NBA Live 09

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NBA Live 09
Nba09box.jpg
NBA Live 09 cover art.
Developer(s) EA Sports
Publisher(s) EA Sports
Series NBA Live
Platform(s) Playstation 2, Playstation 3, Playstation Portable, Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii
Release date(s) US/Canada
October 7th, 2008
Australia
October 9th, 2008
UK/Europe
October 10th, 2008

NBA Live 09 (also known as NBA Live 2009 or Live 09 and stylised as NBA LIVE 09) is the fifteenth instalment in the NBA Live series, released in North American stores October 7th, 2008. It is the first game since NBA Live 2002 not to be released for the PC platform but is available for the Xbox 360, Playstation 3, Playstation 2, Playstation Portable and Nintendo Wii. On June 25th, Tony Parker was announced as the cover player for the North American version. Pau Gasol appears on the Spanish cover, Andrea Bargnani appears on the Italian cover and for the first time the United Kingdom received a regional cover, featuring Luol Deng. It is the direct sequel to NBA Live 08 and is followed by NBA Live 10.

Summary[edit]

NBA Live 09 is EA Sports' NBA release for the 2008/2009 NBA season. The official demo was released on Xbox Live on September 4th, 2008. The game originally shipped with Oklahoma City's placeholder logos from the 2008 summer leagues but Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 users were able to download an art pack from October 8th which included the up to date Thunder artwork. On February 5th 2009, an NBA All-Star 2009 pack was released containing updated All-Star jerseys and the 2009 Phoenix All-Star court while individual NBA team dashboard themes were released on Xbox Live on February 6th.

Originally hyped as a ground-breaking feature in a June 18th blog post, the main addition to NBA Live 09 was NBA Live 365, daily roster updates that utilised data from Synergy Sports in an effort to make players perform like their real life counterparts throughout the 2008/2009 NBA season. After some initial delays and "teething problems" with the server, NBA Live 365 roster updates have been released throughout the 2008/2009 season and will conclude with the final game of the 2009 NBA Finals. The NBA Academy also made its debut, providing an in-depth training mode that had been a staple of the Wishlists.

Also making its debut in NBA Live 09 is Lockdown Defense. Similar to the On-Ball Scenarios introduced in the PC and Playstation 2 versions of NBA Live 07, Lockdown Defense allows players more interaction on defense by trying to stay in front of their man with good footwork while attempting to make the defensive stop. Pick and Roll Control gives users greater control over running pick and roll as well as pick and pop players, calling for the pick and then executing the roll or pop according to how long the Pick and Roll Control trigger is held. Signature Play Calling was also introduced, allowing players to call plays specific to the players on the court according to their DNA data. Finally, Be A Pro made its debut as a single game mode.

NBA Live 09 has received somewhat mixed reviews with most professional critics having a lukewarm reaction to the game while fans have generally had a slightly more positive reaction. The news that NBA Live 09 would not be released for the PC was met with great disappointment and anger in the NLSC Forum. Reaction to the Playstation 2 version has been mostly negative.

PC Version Announcement[edit]

On April 8th 2008, an announcement was posted in the official NBA Live forums stating that NBA Live 09 would not be released for the PC. The news came on the heels of an earlier announcement that there would be no PC version of Madden 09. The future of NBA Live on the PC is currently unknown, however Peter Moore stated that EA Sports will continue to explore the PC platform in a blog entry posted on June 14th, 2008. The series was expected to return to the PC for NBA Live 10, however this was not the case.

Key New Features[edit]

On June 18th, EA Sports revealed some of the key new features of NBA Live 09. On July 14th, EA Sports revealed NBA Live 365 and Dynamic DNA as the much-hyped "ground-breaking" feature, first mentioned in a Peter Moore blog entry.

The following features make their debut in NBA Live 09:

Official Features List[edit]

  • Dynamic DNA: The brain behind the game is powered by the premier analytics provider using NBA data for over 20 NBA teams, which evaluates Player DNA that breaks down how a player scores, Team DNA that rates how the players on the floor play as a unit and Tendencies that refer to the percentage a player drives left, right or shoots from each spot on the floor.
  • NBA LIVE 365: Made fresh daily all season long. NBA LIVE 365 takes it to a whole new level of connectivity, providing you an unprecedented level of authenticity and realism. Now every game truly is different powered by Dynamic DNA data updating daily.
  • NBA Rewind: Think you can do it better? Rewrite history and replay last night's game with the updated statistical data that recreates identical conditions including injuries, hot/cold streaks, tendencies and player DNA.
  • Pick and Roll Control: This new two-man game mechanic lets you control both the ball handler and the screener, as you set screens and run two man plays, with on court instructions popping up to guide you through each play.
  • Signature Playcalling: Introducing an accessible in game playcalling system that pushes on-court visualization to guide you through the play. Linked to LIVE 365, this feature will suggest authentic plays for NBA's stars to run on the court.
  • NBA Academy: Get the most out of your game and hone your skills when you jump into game with an all-new practice facility.
  • Quickstrike Ankle Breakers: Force your defender to step up and guess what you'll do next. Trigger the turbo button and use the right analog stick for bold, responsive ball-handling moves to fake out your defender and create scoring opportunities.
  • Lockdown Control: A new risk reward system to lock in your check on defense. Get in tight on a strong shooting guard to take away his shot, or play back to keep a quick point guard from blowing by you.
  • FIBA Expanded: With 24 national teams to choose from, you can compete in an international tournament using authentic FIBA rosters and teams, including, the United States, Spain, France, and more
  • Be A Pro: Feel what it's like to be a part of a team and lock in as one player - online using Online Team Play, or offline in single player mode. Let NBA LIVE give you feedback and track how well you are playing your position.
  • 5 vs. 5 Online Team Play: All 10 players on the court can now be controlled by users on 10 different consoles around the world. Now the game outcome can be completely dependent on how you play as an online team
  • Online Leagues 2.0: Create your own online league, with all-new drafting, trades and a custom playoff format (Best of 1, 3, 5 or 7 games).
  • EA SPORTS World Integration: Create your own highlight reel then upload the video to EA SPORTS World to prove your passion to the world.

Xbox 360 Version Screens[edit]

Links[edit]






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NBA Live 08
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NBA Live 10