NBA Showdown (video game)

NBA Showdown is a 1993 video game for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System game console. The game is a sequel to Bulls vs. Blazers video game. The same title was re-released for the Mega Drive/Genesis as NBA Showdown '94. It is the fifth and final game in the NBA Playoffs series of games, before the series was re-branded as NBA Live.

NBA Showdown
Cover art (Super Nintendo Entertainment System)
Developer(s)EA Creative Development
Publisher(s)Electronic Arts
SeriesNBA Playoffs
Platform(s)Super NES, Mega Drive/Genesis
Release
October 1993
  • Super NES
    • NA: October 1993
    Mega Drive/Genesis
    • NA: June 21, 1994
    • PAL: 1994
Genre(s)Sports
Mode(s)Single-player, Multiplayer

Play mode

The game could be played in various ways: players could play against each other, or against the computer. Games against the computer were divided into two levels, "exhibition" or "playoffs". Players could pick from any of the NBA teams for the first time, including non-playoff teams. Games could be configured for 2, 5, 8, or 12 minute quarters.

History
  • It was one of the first basketball games (at least in terms of technically EA Sports series of NBA Live games) to feature every NBA team in the league. Tecmo NBA Basketball, which was released in 1992, was the first game to do so.
  • It was the first basketball game to feature in-game 3rd party advertisements for companies like Starter and Topps stadium.
  • It was the first game to deviate from the traditional Eastern Conference finals team vs Western Conference finals team naming convention. Sequentially this title should have been called Bulls versus Suns following the 1993 Finals. There were controversies as to whether star players like Charles Barkley opting out of the players licensing had a profound effect on EA changing to a more generic name like NBA Showdown.
  • It was the first basketball game in which EA Sports, the entity, within EA officially took over the game.
  • It was the last basketball game produced at EA's San Mateo studio before production moved to Vancouver for the NBA Live series.
  • It was the first EA Sports game to have the tenths of a second rule in the last minute.
  • The Super NES version was the last NBA game to feature Michael Jordan before the release of NBA Live 2000 years after.

Notes
  1. In Electronic Gaming Monthly's review of NBA Showdown 94, three critics scored it 6/10, one 5/10, another 7.[2]
  2. GamePro scored NBA Showdown 94 two 4/5 scores for graphics and fun factor, 3.5/5 for sound, and 3/5 for control.[5]
  3. Nintendo Power scored NBA Showdown 3.3/5 for graphics/sound, 3.2/5 for play control, 3.4/5 for challenge, and 3.6/5 for theme/fun.[7]

References
  1. Marriott, Scott Alan. "NBA Showdown – Review". AllGame. Archived from the original on November 14, 2014. Retrieved July 10, 2021.
  2. "NBA Showdown". Electronic Gaming Monthly. Vol. 7, no. 5. May 1994. p. 34. Retrieved July 10, 2021.
  3. Major Mike (October 1993). "NBA Showdown". Electronic Gaming Monthly. Vol. 6, no. 10. p. 38. Retrieved July 10, 2021.
  4. Dr. E (May 1994). "NBA Showdown". GameFan. Vol. 2, no. 5. pp. 110–111. Retrieved July 10, 2021.
  5. Athletic Supporter (May 1994). "NBA Showdown Scores". GamePro. No. 58. p. 110. Retrieved July 10, 2021.
  6. Humphreys, Andrew (March 1994). "NBA Showdown 94". Hyper. No. 4. pp. 36–37. Retrieved July 10, 2021.
  7. "Now Playing". Nintendo Power. Vol. 54. November 1993. pp. 102–107. Retrieved July 10, 2021.
  8. "La Esencia del Mejor Baloncesto". es:Superjuegos (in Spanish). No. 20. pp. 142–143. Retrieved July 10, 2021.
  9. Winstanley, Cam (February 1994). "NBA Showdown". Super Play. No. 16. p. 46.
  10. Chris (March 1994). "NBA Showdown". Total!. No. 27. pp. 54–55. Retrieved July 10, 2021.
  11. "NBA Showdown". Video Games (in German). March 1994. p. 97. Retrieved July 10, 2021.
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