NLSC Your source for basketball video games.

From courtside of the virtual hardwood, it’s Episode #414 of the NLSC Podcast!

Does the community still feel the same excitement and anticipation for the latest release every year? We open up the mailbag to discuss the titles that basketball gamers felt the most hyped about, as well as the factors that have dampened our enthusiasm over the past decade or so. We also recap another fun week in basketball gaming, which included a return to Fantasy Teams in NBA Live 10, heroics from Steve Kerr in NBA Live 95, a surprising challenge playing NBA Live 2003 PC co-op, and a new take on NBA Live 15. There also the latest games from our NBA Jam: On Fire Edition Tournament to recap, and a tale of retro collecting disappointment to share.

Download or play on your mobile device/tablet: CLICK HERE (Running time: 1:50:32 — 76.3MB)

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify

To get involved with the mailbag or to provide any feedback on the show, hit us up in the comments, reach out on social media, or post here in the NLSC Forum! For more information on the NLSC Podcast including episode guides, check out this page in our Wiki. You can also find the show on our YouTube channel, along with the rest of our video content. As always, thanks for tuning in, and go get buckets!

Get ready for more fantastic highlights from the basketball gaming community in the NLSC Top 10 Plays of the Week, curated by Dee4Three! New and old games alike are featured in this celebration of spectacular moments on the virtual hardwood. To submit your clips, post them in this topic, or hit up Dee on Twitter.

This week’s NLSC Top 10 Plays features a few highlights from NBA 2K22 Next Gen, showcasing some of the immensely satisfying contact dunks in the game. Nate and Roger are also taking a break from their beloved NBA Live 2001, which in turn provided the countdown with a crafty assist from LeBron James to J.R. Smith in NBA 2K16. In total, six different games are represented with a variety of exciting dunks, great passes, and a couple of cold-blooded daggers in the clutch. As always, the countdown will get you in the mood to play some basketball video games. If you do, you know where you can send your highlights!

What was your favourite highlight this week? Sound off in the comments below, and once again, get in on the fun by sending us your best plays! Remember, as long as it’s a basketball game, it’s eligible for the countdown. Also, don’t forget to subscribe to us on YouTube for more basketball gaming videos.

Welcome to another edition of The Friday Five! Every Friday I cover a topic related to basketball gaming, either as a list of five items, or a Top 5 countdown. The topics for these lists and countdowns include everything from fun facts and recollections to commentary and critique. This week’s Five is a list of five mistakes that were very common in the Season modes of older basketball titles.

Disclaimer: just because basketball video games have come a long way, it doesn’t mean that we can’t criticise modern releases. It’s fair to respectfully point out issues and ways that they could improve, and to expect value for money as a consumer. With that being said, if it’s been a while since you dusted off a really old game, it’s easy to overlook just how far they’ve come. Broadly speaking, one of the most significant improvements to the genre has been establishing a standard approach to core modes such as Season, Franchise, Career, Card Collecting, and so on.

I know phrases such as “in their infancy” and “it was the Wild West!” are somewhat cliché, but frankly, when basketball games were in their infancy, it was the Wild West when it came to how they designed certain features! EA Sports and Tecmo pioneered many of the design principles for modes based on the NBA season that have since become the standard approach. As such, if you revisit an old NBA Live or one of the NBA Playoffs games, or Tecmo Super NBA Basketball, you’ll find Season modes that clearly laid the foundation for modern titles. They had some drawbacks of course, and other games were also employing some rather unusual ideas in their Season modes.

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A new version of U R Basketball by skoadam and slimm44 is now available for both NBA 2K13 and NBA 2K14! The latest release includes 2022 season rosters accurate as of January 24th, along with other updates and enhancements. A breakdown of the key features of URB V89 is as follows:

• Trades/signings accurate as of January 24th
• Added 3 new missing accurate arenas for New Orleans/Indiana/Minnesota
• Added all missing 75th editions courts
• Added all missing retro courts
• Added all missing 75th edition jerseys
• Around 30+ new portraits
• All contracts and extensions updated
• All jersey numbers updated
• All rotations/minutes updated
• Fixed 2021/22 schedule
• Updated 30+ faces
• Implemented few changes for 2022 Roster (start of the season)

U R Basketball for NBA 2K14 can be downloaded here; please see the release topic here for more information and support. The NBA 2K13 mod is available here, while the release and support topic can be found here. As per the previous bulletin, updates to shoes, Draft Classes, and other aspects of this massive mod pack are still in the pipeline. A new roster featuring the trade deadline deals is also coming soon, so stay tuned to skoadam’s topics in the Modding sections for further updates!

This is Wayback Wednesday, your midweek blast from the past! From retrospectives of basketball games and their interesting features, to republished articles and looking at NBA history through the lens of the virtual hardwood, Wednesdays at the NLSC are for going back in time. This week, I’m taking a look back at the broken rotation screen that appeared in various NBA Live releases.

During my extended NBA Live 10 retro kick, I wondered why I didn’t spend more time with it when it was new. I’ve wondered the same about some of its immediate predecessors, a couple of which were fairly solid in their own right. Issues with lobs and broken plays soon reminded me why. The fact of the matter is that NBA Live 10 does have some quirky moments that were annoying when it was the newest game I owned, but are more tolerable now that the game is nostalgic. My involvement in NBA Live modding also kept me focused on the PC releases.

However, reflecting on it further, I’ve also realised that the quality of Dynasty mode played a large role here. In many ways, I feel that Dynasty peaked with the prior gen version of NBA Live 06, which also included the PC port. It’s not that there weren’t any improvements in the following games, but there were also inaccuracies with the sim engine, and other such annoyances. Oh, and the broken rotation screen, which affected basic functionality, and stood in the way of one of the main joys of roster management: creating different lineups. Let’s take a look back…way back…

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Today’s file additions for NBA 2K22 feature new retro player faces, and a utility that facilitates jersey updates. Download them all at the links below!

Sevin0Seven
Reggie Lewis Body Model (1992)
A.C. Green Face (1992)

kobedurant
2021-22 “Drag & Drop” Season Set by kobedurant

Thanks to everyone who continues to contribute to our Downloads database! If you need help uploading files, be sure to check out this video tutorial. For more information about downloads, the modding community, and File Additions bulletins, please see this FAQ in our Wiki.

We’re at midcourt, and the ball is about to go up…it’s Monday Tip-Off! Join me as I begin the week here at the NLSC with my opinions and commentary on basketball gaming topics, as well as tales of the fun I’ve been having on the virtual hardwood. This week, I’m tipping things off with some advice to look beyond what you see when it comes to visuals on the virtual hardwood.

I’ll be honest: I never thought that I’d be quoting Rafiki in an article about basketball video games. The sentiment fits though, so hey, hakuna matata. As in the metaphor that’s repeated a few times during the course of The Lion King 1½, there’s value in looking beyond the superficial aspects of basketball video games. That’s not to say that graphics aren’t in any way important. They form our first impressions of a new title, and when a new generation launches, we do expect to see some sort of leap as far as the graphics are concerned.

As such, I’m not trying to dismiss criticism of – or downplay disappointment in – the graphics of NBA 2K on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X (or any other game, for that matter). However, there’s a reason we have a long-running gag on the NLSC Podcast about cancelling pre-orders if a new game doesn’t feature any shoelace physics. It’s easy for me to say because I grew up with games that look extremely primitive now, but we can get too caught up in visual details that are inconsequential in the long run. Whether critiquing a game or simply seeking to enjoy it, I’d suggest that you’ll gain far more valuable insights and satisfaction if you look beyond what you see.

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From courtside of the virtual hardwood, it’s Episode #413 of the NLSC Podcast!

Catching up on the latest results from our NBA Jam: On Fire Edition Tournament, we reflect on a truly epic comeback! We also recap the fun we had connecting on Parsec to play NBA Live 2004 PC with the 1996 season mod, another exciting countdown with the Top 10 Plays, and recent fun going back to an NBA 2K14 MyCAREER save. This week’s main topic is the variety of NBA video games that we used to enjoy. We open up the mailbag to see which NBA video games the community most wants to see return instead of (or in the best case scenario, in addition to) NBA Live, and discuss our memories of those titles.

Download or play on your mobile device/tablet: CLICK HERE (Running time: 1:26:50 — 60.0MB)

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify

To get involved with the mailbag or to provide any feedback on the show, hit us up in the comments, reach out on social media, or post here in the NLSC Forum! For more information on the NLSC Podcast including episode guides, check out this page in our Wiki. You can also find the show on our YouTube channel, along with the rest of our video content. As always, thanks for tuning in, and go get buckets!

Get ready for more fantastic highlights from the basketball gaming community in the NLSC Top 10 Plays of the Week, curated by Dee4Three! New and old games alike are featured in this celebration of spectacular moments on the virtual hardwood. To submit your clips, post them in this topic, or hit up Dee on Twitter.

If this week’s NLSC Top 10 Plays doesn’t get you in the mood to pick up a controller, are you even a basketball gamer? Alright, let’s not gatekeep, but this is definitely another countdown that should pump you up to play! From showcasing slow motion dunks in NBA Live 95 and shattering backboards in NBA Jam: On Fire Edition, to a multitude of poster dunks and a ridiculous shot in NBA Live 06, the Top 10 has it all this week. As always, hats off to the community for sending us some of their favourite highlights!

What was your favourite highlight this week? Sound off in the comments below, and once again, get in on the fun by sending us your best plays! Remember, as long as it’s a basketball game, it’s eligible for the countdown. Also, don’t forget to subscribe to us on YouTube for more basketball gaming videos.

Welcome to another edition of The Friday Five! Every Friday I cover a topic related to basketball gaming, either as a list of five items, or a Top 5 countdown. The topics for these lists and countdowns include everything from fun facts and recollections to commentary and critique. This week’s Five is a list of five retro players that we’re unlikely to see included in future games.

There isn’t a year that goes by where NBA 2K is missing some noteworthy retro players. Contrary to what some people believe, this isn’t due to laziness or ignorance of NBA history. It’s all down to licensing issues, as NBA 2K – and any NBA video game, for that matter – cannot include any retro players that haven’t agreed for their likenesses to be used. While we have seen some players added (or in certain cases, return) to the roster of retro content, there are some names that just seem unlikely to ever be officially included in NBA 2K moving forward.

Please note that I’m making an educated guess here based on previous remarks and other factors regarding these retro players, at the time of writing. If by some chance they’re included in future games, then this is my disclaimer against a “gotcha”. I’ve been wrong before, and situations can certainly change. However, considering the circumstances for these five retro players, I would be very surprised if we see any of them appear in forthcoming releases. It’s unfortunate as placeholders stick out like a sore thumb, the absence of big names is strongly felt, and it does make certain classic squads highly unlikely. It is what it is however, and in some cases, it’s understandable.

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Today’s file additions for NBA 2K14 PC include a custom soundtrack, updated retro player faces, and a new version of the College Hoops 2K22 mod. Download all of the latest NBA 2K14 file additions at the links below!

NIKEAIRDRIP
Clean Chill Songs 2022

IceCr
Larry Johnson Face (Updated to v2.0)
Alonzo Mourning Face (Updated to v2.0)
Gary Payton Face (Updated to v3.0)

nick15
College Hoops 2K22 (Updated to v2.0)

Thanks to everyone who continues to contribute to our Downloads database! If you need help uploading files, be sure to check out this video tutorial. For more information about downloads, the modding community, and File Additions bulletins, please see this FAQ in our Wiki.

This is Wayback Wednesday, your midweek blast from the past! From retrospectives of basketball games and their interesting features, to republished articles and looking at NBA history through the lens of the virtual hardwood, Wednesdays at the NLSC are for going back in time. This week, I’m reminiscing about the time I tried to get the NBA Live 98 demo to run on my family’s aging 486 PC.

As a teenager in 1998, making do with a 486 DX2/66 IBM compatible PC, there were few things I wanted as much as a shiny new Pentium. I mean, I wanted the Chicago Bulls to be featured on the Game of the Week, to win as many games as possible, and ultimately, take home the NBA Championship. I wanted to stay up late on weekends to watch the NBA and WWF, and play games. I wanted to create rosters for NBA Live 96, and upload them to my Geocities site, the NBA Live Domain. There was a girl at school I wished I was more than friends with. But yes, I wanted a Pentium.

How did that turn out? Well, I got to see quite a few Bulls games that year, many of which they won, and of course they went on to win their sixth NBA title in June. I did fill my weekends with basketball, wrestling, and video games. I continued to hone my skills as a modder, and the NLD began to develop a small but dedicated following. The girl at school…well, let’s not bring the mood down, here! We also didn’t get a new PC until a couple of years later, which led to me attempting to run the NBA Live 98 demo on our rapidly aging 486. How did that go? Let’s take a look back…way back…

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Check out the latest mods in today’s NBA 2K22 file additions! Today’s releases include dornas and player faces. Download all of today’s file additions for NBA 2K22 at the links below!

Shuajota
Sacramento Kings Realistic Dornas
Jay Huff Face

sevin0seven
Randy Wittman Face (1986)
Jeff Hornacek Face (1998)
Kenny Smith Face (1994)
Steve Smith Face (1994)

Opao 2K/TGsoGood
LaMelo Ball Face (SPIRE Version)

Thanks to everyone who continues to contribute to our Downloads database! If you need help uploading files, be sure to check out this video tutorial. For more information about downloads, the modding community, and File Additions bulletins, please see this FAQ in our Wiki.

We’re at midcourt, and the ball is about to go up…it’s Monday Tip-Off! Join me as I begin the week here at the NLSC with my opinions and commentary on basketball gaming topics, as well as tales of the fun I’ve been having on the virtual hardwood. This week, I’m tipping things off with a few thoughts on the suggestion that every game in the NBA 2K series gets labelled the “worst game ever”, until its successors make it retroactively liked.

There are apologists in the basketball gaming community, who shamelessly shill and defend NBA 2K at every turn. Of course, there are also haters who are disinterested in offering fair and constructive criticism. You’ve got also got fans who can sometimes be overzealous in looking at things through rose-coloured glasses, and critics who don’t necessarily take certain factors into account. There are many opinions that are expressed loudly, and they aren’t always the most nuanced takes. Thanks to their volume however, they’re the ones that stand out, even if they’re in the minority.

And then, there’s the alleged phenomenon of every NBA 2K being labelled the worst in the series, only to be praised when the next game is released. Frankly, this notion that the community bashes every single game before retroactively loving it isn’t fair or accurate. If you go back to some user reviews of older games, you’ll find plenty of positivity. However, there’s truth in saying that some gamers seemingly dislike every new release, while others appear to change their tune years later. It leads to criticism being downplayed on the basis that “every new game is always hated”. We even see developers allude to that notion when defensively duelling with disgruntled gamers.

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From courtside of the virtual hardwood, it’s Episode #412 of the NLSC Podcast!

After last week’s show, we’ve been moved to revisit NBA Live 2001 and NBA Live 2002. Though both were controversial releases in our community, they definitely have their bright spots. Speaking of old NBA Live games, work continues on our All-Time Teams Roster for NBA Live 96 PC. There’s also been an exciting development as far as modding NBA Live 10 on PlayStation 3. As for the future of the series, while NBA Live 23 hasn’t been announced, it’s clear that we’re not the only basketball gamers hoping that the series will return. We discuss the likelihood of it finally happening this year, and revisit our expectations. We then open up the mailbag to discuss the community’s Wishlist for a hypothetical NBA Live 23.

Download or play on your mobile device/tablet: CLICK HERE (Running time: 1:19:57 — 55.3MB)

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify

To get involved with the mailbag or to provide any feedback on the show, hit us up in the comments, reach out on social media, or post here in the NLSC Forum! For more information on the NLSC Podcast including episode guides, check out this page in our Wiki. You can also find the show on our YouTube channel, along with the rest of our video content. As always, thanks for tuning in, and go get buckets!