NBA Showtime: NBA on NBC

NBA Showtime: NBA on NBC

Arcade flyer
Developer(s) Midway
Publisher(s) Midway
Platform(s) Arcade, PlayStation, Dreamcast, Nintendo 64, Game Boy Color
Release date(s)

Arcade

Dreamcast

  • NA October 31, 1999
  • EU November 30, 1999

Nintendo 64

  • NA October 31, 1999

PlayStation

  • NA October 31, 1999
  • EU 2000

Game Boy Color

  • NA January 2000
Genre(s) Sports
Mode(s) Single player, multiplayer

NBA Showtime is a basketball video game by Midway. A descendant of NBA Jam and NBA Hangtime, Showtime is modeled after the NBA presentations on NBC. The original arcade version features team rosters from the beginning of the 1998-99 NBA season, while the console versions feature team rosters that were accurate just prior to the 1999-2000 NBA season. A newer "Gold" version for arcades features another roster update from later in the 1999-2000 season. Showtime was also featured in a dual game cabinet along with NFL Blitz 2000. Midway followed up the game with the console exclusive NBA Hoopz.

The home versions have Shaquille O'Neal as cover athlete.

Overview

The game features gameplay similar to its predecessors NBA Jam and NBA Hangtime. Rather than typical 5 on 5 action, this game features 2 on 2 play with the ability to pick two players from any NBA team's starting line-up for the first half and can choose again for the second. The game introduces personal fouls for each shove on another player; after a certain number of fouls the opposing team gets a free throw. The game retains the series standard "on fire" feature. After a player makes three consecutive shots he becomes "on fire", which allows him to easily make shots from almost anywhere, as well as goaltend without penalty and push opponents without being charged a foul. Play otherwise is similar to NBA rules. The arcade version accommodates up to four players, as do the home versions produced for the Nintendo 64 and Dreamcast.

The players featured in the game include many of the most popular players of the particular year and era of the NBA season, but like the previous games in the arcade-style basketball series, many players were left out and each team has a limited number of players per position to choose from.

As with the previous NBA Jam and NBA Hangtime games, the game contains many secret characters. The arcade version features the Universal Monsters Frankenstein's monster, Bride of Frankenstein, The Mummy, The Wolf Man and Creature from the Black Lagoon as secret characters. Midway Games staff also as playable characters are Mark Turmell, Beth Smukowski, Alex Gilliam, Chris Skrundz, Larry Wotman, Brian LeBaron, Dan Thompson, Dave Grossman, Jim Tianis, Eugene Geer, Andy Eloff, Rob Gatson, Jon Hey, Jim Gentile, Mark Guidarelli, Tim Bryant, Jeff Johnson, Jennifer Hedrick, Sal DiVita, Matt Gilmore, Mike Lynch, Paul Martin, Jason Skiles, John Root, Paulo Garcia, Tim Moran, Kerri Hoskins and Lia Montelongo.[1]

The game-time commentary is particularly varied and colorful for basketball games of that period, featuring such phrases as "The dejection of the rejection!", "He just flat-out leveled him!", as well as "With the silky smooth move!" and "Look Ma, no rim!"

The original announcer from NBA Jam, Tim Kitzrow, returned, after Midway used the Bulls radio announcer Neil Funk in NBA Hangtime. Jon Hey produced all the sound, music and script save for the NBC basketball theme "Roundball Rock" by John Tesh. At the time, the music was influenced by 2Pac and Dr. Dre's "California Love" and Master P's "Make 'Em Say Uhh!" and previous NBA Themes written by Jon Hey for NBA Jam and NBA Hangtime.

The N64 version does not feature a "back" button, having every button advance through the menus.

Reception

Reception
Review scores
PublicationScore
DreamcastGBCN64PS
AllGame[2]N/A[3][4]
EGM8.5/10[5]N/A7.87/10[6]N/A
GameFan82%[7]N/A72%[8]N/A
Game InformerN/AN/AN/A6.5/10[9]
GamePro[10]N/A[11][12]
Game RevolutionB[13]N/AC+[14]D[15]
GameSpot7.5/10[16]N/A6.8/10[17]6.8/10[18]
GameSpy8/10[19]N/AN/AN/A
IGN8.8/10[20]3/10[21]7.1/10[22]6.9/10[23]
Nintendo PowerN/A6.8/10[24]8.2/10[25]N/A
OPM (US)N/AN/AN/A[26]
Aggregate score
GameRankings78%[27]47%[28]72%[29]62%[30]

The Dreamcast version received "favorable" reviews, and the Nintendo 64 and PlayStation versions received mixed or average reviews, while the Game Boy Color version received "unfavorable" reviews according to video game review aggregator GameRankings.[27][29][30][28]

References

  1. ↑ http://www.GameWinners.com/arcade/NBAShowtimeNBAOnNBC.htm
  2. ↑ Nguyen, Cal. "NBA Showtime: NBA on NBC (DC) - Review". AllGame. Archived from the original on November 15, 2014. Retrieved May 7, 2015.
  3. ↑ McCall, Scott. "NBA Showtime: NBA on NBC (N64) - Review". AllGame. Archived from the original on November 16, 2014. Retrieved May 7, 2015.
  4. ↑ Kanarick, Mark. "NBA Showtime: NBA on NBC (PS) - Review". AllGame. Archived from the original on November 16, 2014. Retrieved May 7, 2015.
  5. ↑ "NBA Showtime: NBA on NBC (DC)". Electronic Gaming Monthly. 1999.
  6. ↑ "NBA Showtime: NBA on NBC (N64)". Electronic Gaming Monthly. 1999.
  7. ↑ Mosquera, Fernando "Lagi" (November 10, 1999). "REVIEW for NBA Showtime [NBA on NBC] (DC)". GameFan. Archived from the original on March 4, 2000. Retrieved May 8, 2015.
  8. ↑ "REVIEW for NBA Showtime [NBA on NBC] (N64)". GameFan. December 1, 1999.
  9. ↑ Reiner, Andrew (January 24, 2000). "NBA Showtime [NBA on NBC] (PS)". Game Informer. Archived from the original on May 23, 2000. Retrieved May 7, 2015.
  10. ↑ Scary Larry (1999). "NBA Showtime Review for Dreamcast on GamePro.com". GamePro. Archived from the original on February 12, 2005. Retrieved May 8, 2015.
  11. ↑ iBot (November 20, 1999). "NBA Showtime Review for N64 on GamePro.com". GamePro. Archived from the original on February 9, 2005. Retrieved May 8, 2015.
  12. ↑ Air Hendrix (1999). "NBA Showtime Review for PlayStation on GamePro.com". GamePro. Archived from the original on February 12, 2005. Retrieved May 8, 2015.
  13. ↑ Liu, Johnny (January 2000). "NBA Showtime: NBA on NBC Review (DC)". Game Revolution. Retrieved May 7, 2015.
  14. ↑ Liu, Johnny (January 2000). "NBA Showtime: NBA on NBC - N64 Review". Game Revolution. Archived from the original on September 7, 2008. Retrieved May 7, 2015.
  15. ↑ Liu, Johnny (January 2000). "NBA Showtime: NBA on NBC - PS". Game Revolution. Archived from the original on July 25, 2008. Retrieved May 7, 2015.
  16. ↑ Gerstmann, Jeff (November 19, 1999). "NBA Showtime: NBA on NBC Review (DC)". GameSpot. Retrieved May 7, 2015.
  17. ↑ Gerstmann, Jeff (November 19, 1999). "NBA Showtime: NBA on NBC Review (N64)". GameSpot. Retrieved May 7, 2015.
  18. ↑ Gerstmann, Jeff (November 19, 1999). "NBA Showtime: NBA on NBC Review (PS)". GameSpot. Retrieved May 7, 2015.
  19. ↑ Fragmaster (November 22, 1999). "NBA Showtime [NBA on NBC]". PlanetDreamcast. Archived from the original on January 31, 2009. Retrieved May 8, 2015.
  20. ↑ Justice, Brandon (November 16, 1999). "NBA Showtime: NBA on NBC (DC)". IGN. Retrieved May 7, 2015.
  21. ↑ Harris, Craig (March 2, 2000). "NBA Showtime [NBA on NBC] (GBC)". IGN. Retrieved May 7, 2015.
  22. ↑ Boulding, Aaron (November 17, 1999). "NBA Showtime: NBA on NBC (N64)". IGN. Retrieved May 7, 2015.
  23. ↑ Perry, Douglass C. (December 16, 1999). "NBA Showtime: NBA on NBC (PS)". IGN. Retrieved May 7, 2015.
  24. ↑ "NBA Showtime [NBA on NBC] (GBC)". Nintendo Power 130. March 2000.
  25. ↑ "NBA Showtime [NBA on NBC] (N64)". Nintendo Power 127: 155. December 1999.
  26. ↑ "NBA Showtime: NBA on NBC". Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine. 1999.
  27. 1 2 "NBA Showtime: NBA on NBC for Dreamcast". GameRankings. Retrieved May 7, 2015.
  28. 1 2 "NBA Showtime: NBA on NBC for Game Boy Color". GameRankings. Retrieved May 7, 2015.
  29. 1 2 "NBA Showtime: NBA on NBC for Nintendo 64". GameRankings. Retrieved May 7, 2015.
  30. 1 2 "NBA Showtime: NBA on NBC for PlayStation". GameRankings. Retrieved May 7, 2015.

External links

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