Wayback Wednesday: Timberwolves Franchise in NBA Live 2003

Talk about the NLSC Podcast, Monday Tip-Off, Wayback Wednesday, The Friday Five, Top 10 Plays of the Week, and our Parsec Tournaments! This is also a section for NLSC and community announcements, and other site-related topics.

Re: Wayback Wednesday: NBA Jam vs NBA Street

Postby Andrew on Fri Jan 15, 2021 3:37 am

That's what I liked about EA's games. Between the Remix Tour and then Road Trip in OFE, they managed to avoid that. The Real AI made the gameplay a bit less repetitive as well.
User avatar
Andrew
Assist Enthusiast
Administrator
 
Posts: 113903
Joined: Thu Aug 22, 2002 8:51 pm
Location: Australia

Re: Wayback Wednesday: NBA Jam vs NBA Street

Postby [Q] on Fri Jan 15, 2021 4:16 am

Even in OFE I think I got tired of it while going through it again against all of the robots. I couldn't get myself to play against robots 29 times in a row lol
Image
User avatar
[Q]
NBA Live 18 Advocate
NLSC Team Member
 
Posts: 14396
Joined: Tue Oct 01, 2002 8:20 am
Location: Westside, the best side

Re: Wayback Wednesday: NBA Jam vs NBA Street

Postby Andrew on Fri Jan 15, 2021 4:19 am

That's fair. Honestly though, I feel like Street can be just as repetitive in its modes (though they have more variation that the original Jam games, where it's basically just beat everyone on the ladder). I do really like Homecourt for example, but the Homecourt Challenge does wear a bit thin after a while.
User avatar
Andrew
Assist Enthusiast
Administrator
 
Posts: 113903
Joined: Thu Aug 22, 2002 8:51 pm
Location: Australia

Re: Wayback Wednesday: Super Dunk Shot Teams

Postby Andrew on Wed Jan 20, 2021 3:32 pm

Wayback Wednesday: Super Dunk Shot Teams

One of the first games I covered in a video retrospective for Wayback Wednesday was World League Basketball. It's the PAL release of Sculptured Software's NCAA Basketball for the Super Nintendo, replacing the college teams and tournament with a fictional global basketball league. The change was made because no college sports games have been licensed for release outside of North America, but the Japanese version - Super Dunk Shot - made an even crazier alteration to the teams. The game is basically a bootleg NBA title, from the season structure to the teams and players.

I've talked about the names of teams in Super Dunk Shot in previous articles and on the NLSC Podcast, but I believe they deserve their own feature. Some of the names really are ridiculous, but in the best possible way. These days I have all three versions of the game in my collection, but I wish I had them all those years ago. I loved World League Basketball, but I would've spent a lot of time with a college hoops and bootleg NBA game as well. Again, the teams in Super Dunk Shot deserve to be spotlighted, so Division by Division, let's take a look back...way back...
User avatar
Andrew
Assist Enthusiast
Administrator
 
Posts: 113903
Joined: Thu Aug 22, 2002 8:51 pm
Location: Australia

Re: Wayback Wednesday: adidas Live Run in NBA Live 10

Postby Andrew on Wed Jan 27, 2021 1:54 pm

Wayback Wednesday: adidas Live Run in NBA Live 10

These days, we take the concept of online team play for granted. Although there's still interest in single player experiences and local multiplayer, the various modes that allow us to play with up to nine other gamers online are extremely popular. Of course, MMORPGs such as World of Warcraft, to say nothing of the multiplayer scene in first person shooters and good old fashioned LAN parties, had already popularised the concept. As soon as the online infrastructure was developed for basketball and other sports titles, it was clear that the concept would find an enthusiastic audience.

It's interesting to look back at those early iterations of online team play. With adidas Live Run in particular, you can see that the concept was already starting to evolve into the experiences we now enjoy (well, sometimes enjoy). Unfortunately, with the NBA Live series being rebooted following the cancellation of NBA Elite 11, the developers weren't able to expand upon the idea of adidas Live Run until NBA Live 16. It was nevertheless an innovative mode in its time, so let's take a look back...way back...
User avatar
Andrew
Assist Enthusiast
Administrator
 
Posts: 113903
Joined: Thu Aug 22, 2002 8:51 pm
Location: Australia

Re: Wayback Wednesday: NBA 2K15 & The Forgotten Generation

Postby Andrew on Wed Feb 03, 2021 1:44 pm

Wayback Wednesday: NBA 2K15 & The Forgotten Generation

Way back in the mid 2000s, the launch of the Xbox 360 (and then the PlayStation 3) forced us to change our approach to our content and coverage. At the time we were still more or less exclusively about NBA Live PC, but we now had two generations to cover: the PlayStation 2/Xbox version, which we covered because it was the one that was ported to PC, and the Next Gen version on the new consoles, as it was the release receiving the most attention from EA Sports. When NBA Live was discontinued on PC, and then PS2 a year later, we only had the 360 and PS3 version to cover.

It's been different with NBA 2K. When it landed on PC, it was the same version that the 360 and PS3 received (give or take an online feature). We covered both the last gen PC port and Next Gen version of NBA 2K14 following the launch of the Xbox One and PlayStation 4, and then when the PC received a PS4/X1 port from NBA 2K15 onwards, we simply left the prior gen behind. Simply put, there wasn't much reason to cover it, and I personally stopped buying NBA 2K on that generation. I've wondered what it was like though, and to that end, I picked up a copy of NBA 2K15 for PS3 to check out. Let's take a look back...way back...
User avatar
Andrew
Assist Enthusiast
Administrator
 
Posts: 113903
Joined: Thu Aug 22, 2002 8:51 pm
Location: Australia

Re: Wayback Wednesday: Revisiting the NBA Live 2002 Rosters

Postby Andrew on Wed Feb 10, 2021 10:49 pm

Wayback Wednesday: Revisiting the NBA Live 2002 Rosters

As I've previously discussed, NBA Live 2002 is a game that I'm oddly nostalgic for. To echo the assessment I made in my 25th Anniversary of NBA Live retrospective, it's a mixed bag. It has some problems and it wasn't everything we hoped it would be, but it also featured some welcome improvements. It's arguably slightly underrated, and I've come to look upon it more favourably over the years. Still, if you do go back and spend some time with it, the same issues that were an annoyance when the game was new will soon become apparent. I do enjoy revisiting it, though.

One of the reasons I'm nostalgic for NBA Live 2002 is that it came along at a very memorable time for me. I was entering my final year of high school, I'd just taken over as webmaster of the NLSC, and the NBA landscape was continuing to change. To that last point, Michael Jordan returned to the NBA to play for the Washington Wizards, and while I wasn't overly thrilled with it at the time - I am a diehard Bulls fan, after all - it was obviously an interesting development. Whenever I look back through the rosters of NBA Live 2002, I'm reminded of that time in my life, and in the NBA. I'm feeling that nostalgia today, so let's take a look back...way back...
User avatar
Andrew
Assist Enthusiast
Administrator
 
Posts: 113903
Joined: Thu Aug 22, 2002 8:51 pm
Location: Australia

Re: Wayback Wednesday: The Space Jam Video Game

Postby Andrew on Wed Feb 17, 2021 1:57 pm

Wayback Wednesday: The Space Jam Video Game

Happy 58th Birthday to my all-time favourite player, Michael Jordan! You know, it kind of blows my mind that I'm now older than MJ was when he won his final title with the Chicago Bulls in 1998. Appropriately enough, that was 23 years ago; a fact that's also difficult to wrap my head around! In any case, I figured that since it is His Airness' birthday today, it only makes sense to cover something related to him. The problem is that I've already covered The Jordan Challenge (from several angles, too), as well as Michael Jordan in Flight, his history in games, and his comeback in 1995.

What else is there? Well, how about the Space Jam video game? Yes, there was a lot of merchandise related to Space Jam when it came out, and like so many movies in the 90s, there was a video game tie-in for PC, PlayStation, and Sega Saturn. I didn't actually play it back in the day, but I've since added it to my collection. We got a real jam going down, so let's take it into overtime...I mean, let's take a look back...way back...
User avatar
Andrew
Assist Enthusiast
Administrator
 
Posts: 113903
Joined: Thu Aug 22, 2002 8:51 pm
Location: Australia

Re: Wayback Wednesday: NBA Returns Over Before They Began

Postby Andrew on Wed Feb 24, 2021 1:46 pm

Wayback Wednesday: NBA Returns Over Before They Began

Although our content is obviously focused on the virtual hardwood, I like to mix in topics related to the real NBA as well. After all, it directly influences our experiences in video games, and the games in turn capture a snapshot of what the league was like when they were released. To that end, I've enjoyed branching out with topics like Familiar Faces in Strange Places, and its counterpart Familiar Faces Back in Familiar Places, in previous Wayback Wednesday features. It's easy to bring it all back to video games, because of the way they act as interactive almanacs.

This is a spinoff of those two series that came to mind as I was researching them. I recalled players that were reacquired by their former teams, but didn't end up playing for them again. As I noted in my Familiar Places articles, there's something fun about seeing players rejoin their old teams; especially when they end up wearing an updated uniform we never thought we'd see them don. Likewise, there are some interesting "What If" scenarios involving NBA returns that were over before they even had a chance to begin, or otherwise didn't result in an official appearance. We can see and make NBA returns happen in games however, so let's take a look back...way back...
User avatar
Andrew
Assist Enthusiast
Administrator
 
Posts: 113903
Joined: Thu Aug 22, 2002 8:51 pm
Location: Australia

Re: Wayback Wednesday: NCAA March Madness 08 Retrospective

Postby Andrew on Wed Mar 03, 2021 6:29 pm

Wayback Wednesday: NCAA March Madness 08 Retrospective

I wasn't able to enjoy any of the college basketball games while they were still being developed, as they couldn't be licensed for release outside of North America. As they were console-only releases, and none of the consoles I owned were region-free, I wasn't able to import NTSC games with my PAL hardware. Since then, a friend gifted me their old PlayStation 3, which means that I can finally import NTSC games! Needless to say, the college basketball titles from EA Sports and Visual Concepts were the ones that I was the most interested in.

As such, I've been able to get my hands on NCAA March Madness 08, NCAA Basketball 09, and NCAA Basketball 10 by EA Sports, and College Hoops 2K7 and College Hoops 2K8 by Visual Concepts. I'm very happy to have finally added them to the collection; after all, I find that checking out basketball games that I missed the first time around can be just as fun as dusting off some old favourites. Obviously, I enjoy sharing my thoughts on them as well, and in that spirit, I'm beginning with NCAA March Madness 08. Let's take a look back...way back...
User avatar
Andrew
Assist Enthusiast
Administrator
 
Posts: 113903
Joined: Thu Aug 22, 2002 8:51 pm
Location: Australia

Re: Wayback Wednesday: NCAA Basketball 09 Retrospective

Postby Andrew on Wed Mar 10, 2021 7:48 pm

Wayback Wednesday: NCAA Basketball 09 Retrospective

As I mentioned when I looked back at NCAA March Madness 08, college basketball games were something that I wasn't able to enjoy for many years. Due to an inability to secure international likeness rights for the NCAA, those titles were only released in North America. Universal adapters, certain cheat devices, and modded consoles were - for the most part- the only way we could play those NTSC releases in PAL regions. The PlayStation 3 was region free however, and after a friend gifted me one, I've been able to import a handful of NTSC games, including college basketball titles.

My collection currently includes the aforementioned NCAA March Madness 08, as well as the game I'm looking back at today: its sequel, NCAA Basketball 09. I also own NCAA Basketball 10, and 2K Sports' College Hoops 2K7 and College Hoops 2K8. I'll be getting to those in due course, but for now, let's look at the 2009 season release from EA Sports. The series rebranded itself to NCAA Basketball, but did the 09 edition succeed in being more than just a mere name change? Let's take a look back...way back...
User avatar
Andrew
Assist Enthusiast
Administrator
 
Posts: 113903
Joined: Thu Aug 22, 2002 8:51 pm
Location: Australia

Re: Wayback Wednesday: NCAA Basketball 10 Retrospective

Postby Andrew on Wed Mar 17, 2021 3:55 pm

Wayback Wednesday: NCAA Basketball 10 Retrospective

As I mentioned when I took a look back at NCAA March Madness 08 and NCAA Basketball 09, it wasn't until I was gifted a PlayStation 3 that I've been able to import college basketball games. I've therefore taken the opportunity to seek out and pick up those North American exclusives that I couldn't play on my PAL consoles. Although they do show their age somewhat, I've still really enjoyed finally being able to play them and make up for some lost time. I've also picked up College Hoops 2K7 and 2K8, and I'll be getting to them in due course.

I have an unusual history with NCAA Basketball 10. Like the other college games, I wasn't able to play it until I got a PlayStation 3. However, the difference with NCAA Basketball 10 is that I actually covered it on the NLSC during its preview season! Even though I knew I wouldn't be able to play it or produce any post-release content, we were expanding beyond just being an NBA Live website, and posting news related to NCAA Basketball 10 was part of my efforts to branch out. Over a decade later, I finally have the game and a console to play it on, so let's take a look back...way back...
User avatar
Andrew
Assist Enthusiast
Administrator
 
Posts: 113903
Joined: Thu Aug 22, 2002 8:51 pm
Location: Australia

Re: Wayback Wednesday: College Hoops 2K7 Retrospective

Postby Andrew on Wed Mar 24, 2021 6:10 pm

Wayback Wednesday: College Hoops 2K7 Retrospective

Finally getting my hands on the college games from Visual Concepts has been just as rewarding as adding EA Sports' NCAA titles to my collection, but playing them has been a slightly different experience. While there's still the novelty of finally getting to play games that I wasn't able to import for so long, I don't have the same history with NBA 2K7 as I do with NBA Live 07. If nothing else, it isn't as jarring to see NCAA branding in a menu that I associate with an NBA game that I'm far more familiar with, and played more extensively when it was new.

I do own NBA 2K7 though and have spent time with it, so I am aware of what 2K's basketball games were like at the time, and thus can make comparisons with College Hoops 2K7. Needless to say, it's interesting to compare the College Hoops games to its contemporaries in the March Madness series as well, especially since the latter utilised technology from a very rough era in NBA Live's history, and 2K has usually taken a different approach to certain core features and mechanics. With that being said, let's take a look back...way back...
User avatar
Andrew
Assist Enthusiast
Administrator
 
Posts: 113903
Joined: Thu Aug 22, 2002 8:51 pm
Location: Australia

Re: Wayback Wednesday: College Hoops 2K8 Retrospective

Postby Andrew on Wed Mar 31, 2021 8:58 pm

Wayback Wednesday: College Hoops 2K8 Retrospective

College Hoops 2K8 is a title that generally makes basketball gamers feel wistful, the same way football gamers look back at ESPN NFL 2K5. Both games marked the end of their respective series, and were very highly regarded. They have an enduring popularity, as gamers who enjoyed them when they were new are still able to dust them off and play them today, especially College Hoops 2K8 with all of its roster customisation. Indeed, gamers have continued to make new rosters for College Hoops 2K8 for many years afterwards, some of which are still available.

As I look back at College Hoops 2K8, it seems accurate to say that it's many people's favourite college basketball game. As with College Hoops 2K7, I'm coming from the position of someone who wasn't able to play it when it was new, and also didn't spend a lot of time with its NBA counterpart at the time either. I therefore don't have any nostalgia for it, and while I am able to make comparisons to NBA 2K8, there isn't quite the same novelty as there was when comparing NBA Live 08 and NCAA March Madness 08. Nevertheless, it's unquestionably a significant title, and a great release that's well worth remembering. Let's take a look back...way back...
User avatar
Andrew
Assist Enthusiast
Administrator
 
Posts: 113903
Joined: Thu Aug 22, 2002 8:51 pm
Location: Australia

Re: Wayback Wednesday: NCAA Basketball Retrospective

Postby Andrew on Thu Apr 08, 2021 12:52 am

Wayback Wednesday: NCAA Basketball Retrospective

With Baylor's victory and another March Madness in the books, I'm taking a look back at one final college basketball game. It's a game that I've covered twice before in Wayback Wednesday, albeit under two different titles: World League Basketball, and Super Dunk Shot. As I mentioned in those features, this 1992 release developed by Sculptured Software changed its name and content according to the region it was released in. To that end, depending on whether you're in North America, a PAL region, or Japan, you'll be nostalgic for a different version of the same game.

Since Australia is a PAL region, the version of the game that I grew up with was World League Basketball. Now that I've picked up a Universal Adapter for my Super Nintendo, I've been able to collect Super Dunk Shot and NCAA Basketball, and play them on my PAL hardware. Obviously it's a very familiar experience in terms of gameplay, but the different teams and format make it a real novelty to play the other versions. On top of that, NCAA Basketball holds up as one of the best college hoops titles of its era. Let's take a look back...way back...
User avatar
Andrew
Assist Enthusiast
Administrator
 
Posts: 113903
Joined: Thu Aug 22, 2002 8:51 pm
Location: Australia

Re: Wayback Wednesday: Stints Lasting Longer Than I Remembered

Postby Andrew on Wed Apr 14, 2021 2:24 pm

Wayback Wednesday: Stints Lasting Longer Than I Remembered

I'll never claim to be an infallible source of knowledge, whether I'm talking about real basketball or basketball video games. There's a lot of stuff I remember off the top of my head, but I've certainly found that it pays to double-check and look things up. When it comes to the players I grew up watching, I tend to have a good memory as far as who they played for, how long they played for them, and when they moved on to a new team. However, my recall definitely isn't perfect. As such, when I revisit an old game, I'm sometimes surprised to see a player still on a particular team's roster.

Yes, this is another example of basketball video games being interactive almanacs. As I've said, it's one of the most appealing parts of dusting off old video games: seeing that snapshot of the NBA at the time they were developed. Just as there's something really fun about seeing familiar faces in strange places, or back in familiar places for that matter, it's interesting to be reminded of stints that lasted longer than I recalled. As usual, I'm looking at these examples through the lens of the games that reminded me of these tenures. With that being said, let's take a look back...way back...
User avatar
Andrew
Assist Enthusiast
Administrator
 
Posts: 113903
Joined: Thu Aug 22, 2002 8:51 pm
Location: Australia

Re: Wayback Wednesday: The Inactive Players in NBA Live 96 PC

Postby Andrew on Wed Apr 21, 2021 3:40 pm

Wayback Wednesday: The Inactive Players in NBA Live 96 PC

The PC version of NBA Live 96 is one of my all-time favourite games. I have so many fond memories of playing it, but it's also a sentimental favourite. It was actually the first NBA Live game I owned; the Super Nintendo version of NBA Live 95 was the first game in the series that I played, but it was a frequent video store rental, and I didn't add it or the PC version of NBA Live 95 to my collection until later. The game is obviously set in the 1995-96 season - also a personal favourite - and searching for NBA Live 96 content is what led me to discover the NLSC way back in 1997.

Even after I'd moved on to newer games, NBA Live 96 continued to be a valuable resource. Before Basketball Reference launched, we had to work a bit harder and consult various resources when we made retro roster mods, including older games. As I was quite fond of creating 1996 season mods, NBA Live 96 was one of my go-to resources. Unfortunately, its roster contained a few inaccuracies. While this certainly isn't uncommon in games that predate official roster updates, the PC version of NBA Live 96 notably includes a number of players who were retired or inactive. Let's take a look back...way back...
User avatar
Andrew
Assist Enthusiast
Administrator
 
Posts: 113903
Joined: Thu Aug 22, 2002 8:51 pm
Location: Australia

Re: Wayback Wednesday: NBA Live 06 Xbox 360 Revisited

Postby Andrew on Wed Apr 28, 2021 2:38 pm

Wayback Wednesday: NBA Live 06 Xbox 360 Revisited

When I covered NBA Live 06 as part of my retrospectives for the 25th Anniversary of NBA Live, I noted that the PC/current gen release and the Xbox 360 version received very different responses. NBA Live 06 on PC, PlayStation 2, and Xbox was generally well-regarded, whereas the Xbox 360 release is seen as the beginning of the series' downfall. I would still agree with that assessment, but as I mentioned in Episode #363 of the NLSC Podcast, I've been having some second thoughts about the quality of the Xbox 360 version of NBA Live 06.

That's not to say that I think it's the best game in the series, or that it wasn't a major misstep in many ways. However, after firing up the game as part of my research for an article, I ended up playing a full game and really enjoyed myself. Considering that I described NBA Live 06 on Xbox 360 as having vastly inferior gameplay to the PC version in my aforementioned retrospective, it prompted me to spend some more time with the game and see if my opinion of it changed. Obviously it still has many issues, but does the reputation of NBA Live 06 on Xbox 360 overshadow some of its good points? Let's take a look back...way back...
User avatar
Andrew
Assist Enthusiast
Administrator
 
Posts: 113903
Joined: Thu Aug 22, 2002 8:51 pm
Location: Australia

Re: Wayback Wednesday: NBA Showtime: NBA on NBC Retrospective

Postby Andrew on Wed May 05, 2021 2:09 pm

Wayback Wednesday: NBA Showtime: NBA on NBC Retrospective

Although I grew up playing both simulation and arcade basketball games, by the late 90s I'd lost interest in the new arcade titles. This was partly due to finding the sim games more appealing, but the arcade genre also seemed to be losing steam. I still loved NBA Jam Tournament Edition and NBA Hangtime, but Acclaim's NBA Jam games weren't impressive, and I didn't keep up with Midway's titles. It's unfortunate, because there were some good arcade basketball games being released in between the original classics by Midway, and the launch of EA Sports' NBA Street series.

The good news is that running Wayback Wednesday features gives me an excuse to track down some old games and check them out all these years later. As I've said before, some games are gems, while others were worth skipping the first time around. They're all fun and interesting to sample though, but the better games always make for more exciting additions to the collection. This week I'm covering a game that I would have liked to have played more of when it was released: Midway's NBA Showtime: NBA on NBC. Let's take a look back...way back...
User avatar
Andrew
Assist Enthusiast
Administrator
 
Posts: 113903
Joined: Thu Aug 22, 2002 8:51 pm
Location: Australia

Re: Wayback Wednesday: Signature Songs of Classic Games

Postby Andrew on Wed May 12, 2021 2:31 pm

Wayback Wednesday: Signature Songs of Classic Games

There are many aspects to our nostalgia for video games, some of which don't have anything to do with the gameplay itself. Music is a strong nostalgic trigger in general, and when it comes to basketball games, hearing a song from its soundtrack will take you back to all the time you spent with it. This includes both the original tracks that were created for very old games, and licensed music that began appearing in titles around the early 2000s. This is particularly true if a title ended up including a remixed version of the song referencing basketball and gaming.

With that in mind, what are some of the signature songs in the games we've loved over the years? Sometimes it's difficult to pick just one, as certain soundtracks have been full of hits and bangers. Nevertheless, I believe it's possible to pick one stand out track that you instantly remember when you fire up a game again. Alternatively, you'll think of the game when you hear the song elsewhere. From the golden oldies to some more recent favourites, let's take a look back...way back...
User avatar
Andrew
Assist Enthusiast
Administrator
 
Posts: 113903
Joined: Thu Aug 22, 2002 8:51 pm
Location: Australia

Re: Wayback Wednesday: CPU Assistance in Old Games

Postby Andrew on Wed May 19, 2021 3:15 pm

Wayback Wednesday: CPU Assistance in Old Games

When we look back at old basketball games, it jogs our memories in so many ways. There are the graphical and gameplay improvements that have come with evolving technology. There are the soundtracks which capture the zeitgeist of the time a game was released, whether they're made up of original music or popular licensed songs. As I've discussed on many occasions, there's the "interactive almanac" aspect of the sim games in particular, capturing a snapshot of what the league was like back then. And of course, there's the depth, scope, and variety of the modes.

Beyond the depth and quality of modes and features though, what we find in an old basketball title is indicative of what was necessary and/or expected at the time. For example, the original approach to custom teams in the early NBA Live games was fun for the time, but seems downright quaint compared to the concept of Ultimate Team and MyTEAM. An option like Slow Motion Dunks also no longer seems necessary. In that vein, a once-common setting that we no longer see is CPU Assistance (or Computer Assist, as NBA Live originally labelled it). It's no longer deemed to be a necessity, but it used to be quite important. Let's take a look back...way back...
User avatar
Andrew
Assist Enthusiast
Administrator
 
Posts: 113903
Joined: Thu Aug 22, 2002 8:51 pm
Location: Australia

Re: Wayback Wednesday: Rookie Retro Jerseys in NBA Live 10

Postby Andrew on Wed May 26, 2021 2:15 pm

Wayback Wednesday: Rookie Retro Jerseys in NBA Live 10

Among the many appealing features of NBA Live 10 was the reintroduction of retro jerseys. Every team had a home and away throwback from a significant era in their history (or a popular design as the case may be). It was a welcome sight after the jump to the seventh generation resulted in a loss of retro content, from jerseys to Legends teams. If you're playing a season or franchise game, or even just an exhibition, it's fun to be able to choose from a selection of uniforms past and present. To that end, NBA 2K currently does a great job in presenting a selection of retro jerseys.

NBA Live 10 has been my retro gaming jam as of late, and while browsing the game's rosters, I had a fun idea. Although they were nearing the end of their career, a number of players from the 90s were still active as of NBA Live 10. Glancing at the selection of retro jerseys in the game, there are many that were sported by well-known 90s players in their rookie seasons. Almost all of those players had moved on to another team by the 2010 season, but I thought it'd be fun to place them back on their rookie teams, and outfit them in the relevant throwbacks. Let's take a look back...way back...
User avatar
Andrew
Assist Enthusiast
Administrator
 
Posts: 113903
Joined: Thu Aug 22, 2002 8:51 pm
Location: Australia

Re: Wayback Wednesday: Active Players in NBA Live 10

Postby Andrew on Wed Jun 02, 2021 2:47 pm

Wayback Wednesday: Active Players in NBA Live 10

Since NBA Live 10 has been my retro jam as of late, and I've already engaged in the fun exercise of taking some screenshots of 2010 players in their rookie season retro jerseys, this week I'm going in the other direction. Working on current roster updates for NBA 2K11 has emphasised how many players from around 2010 are no longer in the league, and combing through the rosters of NBA Live 10 yields further examples. With only 50 slots for created players, there's no way that you could make a detailed current roster update for NBA Live 10 on Xbox 360 or PlayStation 3.

While NBA Live 10 will turn twelve years old in a few months, players these days tend to enjoy longer careers. Many players who were quite young in NBA Live 10 are still active today, and not all of them are over the hill! Almost all of them are now playing for different teams, but a couple of them are wearing familiar uniforms, albeit newer designs. To that end, I thought it'd be fun to make a few edits to the NBA Live 10 rosters, placing players who are still active as of 2021 on their new teams. Let's take a look back...way back...
User avatar
Andrew
Assist Enthusiast
Administrator
 
Posts: 113903
Joined: Thu Aug 22, 2002 8:51 pm
Location: Australia

Re: Wayback Wednesday: Why Many of Us Like Going Wayback

Postby Andrew on Wed Jun 09, 2021 3:19 pm

Wayback Wednesday: Why Many of Us Like Going Wayback

I've decided to do something a little different this week. Rather than a retrospective of a game or specific feature from an old title, I'm discussing the reasons why gamers like myself enjoy revisiting basketball games from yesteryear; indeed, why I go so far as to produce a weekly feature about the past. Nostalgia is far from unpopular, but in recent years, it also feels like there's been a significant backlash against it. It's likely a sign of a generational gap, and while younger gamers may not feel the need to go wayback as some of us older gamers do, I believe it's something that comes with age.

On top of that, the passage of time leads to titles becoming nostalgic and historically significant, and that's an interesting process. As we evaluate the best way to move forward, it's also beneficial to look back at the past. To that end, let's take a look at why we like going wayback...and in some cases, really way back...
User avatar
Andrew
Assist Enthusiast
Administrator
 
Posts: 113903
Joined: Thu Aug 22, 2002 8:51 pm
Location: Australia

Re: Wayback Wednesday: NBA What Ifs Portrayed in NBA Live 10

Postby Andrew on Wed Jun 16, 2021 2:34 pm

Wayback Wednesday: NBA What Ifs Portrayed in NBA Live 10

What Ifs can be fun to ponder, whether they concern the NBA or video games. There are trades and signings that, if they'd happened, would've changed the course of NBA history. Likewise, we can point to game-changing moments in the history of the virtual hardwood. Indeed, NBA Live 10 is an example of such a turning point. If EA Sports had elected to continue building on the base it established rather than trying to reboot the series with the ill-fated NBA Elite 11, the basketball gaming landscape would undoubtedly be very different today.

As far as NBA What Ifs are concerned though, they're something that we can play out in video games. It's a great concept for a roster, and while that's not what I'm doing today, I've decided to mix a couple of ideas together by reflecting on some of the biggest NBA What Ifs and portraying them using NBA Live 10; a game that has an air of What If about it. Obviously there are some other historical NBA What Ifs that I won't be touching on here because the players aren't in NBA Live 10, but feel free to discuss those in the comments as well. Let's wonder what might have been as we take a look back...way back...
User avatar
Andrew
Assist Enthusiast
Administrator
 
Posts: 113903
Joined: Thu Aug 22, 2002 8:51 pm
Location: Australia

PreviousNext

Return to Featured Content & Community Noticeboard

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 16 guests