Sega Genesis
Released in 1989 by Midway
Grade: C
Where it falls in the series
It was all on its own for four years before Midway teamed up with Acclaim for the massively successful NBA Jam.
Praises
This game is easier and more fun to play than it appears. I remember watching a YouTube clip and thinking it looked horribly stiff. It’s actually got loose, speedy control that helps make its 2-on-2 action frantic and unpredictable.
The basic actions like passing and shooting work fine, and you can dunk from 15 feet away.
Defenders cock their fists as they chase their man, ready to knock his lights out at any moment, forcing the offense to dash around and move the ball. After the first quarter, little obstacles appear on the court to cause even more madness.
Despite the dumbest menus I’ve ever seen, the overall presentation has a fun, lighthearted style.
Gripes
It lacks pieces of basketball logic that are key to a balanced competition, even for its simple arcade style.
Your CPU teammate is completely braindead on defense, often twiddling his thumbs far from the action.
As is often the case with basketball games, rebounding and snagging loose balls are frustrating adventures due to the loose control. The game is unforgiving; you have to be in the same precise spot as the ball to pick it up. The same goes for blocking shots.
Like NBA Jam, players leap high above the rim for big slam dunks. Unlike NBA Jam, there are only a couple animations, which is far less satisfying.
After every made basket, you’re shown a cute little cartoon that tells you how many points were scored, and it’s a constant annoyance.
The loose control is simply tough to manage. In 1989, this may have been the most enjoyable basketball video game out there, but if you’ve played NBA Jam, you’ll find that this game just doesn’t measure up.