NBA Showtime: NBA on NBC

All rise, the court is now in session! The latest creation stemming from NBA Jam, NBA ShowTime: NBA On NBC brings you to the heart of the action, pitting you against top teams and top players. Can you keep up?

Accommodating up to four players, this superb basketball game includes a create-a-player mode so you can stamp your own individual mark amongst the stars of the court. Not only that but you can also dribble, shoot, pass, rebound and block in the finest NBA tradition. Be careful though. Hard contact can be fun, but commit 5 fouls and your opponent will be awarded a free penalty shot. Not what you need in the dying minutes of the final.

NBA ShowTime: NBA On NBC. Above the rim is a way of life.

Source:

uk.playstation.com

If you want realism, pick up a basketball and head to the gym.

Thumbing its nose at b-ball sims, Midway (the company responsible for the insane action in NFL Blitz) has created an aggressive two-on-two basketball game that delivers true above-the-rim arcade action.

Unlike other games that toss in a flimsy arcade mode as an afterthought, Showtime has its roots firmly planted in the fantasy world of unrealistic play and poor sportsmanship. The resulting hardwood action is crammed with jaw-dropping dunks, humiliating rejections and -- occasionally -- even a pass.

Commercial-free telecast.

Appealing to weekend couch potatoes who gleefully sit through triple headers, Midway has locked down a deal with NBC to recreate its televised "NBA on NBC" presentation. With the exception of insightful half-time analysis from the delightfully droll Hannah Storm, playing Showtime is precisely like watching a game on the tube.

Featuring the opening NBC theme music and a transparent peacock in the corner of your screen, NBA Showtime even uses the same camera angles preferred by the show's producers.

Big head code? We don't need no stinking big head code!

NBA Showtime features 145 different NBA players, including current stars, 1999 rookies, hidden characters and even team mascots. You won't find any bench jockeys in the game, because with two-on-two basketball Midway figured that no one would select second-team slackers.

A la NBA Jam, the players' heads are hideously over-sized so you can recognize each baller on the court (hopefully there was no need to implement this feature due to over-developed egos). Midway has done excellent work in recreating the players' likenesses, which is probably the only aspect of the game where they were sticklers for realism.

Midway has also included a detailed Create Player feature which allows gamers to build the perfect baller and watch him improve as he gains experience.

Yes, it's as easy as it looks.

NBA Showtime uses a three button control system, which makes the game immediately enjoyable for all players, regardless of skill level. With only four players on the court, it's nearly impossible to lose track of the ball's position or the location of your player. The play control is forgiving, and the action is extremely fast.

The plays don't get more strategic than wildly flashy alley-oops, but aggressive defensive play and quick reflexes are rewarded. The only time the whistle blows is at the end of each quarter, so players can completely disregard back court violations, illegal screens and personal fouls. In fact, you're usually rewarded with a steal if you smack around the guy with the ball. Unfortunately you'll have to remember to keep your hands out of the cylinder, because defensive goaltending is still in the rule book.

Got game?

Since NBA Showtime functions as a two-on-two game even in single-player mode, it's the perfect match for multiplayer gaming. Four players can stuff the ball down each others' throats without a computer-controlled character ever touching the ball.

Like the upright arcade machine, Showtime on Nintendo 64 keeps track of a wide variety of statistics. Focusing on the player rather than the team, the game records your overall stats to a Controller Pak even if you choose to use a different team each time.

Covering the cost of admission.

Pro ball players don't get endorsement deals without a bit of glitter in their games, and Midway knows that you can't sell an arcade-style sports title without big plays to make your eyes bug out. As a result, they've stuffed NBA Showtime with the sickest slams and most disgusting dribbles you've ever seen.

Even though it feels great to throw down on your buddies, perhaps the most satisfying aspect of the game is meeting a friend ten feet above the rim and kindly informing him, "Homey don't play that."

Source:

www.nintendo.com – Nintendo 64