NBA Showtime: NBA on NBC

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NBA Showtime: NBA on NBC
NBA Showtime: NBA on NBC
Arcade flyer
Developer(s) Midway
Publisher(s) Midway
Platforms Arcade, PlayStation, Dreamcast, Nintendo 64, Game Boy Color
Release date(s) Arcade
    Dreamcast
      Nintendo 64
        PlayStation
          Game Boy Color
            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
            Publication Score
            Dreamcast GBC N64 PS
            AllGame 4/5 stars[2] N/A 3.5/5 stars[3] 2/5 stars[4]
            EGM 8.5/10[5] N/A 7.87/10[6] N/A
            GameFan 82%[7] N/A 72%[8] N/A
            Game Informer N/A N/A N/A 6.5/10[9]
            GamePro 5/5 stars[10] N/A 4/5 stars[11] 3.5/5 stars[12]
            Game Revolution B[13] N/A C+[14] D[15]
            GameSpot 7.5/10[16] N/A 6.8/10[17] 6.8/10[18]
            GameSpy 8/10[19] N/A N/A N/A
            IGN 8.8/10[20] 3/10[21] 7.1/10[22] 6.9/10[23]
            Nintendo Power N/A 6.8/10[24] 8.2/10[25] N/A
            OPM (US) N/A N/A N/A 3/5 stars[26]
            Aggregate score
            GameRankings 78%[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
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            External links