the latest version of the FIBA 2K14 mod. Download them all at the links below.

dtd
Fictional NCCA Ph Courts

UNTAMEDBEAST
Carmelo Anthony Face

Medevenx
FIBA 2K14 Appdata Files (Updated to v5.0)

Monday Tip-Off: When Awesome Presentation Isn’t So Great

Shot Chart with ESPN Presentation in NBA Live 16

We’re at midcourt, and the ball is about to go up…it’s Monday Tip-Off! Start your week here at the NLSC with a feature that’s dedicated to opinions, commentary, and other fun stuff related to NBA Live, NBA 2K, and other basketball video games.

There are a lot of ways that you can see just how much basketball video games have improved over the years. You can compare screenshots, and gameplay footage. You can read retrospectives and reviews, comparing and contrasting their critique. Best of all, you can get some firsthand impressions by playing an old favourite from many years ago; it won’t be long before you notice some outdated tech that’s come a long way since then. Not every basketball video game is better in every single way than all of the titles that came before it, but the further back you look, the more progress you will see.

Another method of seeing just how far basketball video games have come is to glance back at our old Wishlists. We have Wishlists dating back to 1997, when the community was awaiting the release of NBA Live 98. Take a look back at those articles in our content portals, and you’ll see that a lot of the things that we were asking for have since become a reality. Multi-season franchise modes, online leagues, historical teams, single player career modes, full TV-style presentation…a lot of our wishes have made their way into NBA Live and NBA 2K over the years.

When it comes to in-depth broadcast presentation, however, you may have to be careful what you wish for. Sometimes, awesome presentation isn’t so great.

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