Play NBA Live 98 Online Free for Super Nintendo.
NBA Live 98 hits different when it boots instantly in your browser. Released in 1997 on the Super Nintendo, this retro classic from EA Sports (PlayStation, Sega Saturn, Windows), THQ is ready the second you press start — no downloads, no setup.
NBA Live 98 is a basketball video game based on the National Basketball Association and the fourth installment of the NBA Live series. Its cover art features Tim Hardaway of the Miami Heat.
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| Action | Keyboard | Controller |
|---|---|---|
| D-Pad Up | ↑ | D-Pad up |
| D-Pad Down | ↓ | D-Pad down |
| D-Pad Left | ← | D-Pad left |
| D-Pad Right | → | D-Pad right |
| B (bottom) | X | Bottom face |
| A (right) | Z | Right face |
| Y (left) | S | Left face |
| X (top) | A | Top face |
| L | Q | Left shoulder |
| R | E | Right shoulder |
| Start | Enter | Start |
| Select | V | Select |
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The Story Behind NBA Live 98
Play-by-play commentary is performed by TNT/TBS color analyst Verne Lundquist in the PlayStation and PC versions. Its cover art features Tim Hardaway of the Miami Heat. The game was met with generally positive reviews, with praise for its graphics and new gameplay features, though the Saturn port was criticized as being a slipshod conversion.
New modes introduced include GM Mode, which lets players choose franchises, draft players and play custom seasons, and the Three-Point Shootout, which can be played using full or split screen. Its graphical improvements included new player designs modeled after actual player photographs. The game introduced the now-standard feature of passing to any teammate with a single button press.
How NBA Live 98 Plays
The game was met with generally positive reviews, with praise for its graphics and new gameplay features, though the Saturn port was criticized as being a slipshod conversion. However, Charles Barkley made his first appearance in Live 98 as a member of the Houston Rockets. NBA Live 98 is a basketball video game based on the National Basketball Association and the fourth installment of the NBA Live series.
The PC version introduced support for 3D acceleration, utilizing 3dfx's Glide API. New modes introduced include GM Mode, which lets players choose franchises, draft players and play custom seasons, and the Three-Point Shootout, which can be played using full or split screen. The game was published by EA Sports in 1997 for Windows, PlayStation, and Sega Saturn, while also being the final NBA Live game released for the Super NES, Genesis, and Sega Saturn.
Why Players Still Load It Up
During the inaugural Interactive Achievement Awards, the game received a nomination for "Console Sports Game of the Year" by the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. GamePro commented, "What makes Live '98 so enjoyable to play is its fantastic mixture of NBA realism and wild arcade action." GameSpot assessed it as an across-the-board improvement over NBA Live 97. For example, Jay Boor of IGN found the dunks were not as dramatic as they should be, but still concluded NBA Live 98 to be the best basketball game presently on the market.
EA could and should have done a better job." GameSpot and Sega Saturn Magazine, while noting that the Saturn port retains strong aspects of the PlayStation original, judged that it compared unfavorably with NBA Action 98, another Saturn basketball game which was released at the same time. Critics praised the detailed player graphics, new animations, interface, music, and the full motion video sequences. Sushi-X wrote in Electronic Gaming Monthly that weak A.I. makes it "the easiest basketball game I've ever played." However, his three co-reviewers were more laudatory, with Kraig Kujawa summing up, "NBA Live 97 was easily the best basketball game last year, and now Live 98 has done it again." As with NBA Live 97, critics reported the Saturn port to have much lower-resolution textures and jerkier frame rate than the PlayStation version, to the point where the action can be hard to follow.
NBA Live 98 — Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a controller to play NBA Live 98?
A gamepad is optional. The keyboard mapping shown on this page works immediately, and plugging in a USB or Bluetooth controller switches the player over on its own.
Who developed NBA Live 98?
NBA Live 98 was developed by EA Canada (PC, PS), Tiertex (Genesis, SNES), Realtime Associates and published by EA Sports (PlayStation, Sega Saturn, Windows), THQ.
Where can I buy the original NBA Live 98?
Scroll to "Other Places You Can Get This Game" beneath the write-up — it lists trusted stores selling official copies.
What console was NBA Live 98 released on?
NBA Live 98 was released for the Super Nintendo in 1997.