Monday Tip-Off: Am I Ever Disappointed While Retro Gaming?
We’re at midcourt, and the ball is about to go up…it’s Monday Tip-Off! Join me as I begin the week here at the NLSC with my opinions and commentary on basketball gaming topics, as well as tales of the fun I’ve been having on the virtual hardwood. This week, I’m tipping things off with some thoughts on whether or not I’m ever disappointed while retro basketball gaming.
Although I’m still interested in new releases, in recent years I’ve mostly been getting my virtual hardwood fix through old favourites. It’s a very old habit for me, but it’s also the result of dissatisfaction with the current generation of NBA 2K games, and ninth generation gaming as a whole. I’m obviously also producing content based on retro gaming, from retrospectives of classic and not-so-classic basketball video games to other deep dives into the history of the genre. Whether it’s for content creation or just recreation, older basketball games constantly enter my rotation.
There are some people who will scoff at that idea, in particular the “everything gets better, you’re just hung up on nostalgia” crowd. Obviously there are many examples of regression and bad design choices that disprove that assertion, but more to the point, it’s attempting to make an objective declaration that a very subjective personal preference is wrong. With that being said, basketball video games certainly weren’t universally better back in the day, and I won’t claim as such; even when it comes to my all-time favourites that hold up superbly. To that point, am I ever disappointed while retro basketball gaming? Well, it depends on what you mean by disappointed.
Needless to say, your enjoyment of retro gaming depends on your expectations. Depending on how far back you’re going, you may need to accept a major graphical downgrade. You won’t have some of the mechanics that you’re now accustomed to, or they’ll be primitive or unrefined versions of concepts that pushed the genre forward. Cool features and modes that you love spending time in won’t be there, or much like gameplay mechanics, won’t be as advanced in an older title. Certain content may be missing from a particular release, though it might be possible to mod it in. In short, you need to be comfortable with the reality that some games really show their age.
That’s just retro gaming in general. However, when it comes to specific titles that you used to have a blast with, it’s not just about being willing to accept that technology and time has marched on. You’re putting your nostalgia to the test. You’re going to encounter that annoying issue that you put up with because you were ultimately still having fun, but were relieved to see fixed in future releases. The rough edges that fond memories smoothed over will reveal themselves. It’s not so much that a game is dated – again, you’re prepared for that if you’re into retro gaming – but rather that even at the time, you recognised the flaws. It’s not hindsight, but remembered frustration.
To that point, there are times when I’m at least mildly disappointed while I’m retro gaming. On those occasions, I’m still generally enjoying the game for the most part, but I’m left wishing that some aspect was better. NBA Live 95 for SNES comes to mind here. It’s a classic, milestone release, and I can still have a great time with it. In fact, I’ve thrown it on quite a few times this year when I’m in the mood for a quick game with an old favourite. I love the fast-paced action, and I’m still pumped up by the point and every cry of THREE. At the same time, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t bugged by the volume of blocks, high shooting percentages, and lack of rebounds.
The low number of rebounds in particular is what’s really stood out to me during my sessions with NBA Live 95 for SNES. Between the shooting percentages, blocks on the perimeter, and so many of the rebounds bouncing long and thus being caught flat-footed by guards, the prolific glass cleaners of the day don’t dominate on the boards as they should. The PC version of NBA Live 95 was much better in this regard, so there was a moment of “oh yeah, that’s right” when my big men finished with only a couple of boards in the SNES version. Again, it was blast overall, but it was disappointing to be reminded that not everything about the gameplay held up as well as I remembered.
Similarly, there are some games that show their age more than I thought. Some of the animations in sixth gen NBA Live titles aren’t as smooth or realistic as they were in my memory. Obviously I knew they’d been outclassed by newer technology, but the gap was wider than my nostalgia led me to recall. That doesn’t mean that I no longer enjoy them, and it definitely doesn’t retroactively make them bad for their time. It’s more a case of not realising or appreciating how far we’ve come until we revisit old classics that rightfully impressed us in their era, but appear dated now. I still dislike the whole “I can’t believe we used to think this looked good” rhetoric. It did…once.
And of course, some games don’t live up to the hype and expectations, especially if you don’t have nostalgia to compensate for their shortcomings. After NBA 2K6 and NBA 2K7 became retroactive favourites, I was eager to see if NBA 2K8 would join them. As I said in my retrospective, I just can’t get into it! Granted, it’s chiefly due to issues that were being pointed out way back in 2007 as well, and it does seem to be one of the more divisive NBA 2K games of its generation, so I’m definitely not alone here. In any case, I was disappointed in no small part because it really does feel like it should be more fun, and I do always strive to get the most out of games that I dust off.
Mind you, retro gaming disappointment isn’t the same as being disappointed in a new release. The anticipation following a promising preview season, raised expectations of much-needed improvements, and a fresh full-priced purchase, invite far bigger dismay than curiously wondering what an old game is like or if it holds up. If nothing else, I do have an array of basketball games that hold up for me and I can happily still spend hours upon hours playing. As such, it’s not a big deal if some old games I used to like aren’t as enjoyable today, or if a release I skipped doesn’t turn out to be an overlooked gem. Conversely, I expect any new releases to be better than what came before them.
It’s not just a case of mitigating disappointment, either. Some old games are brilliant and stand the test of time. Revisiting games years later has left a better impression, and not just because I’ve lowered my expectations or standards. There are games that I didn’t give a proper chance for a number of reasons, from brand loyalty and stubborn preference to playing them the wrong way and failing to adapt or customise settings. It’s always a delight when I enjoy a game more than I once did or thought I would, since it usually leads to an extended retro gaming kick. This is how NBA 2K6, NBA 2K7, NBA 2K9, NBA Live 10, and NBA 2K14 all found their way into my rotation.
Producing retro gaming content such as my Wayback Wednesday retrospectives also encourages curiosity that makes it difficult to be hugely disappointed, even by some of the truly bad releases. It’s interesting to finally check out games like ESPN NBA 2Night and see what they’re all about, for better or worse. It never feels like wasted time. Even if I wasn’t producing content, my curiosity would still be satisfied, and bad games can definitely be good for a laugh. Besides, many rough releases still have their fun moments and flashes of brilliance. It’s kind of like watching highlights from NBA players who were once highly-touted prospects, but didn’t live up to their potential.
Furthermore, if I’m revisiting a title on a whim or for content creation purposes, and it leaves me disappointed rather than inspiring a retro gaming kick, I don’t wallow. I just wrap up my business with it, and move on! Once again, it’s not the same as feeling underwhelmed by a new release that you understandably expect to be an improvement on all of its predecessors, and have just paid full price for. Look, even though NBA 2K26 will be a far superior game to Kidz Sports Basketball in every way imaginable, the expectations for a ninth gen title that’ll cost upwards of $90 AUD are going to be much higher than they were for a shovelware game I found on eBay for five bucks!
Expectations can be far more flexible when it comes to retro gaming. Take my NBA Live 16 Dynasty, for example. The mode isn’t anywhere near as deep as it should’ve been by that point, though obviously it’s a by-product of the series’ struggles across the board. I do wish that it had a few features that NBA 2K’s franchise modes boast – and some from previous NBA Live titles that fell by the wayside – and to that end, it’s definitely disappointing that it doesn’t. I’m well aware of those shortcomings though, and have made peace with them, in large part because I’m enjoying the scenario and the gameplay. These are the trade-offs that can make up for deficiencies in old games.
Even my NBA 2K14 MyCAREER has drawbacks that I weather. There have been times where I’ve greatly missed the ability to shoot around on MyCOURT, which didn’t debut until NBA 2K15. I’ve been frustrated with the lineup logic – particularly the benching of Terry Hanson – and unlike later iterations of MyCAREER, there’s no way to directly influence the rotations with specific changes. The missing statistics screens bother me as well. However, I remain hooked by the on-court experience, and the overall journey has been engaging and rewarding. Compare it to new games with no offline MyCAREER, a terrible grind, and MMORPG elements, and it’s no contest!
We all have our own trade-offs and deal-breakers as far as being too disappointed to enjoy a title, whether we’re playing a new release or retro gaming. Because I grew up with far more primitive basketball games and I don’t rely on live service content or a thriving competitive scene to have fun, my threshold is perhaps more forgiving than others. That’s not a boast on my part; indeed, I’m sure that some would argue that it’s a sign of lower standards! I’ll respectfully disagree, and simply say that while I certainly appreciate how far basketball games have come, I’ll take dated graphics and a few old annoyances – and the occasional nostalgic bubble burst – over greedy, soulless design.
So, yes, there are times when I’m at least slightly disappointed while retro gaming. It may only be momentary, but it is dismaying if a game isn’t as fun as you remember, or when memories of that one irritating issue break through the nostalgia upon dusting it off. If you finally check out a classic that you’ve always heard great things about and it doesn’t hit the same for you, then sure, it’s a letdown. However, there are many old favourites that I can still eagerly play today. Retro gaming and content creation has led to a new appreciation for titles I missed out on, or had a bad first impression of. As I said, even the truly terrible games can still be entertaining in their own way.
Moreover, I’m not constantly disappointed while retro gaming. I’ve found the games that I know I can always return to, so I’m not short of options. Of course, new retro favourites will present themselves from time to time, and it’s always a joy when they do. I also have reasonable expectations based on the age of a game, and I don’t need cutting edge graphics and live service content to have fun. It doesn’t mean that I don’t have my criticisms or that I never get annoyed, but hey, that’s gaming in general! It’s about the overall experience – the prevailing level of enjoyment – and choosing to play the games that you know will best suit your preferences and meet your expectations.
For me, that’s meant gravitating towards retro basketball gaming. It’s not that I think that all old games are better than their modern equivalents by every reasonable metric, though I’d argue that some are better designed even if they’re technologically inferior. Ultimately, I find old favourites to be more enjoyable. They do a better job of catering to my needs and wants for a fun virtual basketball experience. After too many years of grudgingly grinding in the latest NBA 2K out of habit, retro gaming with titles that I still greatly enjoy isn’t going to leave me disappointed. They’ll certainly challenge my nostalgia, but when the good outweighs the bad, the classics will seldom let me down.
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