Wayback Wednesday: NBA Give ‘n Go Retrospective

This is Wayback Wednesday, your midweek blast from the past! From retrospectives of basketball games and their interesting features, to republished articles and looking at NBA history through the lens of the virtual hardwood, Wednesdays at the NLSC are for going back in time. This week, I’m taking a look back at NBA Give ‘n Go.

Back in the 90s, EA Sports were the dominant brand in sim basketball games with NBA Live, while Midway developed the best arcade hoops titles with NBA Jam. However, Konami were producing some fun games in the sim-arcade hybrid genre; that middle ground between sim and arcade that’s not too over the top, but still isn’t too concerned with realism. I’ve already covered a couple of those Konami games, namely NBA in the Zone and NBA in the Zone 2. Left Field Productions also tried to imitate Konami’s formula with Slam ‘N Jam.

As I’ve said before, I didn’t really have much interest in those games growing up. I either wanted the sim approach of NBA Live, or the wild arcade action of NBA Jam. The hybrid style of Konami’s games or Slam ‘N Jam was certainly intriguing, but that middle ground didn’t really appeal to me at the time. All these years later, I have far more appreciation for the sim-arcade hybrid, even if it isn’t my first choice. Konami’s NBA Give ‘n Go is a classic release in that genre, and I’m definitely overdue to cover it. With that being said, let’s take a look back…way back…

Although I would classify games such as NBA Give ‘n Go as sim-arcade hybrids due to their realistic elements, like NBA Jam, Konami’s releases began life in the arcade. To that point, NBA Give ‘n Go is essentially a home port of Konami’s Run and Gun, released in arcades in 1993. Run and Gun featured 5-on-5 gameplay from a baseline view, with the camera always facing the basket you’re attacking and panning up and down the court as needed. When playing head-to-head, dual monitors in the arcade cabinet allowed both players to see the court from their respective baselines. The graphics are vibrant with stylised action figure-like players, who all look very similar.

Run and Gun and NBA Give ‘n Go are both far more arcade-oriented than some of Konami’s later basketball games. The action is fast-paced, and while the dunks aren’t as exaggerated as in NBA Jam, players still leap much higher and further than in the sim titles. This allows for big, loud, exciting slams, with the backboard sagging as the players hang on the rim. There are no fouls in Run and Gun, meaning that knocking an opponent out of the air on a dunk attempt is a perfectly legal defensive play. The shot clock and out of bounds are the only rules that you need to worry about, and the ball will only travel out of bounds on a big swat, or when it’s poked loose for a steal.

NBA Give ‘n Go implemented more rules including fouls and free throws, though it still allows a ton of physicality on defense. Free throws are attempted with a mechanic very similar to NBA Live’s T-Meter, with the goal being to stop two moving dots – one for aim, one for distance – as close as possible to the centre. If both dots turn blue, you know the foul shot will be good. Beyond that, the controls are basic: shoot, pass, jump to block or rebound, steal, and switch between defenders. There’s also an alley-oop control. In the original Run and Gun, lobs are thrown by pressing the pass and shoot buttons together, while NBA Give ‘n Go features a dedicated alley-oop button.

Aside from the rules, the main difference between Run and Gun and NBA Give ‘n Go is indicated by their respective titles. While NBA Give ‘n Go is NBA licensed, Run and Gun’s players and teams were entirely fictional. Of course, much like Super Dunk Shot, Run and Gun’s rosters were clearly inspired by the NBA! Konami went on to release Run and Gun II in arcades in 1996, once again without the NBA license. NBA Give ‘n Go was released for Super Nintendo and Super Famicom in late 1995, with NBA in the Zone coming out on PlayStation a few weeks later. As such, while they technically aren’t in the same series, there’s a connection going back to Run and Gun.

With that out of the way, let’s focus on NBA Give ‘n Go! As a sim-arcade hybrid, it provided console gamers with a compromise between the sim gameplay of NBA Live 95, and the arcade style of NBA Jam Tournament Edition. Like NBA Jam TE, the game is set in the 1995 season, albeit featuring the new logos for the Atlanta Hawks, Houston Rockets, and Seattle Supersonics that they debuted in the 1996 campaign. Notably, the rosters are accurate as of around late March/early April, placing them later than NBA Live 95 PC and earlier than NBA Jam Tournament Edition for PC and PlayStation. Michael Jordan, Charles Barkley, and Shaquille O’Neal are all absent.

The addition of more rules – fouls, backcourt violations and ten seconds in the half, three second lane violations, and five second inbounds violations – tilted the gameplay slightly towards a simulation style. It was a good move, as it not only better fits the NBA setting, but adds a little more challenge and strategy. It’s also possible to enable and disable individual rules, though Arcade mode dispenses with all of them except for out of bounds and shot clock violations, basically imitating Run and Gun. On top of pocketing the whistle, you’ll automatically inbound the ball and an invisible wall will prevent you from crossing back over halfcourt, should you disable those rules.

Even with all of the rules enabled – the sim setting in the options – the officiating is extremely lax. You can spam the steal button all you like, as there are no reach-in fouls. The penalty instead comes from being out of position, as much like NBA in the Zone, every steal attempt is a deep lunge. Shooting fouls are scarce and don’t really seem to follow a clear collision, but that does keep the game flowing and makes them a novelty. The correct number of free throws is awarded, with and-one possibilities. Players foul out after picking up their sixth foul, and it is possible to be whistled for a charge, though they’re also rare calls. Again, it’s a physical, free-flowing style of play.

This has its benefits and drawbacks. Obviously it stands apart from sim games like NBA Live without leaning fully into the over-the-top NBA Jam style, an approach that can appeal to hardcore hoop heads and more casual basketball fans and gamers alike. It’s simple, fast-paced, and action-packed. At the same time, the rules aren’t as much of a hindrance as they really should be, which at times makes them feel a bit pointless. Gameplay can be repetitive, boiling down to racing up court and driving in for a dunk time and time again, with the occasional midrange jumper or three-pointer to mix it up. The arcade elements tend to overpower the more realistic sim aspects.

In other words, like many sim-arcade hybrids, a winning strategy often comes down to prevailing in a wild shootout. It isn’t impossible to play defense, but both sides will be shooting a very high percentage thanks to a plethora of dunks. It is possible to send back a slam at the rim, but generally speaking, you’ll be exchanging posters for most of the game. The CPU is adept at catching up and keeping pace, though the rubber-banding isn’t too egregious, and you’ll likely win if you just stick to the plan. Indeed, you’re more likely to lose if you mix things up too much when the dunk is right there! As long as you’re scoring consistently, defensive lapses aren’t going to hurt too much.

That doesn’t mean the game isn’t fun. The big dunks are satisfying, and there are a few different ones that players will break out. Lobs are likewise entertaining, and it’s also possible to throw down putback dunks. Blocks and steals can trigger some nice two-way plays. You can hit some deep threes; I’ve even had a halftime buzzer beater from beyond halfcourt! The animations are nice and do resemble the original arcade game, which is impressive for a 16-bit console port. Sure, it can be repetitive and it’d be nice if the rules were more impactful, but it effectively mixes a fast arcade pace with some sim-style realistic elements. That’s basically how a sim-arcade hybrid title should be.

However, as with Konami’s other sim-arcade hybrid NBA games, the repetitiveness of the gameplay lends itself to shorter quarters. The default setting of two minutes feels right to me, though four and six minute options are also available if you’d prefer a longer game. Considering how easy it is for teams to top the 50-point mark even on two minute quarters, I’d suggest that’s traditionally been the most popular preference. The casual style of gameplay is suited to a quick showdown full of fast breaks and dunks, before swiftly moving on to the next matchup. It’s essentially a streamlined experience, compressing the most exciting elements of basketball into a short game.

To that point, while there is some differentiation between the players’ skills, you don’t have to think too hard about the players on the floor. Some players are noticeably better shooters, but basically everyone can throw down big dunks, bring the ball up the floor and distribute with ease, and get a fast break going with a block or steal. This is definitely another area where the game could be more strategic, but it can also be enjoyable to just play some up-tempo virtual basketball without really worrying about who’s in the lineup. It’s more about playing with your favourite five from the teams of 1995 than relying on accurate, in-depth player abilities, and strategising accordingly.

Mind you, this may be for the best as there are more than a couple of inaccuracies with the rosters! Several players are at the wrong guard or forward spot, and some of the positions are completely incorrect. For example, Otis Thorpe is the Portland Trail Blazers’ default shooting guard, and like a lot of big men, for some reason he’s listed as a forward/guard. Meanwhile, swingmen such as Donald Royal are designated as a forward/centre, as are several natural centres. Bizarrely, guard Lee Mayberry is the Milwaukee Bucks’ starting power forward! Playing a player out of position causes a dip in his performance, and while this doesn’t ruin the game, it is kind of a problem!

On the plus side, the fact that teams have 12-man rosters is pretty cool. Instead of being stuck with five players the developers have chosen – as is the case with NBA in the Zone – we can set a different lineup before a game. We can also substitute players by calling timeout when we have possession. However, we only have eight timeouts per game, and substitutions aren’t available in the aforementioned Arcade mode. In addition to avoiding foul trouble or replacing any player who has fouled out, calling timeout and resting players restores their condition, which is represented with no stars (bad), one star (average), two stars (good) or three stars (excellent) next to their name.

Beyond quibbles with variety and depth, I have two main gripes with gameplay. The first is one that Dee and I have discussed on the NLSC Podcast: the camera. The angle itself is generally fine, but it’s zoomed in way too close, and also always focuses on the ball. This makes it far too easy to lose track of where your player is when they’re off-screen, which frequently means giving up a wide open shot following a long pass. It doesn’t help that you probably won’t switch to the defender you want on the first try. Blocks require precise timing and positioning that’s not always easy with the camera angle. Other titles with similar gameplay also frequently suffer from this drawback.

Secondly, like NBA in the Zone, passing can be clunky. Instead of simply holding the direction towards the teammate that you want to pass to, you need to press a button to select the intended recipient. It’s not impossibly contrived and complex, but it does inhibit your ability to make quick passes at times. Also, the default control scheme pairs shoot with steal and pass with jump, with a third button switching on defense and selecting a teammate to pass to. I’ve never liked that approach since it’s confusing enough on defense, but using pass to crash the offensive boards really goes against your instincts and conventional basketball game design. It works, but it feels weird.

Fortunately, you can select between eight different controller configurations. This includes having shoot/jump and pass/steal buttons, which I personally feel should be the default. Truth be told, I prefer pass to be paired with switch rather than steal on defense, but I’ll take that over pass being the same button as block and rebound! It’s also commendable that we have those different configurations to choose from, as a lot of games would simply stick us with an unusual and suboptimal scheme. I was able to adjust to the default configuration to the point where I didn’t bother changing it, but it’s good to know the options are there, and it’s definitely worth keeping them in mind.

Gameplay is paramount and NBA Give ‘n Go can be fun on the virtual hardwood, but modes are still vital in keeping us hooked. A basketball video game released in 1995 wasn’t going to get away with being comprised of nothing but exhibition play, and thankfully, NBA Give ‘n Go includes some decent options here. As I mentioned, there is an Arcade mode which disables all rules except out of bounds and the shot clock, turns off layups so that every player is throwing it down on every drive, and foregoes substitutions and lineup changes. In this mode, you pick your team, and play through a randomly generated single elimination Playoff bracket on route to a championship.

Alternatively, we can play a Season or Playoffs. Season mode offers four options for length: six games with single elimination Playoffs; 28 games with a 1-3-3-3 Playoff format; 52 games with a 3-5-5-5 format; or a full 82 games and 5-7-7-7 format for the Playoffs. Playoffs mode includes three options: the 1995 Playoffs, random choice, or user customised. Both modes are multiplayer, though unlike Arcade mode, co-op play isn’t available. The Super Famicom version saved progress through battery backup, while the Super Nintendo release utilises a password system. Although it’s a viable and familiar solution, the inability to save data to the SNES cartridge was unfortunate.

This is because NBA Give ‘n Go has roster customisation; something that wouldn’t be added to NBA in the Zone until the second game! We’re able to trade players between the 27 NBA teams, customise the East and West All-Stars, and choose players for two custom teams: the Supreme Team and the Shooting Stars. Conferences aren’t enforced when customising the All-Stars, but neither the All-Star teams nor the custom squads may have duplicate players. However, while any roster customisation will be saved as part of our progress in Season or Playoff mode, we can’t permanently edit the default rosters. All of our changes will be wiped after resetting or powering off the console.

Furthermore, we can’t make any trades during Season mode. Therefore, if you want to play with custom rosters, you’ll need to set up those changes throughout the league before you begin a game. Additionally, any other options you set before beginning a Season or Playoff game – such as the quarter length, rules, and difficulty – can’t be changed. With that in mind, you need to be absolutely sure that you’re satisfied with your selections and any roster customisation before you commit to a campaign! It makes sense given the streamlined approach to season play, though it’s obviously a pain to set everything up again if you did happen to heavily customise the rosters.

Although this array of modes and their limited options may seem shallow, for a sim-arcade hybrid game released for 16-bit consoles in 1995, it’s certainly respectable. NBA Give ‘n Go doesn’t offer the same depth to customisation or season play as NBA Live 95, but it’s not supposed to. It’s meant to be a more casual experience, accessible to gamers who like basketball but don’t necessarily follow it closely, while potentially being a fun change of pace for more hardcore hoop heads. The gameplay is simple and action-packed, and the modes are a simplified take on the league and its formats. This makes it easy to pick up and play, regardless of your knowledge of basketball.

Ultimately, that’s a sensible approach for a sim-arcade hybrid to take. As I said, I might not have appreciated it as much back in the 90s, when I preferred to either play NBA Jam with its over-the-top style, or get more serious with an NBA Live title. I’m sure I could’ve still had fun with it, but I definitely appreciate it now that I’m more open-minded about different games and approaches to the virtual hardwood! I won’t say that it’s better than the contemporary NBA Live or NBA Jam games, though I’m sure it was a favourite for many gamers. I can see why, and even though there are ways it could be better, NBA Give ‘n Go is a solid hybrid of the sim and arcade style.

Once again, it’s also a very solid home port of an arcade game. It doesn’t quite match Run and Gun in visual quality, but it comes as close as the SNES and Super Famicom could manage. To that point of course, while it does replicate the basic aesthetic, the players aren’t as detailed, and they look even more alike than they do in Run and Gun. There are a few unique heads – Dennis Rodman has a blonde Mohawk for example – but players do tend to blend together, especially since the names and numbers on their jerseys are the same generic blurry texture. I can’t be too hard on the graphics and again it’s a good effort, but other games did a better job of having players stand out.

On the other hand, its presentation includes instant replays and some classic 90s sports video game music, though the ditty that plays during the pre-game matchup screen has more of an 80s sound. I enjoy it though, and while gamers can debate the quality of the Super Nintendo’s sound chip, the music is catchy and suits the vibe. The inclusion of some commentary is also impressive, though there’s only so many times you can hear “watch the break”, “go, go”, and “tomahawk” before it gets annoying! Fortunately, it can be turned off. And of course, the name itself – NBA Give ‘n Go – is also a memorable moniker, paying tribute to one of the timeless plays of basketball.

The Super Nintendo and Super Famicom were reaching the end of their lifecycle when NBA Give ‘n Go was released, and Konami went on to refine their sim-arcade hybrid basketball games with NBA in the Zone on PlayStation. However, they made the most of aging hardware to deliver a fun alternative to games like NBA Live and NBA Jam, and I’m glad they didn’t forego the SNES even though a PlayStation title was in the works at the same time. Contemporary reviews were mixed to positive, noting some of the same issues that immediately jumped out to me. Glancing at user reviews and other retrospectives though, gamers did like it, and are nostalgic for it.

I can absolutely respect that as someone who does see the appeal of the game, and has many fond memories of basketball games from the 90s; an era in which the genre was rapidly evolving. Like many games that I didn’t end up playing back then, the name still stuck in my mind, and it was always intriguing. All things considered, it probably wouldn’t have become one of my all-time favourite games, but I’m glad that I’ve been able to play it in the years since. It likely won’t be in my rotation all that often, but it’s certainly enjoyable, and a well-made port of an arcade release. I also appreciate the era in basketball gaming that it represents, being a time where we had many options.

To me, that’s a major part of my nostalgia for bygone eras on the virtual hardwood. Different games were trying different things, and while some titles were better than others, it was wonderful having that variety and choice. Even though I tend to prefer sim games like NBA Live and NBA 2K, or arcade games like NBA Jam and NBA Street, there’s definitely value in the sim-arcade hybrid approach. NBA Give ‘n Go may lack the depth of some of its contemporaries, but it didn’t necessarily need it. It had its issues, but on the whole it was a solid, fun alternative that combined sim and arcade elements, in a way that could be enjoyed by both casual and hardcore fans.

The post Wayback Wednesday: NBA Give ‘n Go Retrospective appeared first on NLSC.