Lakers versus Celtics and the NBA Playoffs
Lakers versus Celtics and the NBA Playoffs — frequently asked questions
- What platforms is Lakers versus Celtics and the NBA Playoffs on?
- Lakers versus Celtics and the NBA Playoffs was released on Super Nintendo Entertainment System, Sega Mega Drive/Genesis, DOS, Sega Genesis/Mega Drive.
- When did Lakers versus Celtics and the NBA Playoffs release?
- Lakers versus Celtics and the NBA Playoffs was first released on January 1, 1989.
About Lakers versus Celtics and the NBA Playoffs
The first game in EA's NBA Live franchise, Lakers vs. Celtics puts the player in the driver's seat with the team of their choice, with the goal of winning it all in the 1989-90 NBA season.
Summary via IGDB.
Game details
- Platforms
- Super Nintendo Entertainment System, Sega Mega Drive/Genesis, DOS, Sega Genesis/Mega Drive
- Publisher
- Electronic Arts
- Series
- NBA
Details via IGDB.
Every version compared
Prices, contemporary reception and the studio credited for each release
| Platform | Year | Loose | Complete | Sealed | Period reviews | Fake risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sega Genesis | 1990 | $8 | $15 | $300 | 3 reviews | Low |
Also released on: Super Nintendo Entertainment System · Sega Mega Drive/Genesis · DOS · Sega Genesis/Mega Drive. We haven’t priced or authenticated those versions yet.
Collector value & authenticity
Sega Genesis · PriceCharting sold data · Verified 2026-10-29
Other releases and variants
| Release | Loose | Complete | Sealed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cardboard box release | $10 | $17 | — |
| European (PAL) release | $14 | $30 | — |
How often it sells
- Loose: about 2 times a month
- Complete: about once a week
- Sealed: about once a year
Prices marked “few sales” rest on about one recorded sale a year, so treat them as a rough guide: the next copy could sell well above or below. Expect to wait for one to come up.
Sales frequency from PriceCharting's completed-sale records, as of 2026-10-29.
Price over time
- Loose
- Complete
A loose copy sold for about $0.68 in Apr 2009, $9.91 five years ago, and $7.65 as of Oct 2026.
Show as table
| Month | Loose | Complete |
|---|---|---|
| Jan 2010 | $2.00 | — |
| Jan 2011 | $0.75 | — |
| Jan 2012 | $0.87 | — |
| Jan 2013 | $0.87 | — |
| Jan 2014 | $2.49 | $7.05 |
| Jan 2015 | $2.99 | $14.99 |
| Jan 2016 | $3.29 | $10.99 |
| Jan 2017 | $3.77 | $8.84 |
| Jan 2018 | $4.88 | $9.70 |
| Jan 2019 | $3.69 | $9.70 |
| Jan 2020 | $4.29 | $14.05 |
| Jan 2021 | $6.42 | $15.99 |
| Jan 2022 | $10.14 | $17.94 |
| Jan 2023 | $5.99 | $17.99 |
| Jan 2024 | $4.90 | $20 |
| Jan 2025 | $4.01 | $12.46 |
| Jan 2026 | $6.96 | $11.97 |
| Oct 2026 | $7.65 | $15.00 |
Monthly price estimates from PriceCharting's completed-sale records, sampled quarterly, through Oct 2026.
Release record
| Territory | Date | Product number | Barcode |
|---|---|---|---|
| North America | December 1990 | 7004 | 014633070040 |
| Europe / PAL | 1991 | — | — |
- Region
- NA+EU
- Released
- 1990
- Authenticity
- Low
An early Genesis basketball game from EA and a cheap cart on the US side.
This is the Genesis version of Lakers versus Celtics and the NBA Playoffs, made by Electronic Arts and released in North America in December 1990 and in Europe in 1991. The game first appeared on MS-DOS; the Genesis version carries the playoff teams from the 1990 NBA Playoffs rather than the earlier season. Among its stars are Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan and Patrick Ewing.
Mega magazine later placed it at number 24 in its list of the top Mega Drive games of all time.
What the press said at the time
| MegaTech Issue 1 | December 1991 | MEGATECH RATING 89% |
| Mean Machines Sega Issue 3 | December 1992 | 89% |
| Sega Pro Issue 43 | April 1995 | 70% |
“An excellent all round sports simulation which combines superb playability with realistic gameplay to provide an addictive challenge that even non-basketball fans will enjoy.”
“Vs CELTICS An excellent all round sports simulation which com bines superb playability with realistic gameplay to provide an addictive challenge that even non-bas ketball fans will enjoy.”
“If you can’t afford Bulls Versus Lakers and get the chance to pick this one up cheap, go for it.”
“This was one of the first EA sports games to fully utilise the EASN playing characteristics. It looks good апа plays well enough.”
How the Sega Genesis version differs
The Genesis version uses the 1990 NBA playoff teams, where the MS-DOS version used the 1989 teams.
Mega ranked the game 24th in its Top Mega Drive Games of All Time.
Also on other platforms
MS-DOS · Sega Genesis/Mega Drive
- MS-DOS. The MS-DOS version came first, in 1989; Computer Gaming World praised its graphics but found it too easy for action gamers and noted no league play or custom lineups.
Before you buy
Among US carts it sits below the middle. The European cart usually costs about twice as much as the US one, loose or complete. A cardboard-box edition is priced separately from the plastic-case copy, so check which one a listing is. A complete US copy means the case, cartridge and manual.
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