NBA Live '99 - NTNDO64.com

Developer: EA Canada (Original) NuFX (Port) Publisher: EA Sports

Released: November 4, 1998 Rated: E 7/10

Similar to their only NHL output on the system, EA opts to give N64 owners the sloppy seconds treatment with their first basketball release, though they at least wouldn’t abandon the system just as quickly. A conversion of the previous year’s NBA Live ‘98 for the PlayStation, Live ‘99 hits the N64 as far from the first basketball title, joining the ranks of NBA Hangtime, In The Zone ‘98, and NBA Courtside and setting the course for basketball to rival baseball as the most crowded sport on offer for Nintendo owners. That being said, it certainly fits a role, even if that role is simply to serve players that trust the EA brand above all else in the exceptionally competitive market of late ‘90s console sports games.

To cut right to the chase, NBA Live and Kobe Bryant in NBA Courtside each end the 1998 calendar year with a strong claim to the label of the N64’s top basketball sim. In a fast-paced and often inherently flashy game like basketball — even in an era with more physical play and lower scoring — the gameplay between whistles often feels quick and snappy in any competent title while opening the door for truly off-the-wall experiences like Hangtime and Jam to take off from there. From there, players can usually set the rules and intensity for themselves and enjoy gameplay with as few or as many subs and stoppages as needed. Live ‘99 certainly delivers in this regard, with quick and responsive gameplay, solid controls, and competent team AI.

Games will move along as quickly and intensely as players allow, with methodical, calculated strategies or fast break offense both proving equally viable. Fouls are assessed fairly and players prove appropriately competent in shooting, passing, and defense. It’s hard to make this sound spectacular, but there’s absolutely no guarantee to be had in the vast, open landscape of the genre at the time, and NBA Live’s base level competency and game feel are as strong an endorsement as one could want.

Apart from this, presentation and features are where NBA Live earns the chance to shine, and while starting a year back on the base game doesn’t sound like it would have a lot of bells and whistles, EA’s production value is always strong, making Live ‘99 still a strong package for its time. A running commentary by Don Poier is a leg up on Nintendo’s offering in Courtside, though voiceover was still lacking on the N64 at the time so it’s not as if this allows Live to run circles around the competition. He also acts as essentially a PA announcer for the arena, rather than a TV one, in spite of the Turner Broadcasting presentation, which is a bit odd, and kind of lowers the personality level as well. On the other hand, while EA can always be counted on to be near the top graphically, it does feel like that slightly older engine holds back the animation quality and overall graphics just a bit compared to the obviously second-party development on NBA Courtside.

It should come as no surprise that EA Sports, even in delivering a lesser product than it does on PC and PlayStation, sits in the higher tiers across the board for their sports games, and NBA Live ‘99 continues this trend. Even in trying to cover more ground than needed, offering an “arcade mode” that provides almost no tangible gameplay changes besides rules settings and embarrassing stock cartoon sound effects, the base product here is befitting of their brand and its trust at the time.