Wayback Wednesday: What If...Kobe Bryant Broke the Scoring Record?

[Andrew]

Wayback Wednesday: How Free Agents Enhanced Roster Modding

A pool of free agents and the ability to sign and release players is just one of those things that we take for granted in basketball video games. After all, it's a concept that goes back to games released in the 90s, making it a well-established staple of roster customisation that we expect to see. Indeed, if you got into basketball gaming during the 2000s at the earliest, you probably haven't played many sim games that didn't represent free agency in their roster customisation functionality, or at least their season or franchise modes.

However, if you're my age and you recall playing the classics of the 90s, you'll no doubt remember how restricted we used to be when it came to modifying the rosters in-game. Even after the ability to trade players outside of season modes was added, it still took a couple of years to implement the free agents pool. It was longer still before that pool was frequently filled with players to sign! Needless to say, the addition of the free agents pool and subsequent inclusion of a selection of free agents every year significantly enhanced roster modding. Let's take a look back...way back...

[Andrew]

Wayback Wednesday: Tecmo Super NBA Basketball

Despite being old enough to have played it when it was new - or at the very least, recent - Tecmo Super NBA Basketball is another classic hoops title that I didn't play until years later. As you may know from our podcast and my previous articles, I didn't become a hardcore basketball fan and gamer until the mid 90s. This means that my introduction to the virtual hardwood was through games such as NBA Live 95, NBA Live 96, and NBA Jam Tournament Edition, rather than the likes of Double Dribble, Lakers vs. Celtics, Bulls vs. Blazers, and of course, Tecmo Super NBA Basketball.

I'll admit that this made it difficult to truly appreciate those games the first time I played them. After all, they felt like inferior versions of games that I was actually nostalgic for! I respected their place in the history of the genre, but it was tough to get into them. They were intriguing though, and over the years, I've given those classics another chance. This has led to some fun retro gaming sessions where I've come to see why they're so beloved, and discover aspects that were ahead of their time. That includes Tecmo Super NBA Basketball, so let's take a look back...way back...

[Andrew]

Wayback Wednesday: NBA 2K17 All-Time College DLC Revisited

It's funny what will prompt you to revisit certain games, and then keep playing them. Content creation is undoubtedly a factor. Revisiting NBA 2K14 for PlayStation 4 on a whim led to a retrospective of MyCAREER, and in turn an ongoing adventure and an overdue appreciation for an amazing game. Hoping to grab a screenshot for an article, I dusted off NBA Live 18 to play through The One. It was a blast, and I once again developed a greater fondness for an older release, while also lamenting its wasted potential. I didn't get the screenshot I wanted, but I ended up with something better.

I don't take that for granted. In an age of disposable games, I appreciate any unique content and modes that remain available years later. That brings me to the All-Time College DLC for NBA 2K17, which inspired me to spend some more time with an old favourite after revisiting it for research. I did cover the DLC back in 2018, but I'm not entirely satisfied with that feature. Also, with EA (and apparently 2K) developing a new college basketball game, it's seems only apt to revisit the last time that collegiate content was available outside of a specific mode. Let's take a look back...way back...

[Andrew]

Wayback Wednesday: NBA Live 09 Fresh Daily Grocery

It's no secret that for many basketball gamers, the preview season just isn't what it once was. With only one game to look forward to every year, increasing fatigue and dissatisfaction with the product, and more than a couple of false claims and broken promises, it's tougher to get excited; at least if you're familiar with the routine. That sadly won't change until such time as we have choices and competition in the space again, and I hope that will happen some day. If and when it does, I anticipate the preview season becoming as fun and interesting as it used to be.

Beyond tantalising previews and promising news, something that I enjoyed about the preview seasons in bygone years were the fun extras that got us hyped for the new games. Official websites provided digital promotional materials, from downloadable freebies to browser games and activities. During the preview season for NBA Live 09, EA Sports launched the Fresh Daily Grocery section on the game's website. It was a creative concept that not only gave us a reason to check in daily, but also emphasised one of NBA Live 09's big new features. Let's take a look back...way back...

[Andrew]

Wayback Wednesday: Manipulating Cutscenes

Cutscenes have been in basketball video games for decades. In early titles such as Double Dribble, the rotoscoped dunks spiced up the action in a game that otherwise had very limited animation. Tecmo Super NBA Basketball also added further detail through the use of cutscenes, though some gamers felt they interrupted the flow of the gameplay. That's certainly a common criticism of Arch Rivals, which displayed a cutaway after every basket. In more recent games, there have been options to cut to a different angle on wide open dunks, or a three-pointer made with a Green Release.

The Courtside Comedy of NBA Live 2003 produced rather infamous cutscenes! And of course, the MyCAREER stories rely heavily on cutscenes to tell their tales. Those types of cutscenes tend to be more divisive compared to starting lineup introductions, instant replays, and championship celebrations, which are considered an essential ingredient in achieving authentic presentation. Over the years, we've found ways of manipulating cutscenes to portray specific scenarios, whether it's for greater accuracy or simply for the sake of humour. Let's take a look back...way back...

[Andrew]

Wayback Wednesday: What If...Kobe Bryant Broke the Scoring Record?

Even before he became a star, many people had correctly predicted that Kobe Bryant would go down as one of the all-time greats. There's a reason that he was tapped to be the cover player and namesake of the NBA Courtside series, and also appeared on the cover of NBA Action 98 - a forerunner of NBA 2K - while still a bench player in his second season. Robert Horry certainly believed in his young teammate back then. I recall a magazine article published during the 1998 season that quoted Big Shot Bob's claim that Kobe Bryant would be the one to finally break the all-time scoring record.

While that prediction didn't come true, it wasn't too far off the mark! Kobe ended up joining the 30,000 point club, finishing his career third on the all-time scoring leaders after surpassing Michael Jordan. Throw in his countless incredible performances and career accomplishments including five rings, and it's no wonder that a lot of fans felt that Bleacher Report ranking him as the 11th best player in history was insulting. That raises an interesting question: would Kobe Bryant have a different legacy if he had in fact broken the all-time scoring record? Let's take a look back...way back...