NBA Action 98

As we discussed in Episode #487 of the NLSC Podcast, over the weekend Dee and I connected on Parsec to play a couple of games of NBA Action 98, with Dee compiling and uploading the highlights. In case you haven’t seen them yet…here they are!

The game was a re-creation of the epic 1998 Eastern Conference Finals showdown between the Chicago Bulls and the Indiana Pacers. As was the case at the time, Michael Jordan is absent, but in his place is #98, 1 Guard. As you’ll see, 1 Guard shares MJ’s legendary talents, pouring in the points in a variety of ways as we picked up the victory. You’ll also see Dennis Rodman sporting his colourful hair, Scottie Pippen doing his thing, and Virtual Hardwood Legend, Scott Burrell. On the other side, Reggie Miller, Rik Smits, Mark Jackson, Chris Mullin, and Dale Davis were doing everything they could to stand in the way of the win. Check it out!

NBA Action 98 is just one of many games that we’ve posted highlights from over on the NLSC YouTube channel, so be sure to subscribe for more basketball gaming content! Once again, Dee and I both have extensive basketball video game collections, so feel free to hit us up with any suggestions of games that you’d like to see us play.

From courtside of the virtual hardwood, it’s Episode #487 of the NLSC Podcast!

We’re taking a look back at NBA Action 98 – the forerunner to NBA 2K on PC on Sega Saturn – after connecting to play a couple of games over Parsec. Naturally we compare it to NBA Live 98, as well as the PlayStation version, which was released as NBA Fastbreak ’98. We’ve also been drawn back to Ultimate Team in NBA Live 18, and reflect on the fun we’ve been having with our Legends squads. We also discuss a surprising teaser regarding MyCAREER in NBA 2K24, and our first virtual NBA Championships. In this week’s mailbag, we challenge the community to match Overall Ratings to the players in the default rosters of NBA 2K13.

Download or play on your mobile device/tablet: CLICK HERE (Running time: 59:04 — 40.9MB)

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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!

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 some 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. This week, I’m taking a look back at NBA Action 98, also released under the name NBA Fastbreak ’98.

Back in the days when demo CD-ROMs were still a thing, I happened to get my hands on a collection titled Sportz Crazy 2. Released by Sprint Software circa 1997, it featured over twenty sports game demos, in addition to a bunch of Windows 95 tools (including Internet Explorer 4!). As you might expect, my attention was immediately drawn to the basketball games, one of which was Slam ‘N Jam. The other was NBA Action 98, a game published by Sega Sports that was also available on the Saturn. NBA Fastbreak ’98 was the title given to the PlayStation version.

Both titles may be unfamiliar to younger basketball gamers, but the game stands as a significant release, being the forerunner to the NBA 2K series. It went head to head with NBA Live 98, and while EA Sports’ title was better across the board, NBA Action 98/NBA Fastbreak ’98 displayed many of the traits and the attention to detail that would eventually make NBA 2K the premier brand in sim-oriented basketball games. I’ve since picked up the full versions of both NBA Action 98 and NBA Fastbreak ’98, so let’s take a look back…way back…

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benji has tracked down a couple more updates for NBA Action ’98 on the PC: a roster update accurate as of August 2nd 1998, and a roster editor that will allow you to make your own updates. If you’d like to pull out the game for a touch of nostalgia, check them out at the links below. Once again, remember that our hosting facilities are open to files new and old, for recent games and old games alike, so whether you’re updating NBA 2K13 or have located a long lost file for NBA Live 99, please feel free to add it to our database!

Marco Dell’Edera
NBA Action ’98 Roster Patch (August 2, 1998)
NBA Action ’98 Roster Editor

NLSC Forum user Llama_Cookie has tracked down an old roster update for the PC version of NBA Action ’98 by Sega Sports. If you feel like dusting off the game for a spot of nostalgia, check it out at the link below. Don’t forget that our upload facilities are open to everyone as long as you are registered in the Forum. Please also keep in mind that in addition to new updates, we welcome uploads of old and lost files for NBA Live, NBA 2K and any other basketball video games.

Jack Alltucker
NBA Action ’98 Roster Patch (3/21/98)

In the interest of expanding our file archives to cover basketball games beyond the NBA Live and NBA 2K series, and to ensure that they don’t get lost over time, I’ve added some more demos for various basketball games to our Downloads section. Please note that we will not be providing the full versions of any of these games to download, except in the unlikely event that they are re-released as freeware.

NBA Full Court Press Demo by Microsoft
NBA Action 98 Demo by Sega
NBA Jam Extreme Demo by Acclaim Entertainment
Backyard Basketball 2007 Demo by Humongous Entertainment
Fast Break College Basketball 2003 Demo by Grey Dog Software
Fast Break College Basketball 2010 Demo by Grey Dog Software
Fast Break Basketball by HeavyReign Software