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NBA Fastbreak '98

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NBA Fastbreak '98
NBA Action 98
Developer(s)Visual Concepts
Publisher(s)
Composer(s)Mark Chosak
Platform(s)Microsoft Windows, Sega Saturn, PlayStation
Release
  • NA: October 28, 1997 (PC, SAT)[2][3]
  • NA: November 21, 1997 (PS)[1]
  • EU: 1998 (PS, SAT)
Genre(s)Sports simulation
Mode(s)Single player

NBA Fastbreak '98 is a basketball simulator released for the Sony PlayStation in 1997. It takes place during the 1997-98 National Basketball Association season. It was published by Midway Games and GT Interactive. Originally announced under the title "Hardwood Heroes",[4][5][6] the game was released with minimal changes as NBA Action 98 on Sega Saturn and Microsoft Windows, published by Sega.[7] Another version was being developed by Z-Axis for the Nintendo 64 under the title "NBA Fast Break 64", with a prospective November 1997 release,[8] but it was cancelled.

Gameplay

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NBA FastBreak '98 uses icon passing.[9] Players can choose from a simulation mode or a more simplified "arcade mode".[10] Unusual for a basketball game of its time, it also has a practice mode which allows players to learn moves outside the pressures of a game.[11][10]

Reception

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Most reviews for the game ranged from middling to moderately positive. Critics overwhelmingly praised the advanced and detailed graphics,[15][16][22][11][23][26][9][27] but many also noted that they come at the cost of low game speed, making the gameplay feel sluggish.[15][16][11][23] The sound was also widely criticized, especially the weak crowd noises,[15][22][11][23] which Jay Boor of IGN compared to a "fizzled three-inch speaker", as well as remarking upon the poor quality of the rim sounds.[23] However, critics widely praised the controls,[15][16][22][26][27] the practice mode,[16][22][11][9] and the numerous options for customizing the game.[16][22][26][9] Sega Saturn Magazine added that since the options screens are kept simple, there is no loading when making changes, which encourages using these features.[26]

Electronic Gaming Monthly (EGM) and GameSpot's reviews for the Saturn version commented that, while not in any way spectacular, the game is solid and enjoyable and, with the Saturn having had a fairly weak lineup of basketball games, it stands as the best basketball game on the Saturn.[16][11] While opining that the PlayStation version is slightly better due to its sharper graphics, EGM's review for this version was less enthusiastic, saying that the PlayStation offers superior basketball video games.[15] Contrarily, both GamePro and Sega Saturn Magazine's reviews for the Saturn release considered it to be an excellent game even in absolute terms, with GamePro saying it "delivers with more authority than a Shaq tip-slam!"[26][27][d] A different GamePro critic reviewed the PlayStation version and had a more middling response, commenting that "... FastBreak does a good job of capturing the NBA experience, but it's missing the attitude that pushes NBA Live to the top. Dunks aren't slammed with authority, players don't get shoved to the ground very often, and the game sometimes turns into a cherry-pickin' battle as long passes lead to some easy baskets."[9][e] GameSpot also had a different critic review the PlayStation version, who was more positive, calling it a "good first attempt", and commenting that while the game is not the all-around best basketball game on the market, it was strong on enough points to be a viable contender against its competition.[22]

The Saturn version was nominated for the "Best Saturn Game" award at the CNET Gamecenter Awards for 1997, which went to Virtual On: Cyber Troopers.[28] During the inaugural Interactive Achievement Awards, the PC version received a nomination for the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences' "PC Sports Game of the Year" award,[29] which was ultimately given to FIFA: Road to World Cup 98.[30]

Notes

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  1. ^ In Electronic Gaming Monthly's review of the PlayStation version, Kraig Kujawa gave it a score of 7.5/10, Dan Hsu gave it 7/10, John Ricciardi gave it 6.5/10, and Kelly Rickards gave it 6.5/10.
  2. ^ In GameFan's viewpoint of the PlayStation version, one critic gave it 88, and the other 87.
  3. ^ In GameFan's viewpoint of the Saturn version, two critics gave it each a score of 86.
  4. ^ GamePro gave the Saturn version 4.0/5 for graphics, 4.0/5 for control, 3.5/5 for sound, and 4.5/5 for fun factor.
  5. ^ GamePro gave the PlayStation version 4.5/5 for graphics, 3.5/5 for sound, 4.0/5 for control, and 4.0/5 for fun factor.

References

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  1. ^ GameSpot staff (November 21, 1997). "VGS Game Calendar [date mislabeled as "April 26, 2000"]". GameSpot. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on February 24, 1999. Retrieved December 11, 2020.
  2. ^ GameSpot staff (October 31, 1997). "VGS Game Calendar [date mislabeled as "April 26, 2000"]". GameSpot. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on April 22, 1999. Retrieved December 12, 2020.
  3. ^ Johnston, Chris (October 28, 1997). "Sega Ships PC and Saturn Action [date mislabeled as "April 26, 2000"]". GameSpot. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on April 20, 1999. Retrieved December 13, 2020.
  4. ^ "Hardwood Heroes: Midway Embraces Realism and Slows Down the Pace". Electronic Gaming Monthly. No. 99. Ziff Davis. October 1997. p. 188.
  5. ^ Johnny Ballgame (October 1997). "Sports Insider Previews: NBA Hardwood Heroes". GamePro. No. 109. IDG. p. 160.
  6. ^ "NBA Fastbreak '98". Electronic Gaming Monthly. No. 101. Ziff Davis. December 1997. p. 93. Midway is very close to releasing NBA Fastbreak '98 (the game formerly known as Hardwood Heroes).
  7. ^ "NBA Action '98: Sega Juices Up their Roundball Flagship". Electronic Gaming Monthly. No. 100. Ziff Davis. November 1997. p. 51. If you look closely, however, you might recognize that this game is nearly identical to Midway's NBA Fast Break (formerly known as Hardwood Heroes), which is the PlayStation version of this game.
  8. ^ "News Bits". GamePro. No. 109. IDG. October 1997. p. 32.
  9. ^ a b c d e Johnny Ballgame (February 1998). "FastBreak's Rookie Season Is Solid, Yet Unspectacular". GamePro. No. 113. IDG. p. 104.
  10. ^ a b "Preview: NBA Action '98". Sega Saturn Magazine. No. 27. Emap International Limited. January 1998. pp. 36–37.
  11. ^ a b c d e f g Lerhman, Darren (November 26, 1997). "NBA Action 98 Review [date mislabeled as "May 2, 2000"]". GameSpot. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on May 10, 2005. Retrieved December 12, 2020.
  12. ^ Young, Jeffrey Adam (February 17, 1998). "NBA Action 98 (PC)". Gamecenter. CNET. Archived from the original on August 16, 2000. Retrieved August 8, 2021.
  13. ^ Royal, Tim (1997). "NBA Action [98]". Computer Games Strategy Plus. Strategy Plus, Inc. Archived from the original on July 4, 2003. Retrieved December 12, 2020.
  14. ^ Kaiafas, Tasos (February 1998). "NBA Shoot Out (NBA Action 98)" (PDF). Computer Gaming World. No. 163. Ziff Davis. pp. 195–96. Retrieved December 12, 2020.
  15. ^ a b c d e f Kujawa, Kraig; Hsu, Dan; Ricciardi, John; Rickards, Kelly (February 1998). "Review Crew: NBA Fastbreak '98". Electronic Gaming Monthly. No. 103. Ziff Davis. p. 118. Retrieved December 11, 2020.
  16. ^ a b c d e f g Kujawa, Kraig; Rickards, Kelly; Ricciardi, John; Hsu, Dan (January 1998). "Review Crew: NBA Action '98". Electronic Gaming Monthly. No. 102. Ziff Davis. p. 157.
  17. ^ "NBA Fastbreak '98". Game Informer. No. 57. FuncoLand. January 1998. Archived from the original on September 14, 1999. Retrieved December 11, 2020.
  18. ^ "NBA Action '98 - Sega Saturn". Game Informer. No. 57. FuncoLand. January 1998. Archived from the original on September 11, 1999. Retrieved December 12, 2020.
  19. ^ a b Joe Kidd; The Rookie (December 1997). "NBA Fastbreak [98] and NBA Action [98]". GameFan. Vol. 5, no. 12. Metropolis Media. p. 114. Retrieved December 12, 2020.
  20. ^ Anderson, Tom (February 1998). "NBA Action '98 Review (PC)". GameRevolution. CraveOnline. Archived from the original on February 20, 2004. Retrieved December 12, 2020.
  21. ^ Kaiafas, Tasos (January 6, 1998). "NBA Action 98 Review (PC) [date mislabeled as "May 1, 2000"]". GameSpot. CBS Interactive. Retrieved December 12, 2020.
  22. ^ a b c d e f g MacDonald, Ryan (March 19, 1998). "NBA Fastbreak '98 Review [date mislabeled as "May 2, 2000"]". GameSpot. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on March 31, 2005. Retrieved December 11, 2020.
  23. ^ a b c d e Boor, Jay (November 20, 1997). "NBA Fast Break [sic]". IGN. Ziff Davis. Retrieved December 11, 2020.
  24. ^ "NBA Fastbreak '98". Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine. Vol. 1, no. 5. Ziff Davis. February 1998.
  25. ^ Smolka, Rob (June 1998). "NBA Action 98". PC Gamer. Vol. 5, no. 6. Imagine Media. Archived from the original on March 11, 2000. Retrieved December 12, 2020.
  26. ^ a b c d e f Cutlack, Gary (February 1998). "Review: NBA Action 98". Sega Saturn Magazine. No. 28. EMAP. pp. 74–75. Retrieved August 8, 2021.
  27. ^ a b c The Rookie (January 1998). "NBA Action '98". GamePro. No. 112. IDG. p. 116.
  28. ^ Gamecenter staff (January 28, 1998). "The Gamecenter Awards for 1997! (Saturn, Part 2)". Gamecenter. CNET. Archived from the original on October 2, 2000. Retrieved October 27, 2021.
  29. ^ "The Award - Updates". Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. Archived from the original on June 15, 1998. Retrieved November 3, 2021.
  30. ^ "The Award - Winners". Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. Archived from the original on June 15, 1998. Retrieved November 3, 2021.
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