Tecmo NBA Basketball Retrospective

When people think of basketball games and the Nintendo Entertainment System, many will think of Konami’s 1987 classic – Double Dribble – an arcade 5-on-5 basketball game that featured spectacular dunks and only four teams (Boston Frogs, Los Angeles Breakers, New York Eagles and Chicago Ox). Some of them may think of the precursor to the famous NBA Jam series – Arch Rivals and there are some who will remember Jordan vs. Bird.

But, in November 1992, as the 1992-93 NBA season was about to start, Tecmo wasted no time in releasing Tecmo NBA Basketball for the Nintendo Entertainment System, despite being only seven years old at the time. Based on the previous season’s rosters (1991-92 – even Magic Johnson is still on the Lakers roster, despite retiring at the start of the season and Larry Bird still being on the Celtics), it was the first-ever videogame to feature every NBA team at once, so if you were a fan of the Charlotte Hornets, Washington Bullets, Minnesota Timberwolves, or Orlando Magic and only had to deal with the likes of Lakers vs. Celtics and Bulls vs. Lakers for the Sega Genesis, which featured teams from the 1990 and 1991 NBA Playoffs, respectively, where players such as Bernard King, Rolando Blackman, Fat Lever, Brad Daugherty and others were on the West/East All-Star teams. You can either play a one or two-player game against each other in exhibition or All-Star mode, or control a team to maneuver through the 1991-92 NBA season, playing Short (26 games), Reduced (41 games) or the full 82-team schedule.

Tecmo NBA Basketball is a fast-paced and arcade like, yet fun basketball experience for the NES. Tecmo took cues from the classic Tecmo Super Bowl game for the same system and translated it well to the hardwood. You can also set defensive and offensive plays and when you succeed, you are able to win plenty of games, maybe even the World Championship! This is a outstanding and well-made game for the NES, despite it being aging and pushed aside for the Super Nintendo and Sega Genesis (which would see them having versions of the game within a year). Tecmo NBA provides many of hours of entertainment and fun, despite it being a bit too easy.

Tecmo NBA Basketball has an outstanding soundtrack, which is upbeat and lively, although many young gamers may find the music in the 8-bit Nintendo Entertainment System as being primitive and annoying. 

This game was one of the last ones to “officially” feature Michael Jordan as an active player for the Chicago Bulls, as he opted out of the NBA Player’s Union shortly after release. Also, despite retiring almost three months prior to the game’s release, this is considered the second-to-last game with Larry Bird being on the Boston Celtics roster, with Bulls vs. Blazers for Super Nintendo and Sega Genesis being released a month after this game.

I highly recommend playing this game, especially if you have an old-school NBA bone in your body or just want a quick, yet fun game of basketball for the Nintendo Entertainment System. You won’t be disappointed!