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On the flip side, when everything goes according to plan and a company puts out a great NBA game, it is fantastic for fans and players alike. Throughout video game history, there have been some gems and there have been some stinkers. Below you’ll find the best of the best and the worst of the worst when it comes to NBA video games.
10 Worst: NBA Action ‘95
It’s understandable if you don’t remember NBA Action ‘95. It made little to no impact on basketball, the NBA, or the video game world. It is notable for being Sega’s foray into basketball games before the 2K series. Also known as NBA Action ‘95: Starring David Robinson, this game had some problems.
On the positive, it featured complete NBA rosters for all 27 teams at the time and allowed gamers to make trades and win an NBA championship. However, the generic animation style and small player models were criticized. It was flat out unremarkable in every way.
9 Best: NBA Live 2005
It may seem weird to imagine these days but there was a time when EA Sports and 2K battled it out for the title of the best basketball franchise. A reason for that was strong entries like NBA Live 2005. The game kept a lot of what made the previous year’s installment work but added so much.
The biggest addition was the inclusion of All-Star Weekend. Countless hours were spent by gamers competing against their friends in the Three-Point Shootout and Slam Dunk Contest. The Freestyle Air control system felt fresh and the dynasty mode was deeper than ever. This is the pinnacle of NBA Live and it did pretty well on another similar list.
8 Worst: NBA In The Zone ‘98
Konami spent the back half of the 90s finding an abundance of success with hits like Silent Hill and Metal Gear Solid. Unfortunately, that didn’t transfer over when they attempted to enter the world of sports. While the first entry wasn’t met with poor reviews, the sequel was.
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NBA In The Zone ‘98 was given the low rating of 1 star out of a possible five by Next Generation. The game featured blurry graphics that made it hard to distinguish what was going on. The gameplay left a lot to be desired and the AI was poor. It’s no wonder Konami bowed out of the genre soon after.
7 Best: NBA 2K14
Each year, 2K Sports drops a new NBA game and we’re always left wondering something. “Can they top themselves?” More often than not, they pull it off. NBA 2K14 proved to be one of the best installments of the storied franchise. Featuring LeBron James on the cover, it proved it was just like him by being the best in the business.
NBA 2K14 added a fair amount of the little things to make this special. The gameplay was smoother, the AI was smarter, and the graphics were impressive. It also added the LeBron James “Path to Greatness” mode and featured some of the best commentary in any sports game.
6 Worst: NBA All-Star Challenge
Released in late 1992, this is one of the strangest NBA games ever released. Usually, a game like this wouldn’t include the NBA license but NBA All-Star Challenge certainly had it. Instead of allowing users to play the All-Star game, it gives you a handful of NBA players in random competitions.
We’re talking about one on one games, three-point shootouts, a free throw shooting contest, and H-O-R-S-E. It’s the kind of thing that would work as a mode in a game and not as its own full video game. 90’s magazine Mega gave this a paltry 19% rating and for good reason.
5 Best: NBA Jam
When a game is still consistently played over two decades after it was originally released, you know it’s special. Midway’s NBA Jam isn’t just a classic basketball game. It also happens to be the highest-earning arcade game in history, regardless of genre, as it surpassed $1 billion.
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This set the standard for so many other sports games. If it was going to be fast-paced, a ton of fun, and filled with exaggeration, then it probably got the idea from NBA Jam. Nobody has ever done the 2-on-2 format better. As great as this game is, it’s even better as a pop culture icon for the sport.
4 Worst: NBA Elite 11
Oh, boy. This was a travesty. EA Sports fell hard as the NBA 2K franchise picked up steam. By the end of the 2000s, the winner of this battle was clear. NBA Live 10 proved to be another lackluster installment. It caused EA Sports to rebrand the next game and call it NBA Elite 11.
They attempted to alter the controls and completely overhaul the engine. But they were pressed for time and rushed things. A demo was released that was riddled with glitches. It got ripped apart online and was so bad that they ultimately canceled the release. EA Sports didn’t get back into the basketball arena for a few years.
3 Best: NBA Street Vol. 2
In 2003, EA Sports BIG released the sequel to their successful NBA Street. It was highly anticipated and delivered despite the lofty expectations. For starters, the game featured the most pivotal players from every NBA team and a large roster of legends. You could mix them up to form the ultimate trio of players.
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Beyond strong graphics and a star-studded roster, the game boasted top-notch gameplay. The controls were smooth and you couldn’t help but have a blast playing it. The “game breaker” moves were tremendous and the soundtrack was perfection. This is one of the best sports games ever made.
2 Worst: NBA Live 14
After the debacle that was NBA Elite 11, EA Sports had several years to try and right the ship. That was good because the previous game was so rushed. They finally got back into things with NBA Live 14. Unfortunately, having more time didn’t seem to fix anything.
It made people less enthusiastic about the series and was considered a massive disappointment. The graphics were far behind the competition, the presentation was rough, and the gameplay felt like you were moving in slow motion. It all overshadowed a handful of decent features.
1 Best: NBA 2K11
Picking the best edition of the NBA 2K franchise can be incredibly tough. They always deliver something of high quality but most people still believe NBA 2K11 was the cream of the crop. It put the focus on Michael Jordan, who returned to video games for the first time in years.
There was a mode that allowed you to relive Jordan’s most iconic moments, which meant some of the best teams in history would join the roster. But it went deeper than that. The AI was improved, the presentation felt lifelike, and it received rave reviews from every major outlet.
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