Welcome to B-Ball Video Games Are Cool. In this feature, I review basketball video games that you may remember or not. You may be surprised on what kind of basketball games video game companies were making back then! That's what I'm here for! I'll make you remember some awesome gems... or I may bring some crap to the table. Here we go!
PAST B-BALL VIDEO GAME REVIEWS
1. Magic Johnson's Fastbreak (NES)
2. Pat Riley Basketball (GEN)
3. NBA In The Zone (PS1)
4. In Your Face (GB)
5. Bill Laimbeer's Combat Basketball (S-NES)
6. Rapjam, Vol. 1 (S-NES)
7. One-On-One Basketball Featuring Dr. J And Larry Bird (7800)
8. Magic Johnson's Super Slam Dunk (S-NES)
9. Hoops (NES)
Hey! We haven't reviewed a basketball game here in quite a while. I forgot who mentioned this game (I think it was Dave) but let's get on with this.
Ultimate Basketball is a game made by American Sammy (who?) late in the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) era. It was released right around 1990 when systems like Turbo Grafx-16 and Sega Genesis were starting to hit their stride (wait... the TG-16 had a stride?).
You have seven teams to choose from. They probably also had the ability to tell the future because there is a team named the HOUSTON COMETS in this game. We all know that the Comets went on to win four WNBA championships before they disbanded. Expect great!
By the way, I like how the L.A. logo is pink. Nice.
Look at those awesome graphics! Remember that in the NES era, graphics like that were a huge deal. But let's look closer at this game...
Doesn't that meter look familiar? Wouldn't American Sammy get sued for this? Yes, Pat Riley Basketball incorporated the same dunk meter. And same with the freethrows, too.
By the way, doesn't the pic below look a bit awkward? That's what it looks like after a made dunk.
Anyway, here's what the real gameplay looks like...
Even on its easiest level, it's hard to make a pass through the defense. And it's hard to steal the ball in general. There is no STEAL button; the player has to stick with his opponent for about two seconds and a steal automatically happens. I'm not even sure if you can block shots here. Even the shooting is kinda suspect here. You'd be hard-pressed to score like the Phoenix Suns in this game. But, hey, at least, it's easy to dunk. Just push the button when the dot in the dunk meter gets to the gray area. Again, like Pat Riley Basketball.
But if the player doesn't push the button in the gray area, this is what happens...
Looks like you're making out in air. How sexy.
TRAVELING! WOO WOO! WHERE YOU THINK YOU'RE GOIN'?!
Ha ha ha. Look at the awesome Halftime Show. At least, you can skip that unlike Double Dribble (I promise that I'll review that game someday).
And, yes, you do a jump ball at the start of each quarter. That always kinda got to me in the earlier basketball games.
Mack K. of the San Diego Dolphins looks like a total winner.
By the way, I played this on the "easiest level" and "5 minutes" of each quarter. I barely won.
YEAH, BABY.
That's right, San Diego. TRY AGAIN.
Man. Basketball games have come a long way. Including Ultimate Basketball, there was certainly a pile back in the day.
Follow me on Twitter because I play crappy basketball video games. The name is @TheNoLookPass.
