Software:NBA Ballers

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Short description: 2004 video game
Not to be confused with NBA Baller Beats.
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NBA Ballers
PAL cover art featuring Stephon Marbury
Developer(s)Midway
Publisher(s)Midway Sports
SeriesNBA Ballers
EngineRenderWare
Platform(s)PlayStation 2, Xbox
ReleasePlayStation 2
  • NA: April 5, 2004
  • AU: April 14, 2004
  • EU: October 15, 2004
Xbox
  • NA: April 5, 2004
Genre(s)Sports (basketball)
Mode(s)Single-player, Multiplayer

NBA Ballers is a 2004 streetball simulation video game developed and published by Midway. The game features fictional NBA analyst Bob Benson (voiced and depicted by Terry Abler) and MC Supernatural as the commentators. A majority of the moves in the game were from amateur basketball players, who provided some of their moves for the game. Stephon Marbury is on the cover. A version for GameCube was also planned but was never released.[1][2]

The game has been considered similar to AND 1 Streetball and the NBA Jam series, of which it is a spiritual successor. The game was followed by a version for the PlayStation Portable, Software:NBA Ballers: Rebound and two sequels, Software:NBA Ballers: Phenom and Software:NBA Ballers: Chosen One.

Game

The game also maintains the "player on fire" feature that is in many sports games published by Midway.

While most matches are one-on-one, it is also possible to have an extra player, where three players in total play individually against each other. The matches are two minutes long, and the winner is the best of three rounds. A round is won when a player scores 11 points, and the winner must win by at least two points. If time runs out, the player with the most points will be declared the winner of that round. As the player pulls off style moves, they earn points that fill the jackpot bar at the top left of the screen. When a player scores, they earn the accumulated jackpot.

Juice Meter

The meter fills up like a fuel gauge, and it is used at the turbo boost meter. It is the player's energy.

House Meter

The meter fills up by pulling off style moves and scoring points. The meter is filled until the word "HOUSE" is spelled. When fully charged, the player can "Bring Down the House" by holding all shoulder buttons and throwing an alley-oop to themselves, which tears down the rim and ends the match.

Single-player mode

Rags to Riches is the main story mode in which the player portrays a relatively unknown rookie with certain abilities who must take on the best player in the NBA to become arguably the greatest player in the association. Each match is done in tournament style, and the player must defeat every opponent to advance to a new tournament to move the story along, and various Attributes rise during progression.

This game mode featured a full story told over 21 different cut scenes as the player progressed throughout the game. With the inclusion of this game mode, NBA Ballers became the first video game officially licensed by a league to contain a story mode.

Reception

Reception
Review scores
PublicationScore
PS2Xbox
CGMA[3]A[3]
EGM8/10[4]8/10[4]
Game Informer8/10[5]8/10[5]
GameProStarStarStarStar[6]StarStarStarStar[6]
GameSpot8.3/10[7]8.2/10[8]
GameSpyStarStarStar[9]StarStarStar[10]
GameZone7.5/10[11]7.8/10[12]
IGN9/10[13]8.9/10[14]
OPM (US)StarStarStarStar[15]N/A
OXM (US)N/A6.5/10[16]
Playboy75%[17]75%[17]
The Village Voice8/10[18]N/A
Aggregate score
Metacritic83/100[19]82/100[20]

The game received "favorable" reviews on both platforms according to the review aggregation website Metacritic.[19][20] GameSpot named it the best PlayStation 2 game of April 2004.[21] It received a runner-up position in GameSpot's 2004 "Best Alternative Sports Game" award category across all platforms, losing to Mario Power Tennis.[22]

Maxim gave it a score of eight out of ten and stated that "Eighty-four hyper-detailed players are represented, or you can create your own baller and go rags-to-riches, racking up pimp-wear and Scarface-worthy real estate."[23] The Village Voice similarly gave the PS2 version eight out of ten and stated, "Like the sport itself, you can easily start a pickup game, or put all your time—and high hopes—into it. Playing D, of course, isn’t nearly as fun."[18] Playboy gave the game 75% (nearly two months before its U.S. release date) and said, "Victory is accompanied by flashy jewelry, fancy cars, and the truest measure of a champ, a larger pose."[17]

During the 8th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards, the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences nominated NBA Ballers for "Console Action Sports Game of the Year" and "Outstanding Achievement in Original Musical Composition".[24]

By July 2006, the PS2 version of the game had sold 670,000 copies and earned $23 million in the United States. Next Generation ranked it as the 94th highest-selling game launched for the PlayStation 2, Xbox, or GameCube between January 2000 and July 2006 in the U.S. Combined sales of the NBA Ballers series reached 1 million units in the United States by July 2006.[25]

References

  1. ↑ "NBA Ballers - GameCube - GameSpy". http://cube.gamespy.com/gamecube/nba-ballers/. 
  2. ↑ "Midway's Full GameCube Lineup". 6 September 2001. https://www.ign.com/articles/2001/09/06/midways-full-gamecube-lineup. 
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 "NBA Ballers". Computer Games Magazine (theGlobe.com) (165): 6. August 2004. 
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 EGM staff (June 2004). "NBA Ballers". Electronic Gaming Monthly (Ziff Davis) (179): 92. 
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Reiner, Andrew (May 2004). "NBA Ballers". Game Informer (GameStop) (133): 92. http://www.gameinformer.com/NR/exeres/5C0D3FD4-186C-42D4-8935-61BC1EE0CBFD.htm. Retrieved December 25, 2019. 
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Dan Elektro (April 7, 2004). "NBA Ballers". GamePro (IDG Entertainment). Archived from the original on February 9, 2005. https://web.archive.org/web/20050209062057/http://www.gamepro.com/sony/ps2/games/reviews/34850.shtml. Retrieved December 25, 2019. 
  7. ↑ Colayco, Bob (April 6, 2004). "NBA Ballers Review (PS2)". CBS Interactive. https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/nba-ballers-review/1900-6093026/. Retrieved December 25, 2019. 
  8. ↑ Colayco, Bob (April 5, 2004). "NBA Ballers Review (Xbox)". CBS Interactive. https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/nba-ballers-review/1900-6092938/. Retrieved December 25, 2019. 
  9. ↑ Leeper, Justin (April 4, 2004). "GameSpy: NBA Ballers (PS2)". IGN Entertainment. Archived from the original on November 7, 2005. https://web.archive.org/web/20051107172039/http://ps2.gamespy.com/playstation-2/nba-ballers/503939p1.html. Retrieved December 25, 2019. 
  10. ↑ Leeper, Justin (April 4, 2004). "GameSpy: NBA Ballers (Xbox)". IGN Entertainment. Archived from the original on December 24, 2005. https://web.archive.org/web/20051224061053/http://xbox.gamespy.com/xbox/nba-ballers/503949p1.html. Retrieved December 25, 2019. 
  11. ↑ The Bearer (April 21, 2004). "NBA Ballers - PS2 - Review". Archived from the original on October 5, 2008. https://web.archive.org/web/20081005005640/http://ps2.gamezone.com/gzreviews/r20160.htm. Retrieved December 25, 2019. 
  12. ↑ Surette, Tim (April 26, 2004). "NBA Ballers - XB - Review". Archived from the original on May 25, 2009. https://web.archive.org/web/20090525035153/http://xbox.gamezone.com/gzreviews/r20160.htm. Retrieved December 25, 2019. 
  13. ↑ Robinson, Jon (April 2, 2004). "NBA Ballers (PS2)". Ziff Davis. https://www.ign.com/articles/2004/04/02/nba-ballers-3. Retrieved December 25, 2019. 
  14. ↑ Robinson, Jon (April 2, 2004). "NBA Ballers (Xbox)". Ziff Davis. https://www.ign.com/articles/2004/04/03/nba-ballers-2. Retrieved December 25, 2019. 
  15. ↑ "NBA Ballers". Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine (Ziff Davis) (80): 101. May 2004. 
  16. ↑ "NBA Ballers". Official Xbox Magazine (Future US): 81. May 2004. 
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 17.2 "Review: NBA Ballers". Playboy (Playboy Enterprises): 39. March 2004. 
  18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 Catucci, Nick (April 26, 2004). "Love Ballin' Like Fat Kids Love Cake in Rags-to-Roca-Wear Story". The Village Voice (Village Voice, LLC). https://www.villagevoice.com/2004/04/20/love-ballin-like-fat-kids-love-cake-in-rags-to-roca-wear-story/. 
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 "NBA Ballers for PlayStation 2 Reviews". CBS Interactive. https://www.metacritic.com/game/nba-ballers/critic-reviews/?platform=playstation-2. Retrieved December 24, 2019. 
  20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 "NBA Ballers for Xbox Reviews". CBS Interactive. https://www.metacritic.com/game/nba-ballers/critic-reviews/?platform=xbox. Retrieved December 24, 2019. 
  21. ↑ Staff (May 3, 2004). "GameSpot's Month in Review for April 2004". GameSpot. Archived from the original on September 14, 2004. https://web.archive.org/web/20040914143644/http://www.gamespot.com/features/6094997/index.html. 
  22. ↑ ((The GameSpot Editors)) (January 5, 2005). "Best and Worst of 2004". GameSpot. Archived from the original on March 7, 2005. https://web.archive.org/web/20050307021607/http://www.gamespot.com/gamespot/features/all/bestof2004/. 
  23. ↑ Porter, Alex (April 5, 2004). "NBA Ballers". Biglari Holdings. Archived from the original on June 3, 2004. https://web.archive.org/web/20040603192027/http://www.maximonline.com/entertainment/reviews/review_games_7316.html. Retrieved December 24, 2019. 
  24. ↑ "D.I.C.E. Awards By Video Game Details NBA Ballers". Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. https://www.interactive.org/games/video_game_details.asp?idAward=2005&idGame=192. 
  25. ↑ "The Top 100 Games of the 21st Century". Future US. July 29, 2006. Archived from the original on October 28, 2007. https://web.archive.org/web/20071028115051/http://www.next-gen.biz/index2.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3537&Itemid=2&pop=1&page=1. 
  • MobyGames is a commercial database website that catalogs information on video games and the people and companies behind them via crowdsourcing. This includes over 300,000 games for hundreds of platforms.[1] Founded in 1999, ownership of the site has changed hands several times. It has been owned by Atari SA since 2022.

Features

Edits and submissions to the site (including screenshots, box art, developer information, game summaries, and more) go through a verification process of fact-checking by volunteer "approvers".[2] This lengthy approval process after submission can range from minutes to days or months.[3] The most commonly used sources are the video game's website, packaging, and credit screens. There is a published standard for game information and copy-editing.[4] A ranking system allows users to earn points for contributing accurate information.[5]

Registered users can rate and review games. Users can create private or public "have" and "want" lists, which can generate a list of games available for trade with other registered users. The site contains an integrated forum. Each listed game can have its own sub-forum.

History

Logo used until March 2014

MobyGames was founded on March 1, 1999, by Jim Leonard and Brian Hirt, and joined by David Berk 18 months later, the three of which had been friends since high school.[6][7] Leonard had the idea of sharing information about computer games with a larger audience. The database began with information about games for IBM PC compatibles, relying on the founders' personal collections. Eventually, the site was opened up to allow general users to contribute information.[5] In a 2003 interview, Berk emphasized MobyGames' dedication to taking video games more seriously than broader society and to preserving games for their important cultural influence.[5]

In mid-2010, MobyGames was purchased by GameFly for an undisclosed amount.[8] This was announced to the community post factum , and the site's interface was given an unpopular redesign.[7] A few major contributors left, refusing to do volunteer work for a commercial website.{{Citation needed|date=June 2025} On December 18, 2013, MobyGames was acquired by Jeremiah Freyholtz, owner of Blue Flame Labs (a San Francisco-based game and web development company) and VGBoxArt (a site for fan-made video game box art).[9] Blue Flame Labs reverted MobyGames' interface to its pre-overhaul look and feel,[10] and for the next eight years, the site was run by Freyholtz and Independent Games Festival organizer Simon Carless.[7]

On November 24, 2021, Atari SA announced a potential deal with Blue Flame Labs to purchase MobyGames for $1.5 million.[11] The purchase was completed on 8 March 2022, with Freyholtz remaining as general manager.[12][13][14] Over the next year, the financial boost given by Atari led to a rework of the site being built from scratch with a new backend codebase, as well as updates improving the mobile and desktop user interface.[1] This was accomplished by investing in full-time development of the site instead of its previously part-time development.[15]

In 2024, MobyGames began offering a paid "Pro" membership option for the site to generate additional revenue.[16] Previously, the site had generated income exclusively through banner ads and (from March 2014 onward) a small number of patrons via the Patreon website.[17]

See also

  • IGDB – game database used by Twitch for its search and discovery functions

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Sheehan, Gavin (2023-02-22). "Atari Relaunches The Fully Rebuilt & Optimized MobyGames Website". https://bleedingcool.com/games/atari-relaunches-the-fully-rebuilt-optimized-mobygames-website/. 
  2. ↑ Litchfield, Ted (2021-11-26). "Zombie company Atari to devour MobyGames". https://www.pcgamer.com/zombie-company-atari-to-devour-mobygames/. 
  3. ↑ "MobyGames FAQ: Emails Answered § When will my submission be approved?". Blue Flame Labs. 30 March 2014. http://www.mobygames.com/info/faq7#g1. 
  4. ↑ "The MobyGames Standards and Practices". Blue Flame Labs. 6 January 2016. http://www.mobygames.com/info/standards. 
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Miller, Stanley A. (2003-04-22). "People's choice awards honor favorite Web sites". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. 
  6. ↑ "20 Years of MobyGames" (in en). 2019-02-28. https://trixter.oldskool.org/2019/02/28/20-years-of-mobygames/. 
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Plunkett, Luke (2022-03-10). "Atari Buys MobyGames For $1.5 Million". https://kotaku.com/mobygames-retro-credits-database-imdb-atari-freyholtz-b-1848638521. 
  8. ↑ "Report: MobyGames Acquired By GameFly Media". Gamasutra. 2011-02-07. https://www.gamedeveloper.com/game-platforms/report-mobygames-acquired-by-gamefly-media. 
  9. ↑ Corriea, Alexa Ray (December 31, 2013). "MobyGames purchased from GameFly, improvements planned". http://www.polygon.com/2013/12/31/5261414/mobygames-purchased-from-gamefly-improvements-planned. 
  10. ↑ Wawro, Alex (31 December 2013). "Game dev database MobyGames getting some TLC under new owner". Gamasutra. https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/game-dev-database-mobygames-getting-some-tlc-under-new-owner. 
  11. ↑ "Atari invests in Anstream, may buy MobyGames". November 24, 2021. https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2021-11-24-atari-invests-in-anstream-may-buy-mobygames. 
  12. ↑ Rousseau, Jeffrey (2022-03-09). "Atari purchases Moby Games". https://www.gamesindustry.biz/atari-purchases-moby-games. 
  13. ↑ "Atari Completes MobyGames Acquisition, Details Plans for the Site's Continued Support". March 8, 2022. https://www.atari.com/atari-completes-mobygames-acquisition-details-plans-for-the-sites-continued-support/. 
  14. ↑ "Atari has acquired game database MobyGames for $1.5 million" (in en-GB). 2022-03-09. https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/atari-has-acquired-game-database-mobygames-for-1-5-million/. 
  15. ↑ Stanton, Rich (2022-03-10). "Atari buys videogame database MobyGames for $1.5 million". https://www.pcgamer.com/atari-buys-videogame-database-mobygames-for-dollar15-million/. 
  16. ↑ Harris, John (2024-03-09). "MobyGames Offering “Pro” Membership". https://setsideb.com/mobygames-offering-pro-membership/. 
  17. ↑ "MobyGames on Patreon". http://www.patreon.com/mobygames. 
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