There are a lot of cool NBA video games out there and NBA fans love playing them. Some have been playing them for 25 years. However, in this article, we are going to highlight the four best NBA video games of all-time.
Our criteria for this list includes important characteristics. We want to know which NBA games were the most memorable. That is the first characteristic we are considering. The next thing that is important to analyze is which games were the best in terms of the gameplay itself. We want to take into account which were actually good video games overall. The third thing we are considering is the impact that the game made at the time it was released. These three criteria are what we have used in order to compose our list below.
Now, let’s get into our rankings:
4. NBA Jam
NBA Jam was a spectacularly entertaining game when it came out. It was a game that you could spend hours and hours playing with your friends. It’s an older game that is considered a classic not just for NBA fans who are gamers, but for gamers who love games of every genre.
A lot of gamers and industry experts are currently debating how some modern-day duos might do in NBA Jam if it was made today. For example, James Harden and Russell Westbook, LeBron James and Anthony Davis, Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, or Steph Curry and Klay Thompson are all amazing teams that we would love to play with. This game stands the test of time and is still fun. We do wish that the NBA Finals were represented in NBA Jams in some form. The NBA Finals is one of the biggest spectacles in the sporting world. Millions of fans love to watch it whenever it’s on. Additionally, NBA gamers love placing bets on who will win the NBA Championship with their favorite online sportsbooks as well. They put so much time into gaming that they love to be able to put their expertise to work and win bets when the NBA Finals are actually being played, too.
Either way, the 2-on-2 arcade format of NBA combined with explosive, addictive gameplay makes it an NBA game for the ages.
3. NBA Live 2000
Who can forget NBA Live 2000? If you’re an “OG” you definitely remember this classic NBA video game. It was the first game to officially include Michael Jordan. This game broke the mold when it came out. It really began to bridge the gap from “old school” sports video games to “new school” games with much better features. Games began to become much more realistic after NBA Live 2000.
Another spectacular feature of NBA Live 2000 was the “Legends” feature. This was the first game to allow you to play as certain legends along with current NBA players. You have to understand that, at the time, this was a brand new concept in video games. It truly was a groundbreaking game with excellent graphics for that period.
2. NBA 2K17
As we vault forward into the modern era with NBA 2K17, we notice that things have really come a long way with NBA video games. NBA 2K17 represents a major upgrade when it comes to gameplay and graphics. It was revolutionary when it was released.
1. NBA 2K11
For us, this was a landslide win. NBA 2K11 was one of the most hyped sports video games of all-time, by far. That being said, it was a game that was even better than everyone expected.
The developers made this game all about Michael Jordan. This was a wise move. It had a lot of really cool classic Jordan teams. These included a lot of his Championship Chicago Bulls teams. Other legendary teams were represented as well. These included the 1985-86 Boston Celtics with Larry Bird, for example.
The gameplay and graphics were breathtaking at the time of release. There was also a lot of exciting talent represented in the game that came from the “modern era”, including Tim Duncan, Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Dwayne Wade, Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, and many more.
What is YOUR favourite NBA game of all time?
