NBA Live 96
NBA Live 96 — frequently asked questions
- What platforms is NBA Live 96 on?
- NBA Live 96 was released on Super Nintendo Entertainment System, Sega Mega Drive/Genesis, PC (Microsoft Windows), DOS, PlayStation, Game Boy, Sega Genesis/Mega Drive.
- When did NBA Live 96 release?
- NBA Live 96 was first released on October 1, 1995.
About NBA Live 96
As with all games in the NBA Live series you can draft, trade and edit players. Play a full season, exhibition or just the playoffs. 96 includes 29 teams including the expansion Toronto and Vancouver teams.
Summary via IGDB.
Game details
- Platforms
- Super Nintendo Entertainment System, Sega Mega Drive/Genesis, PC (Microsoft Windows), DOS, PlayStation, Game Boy, Sega Genesis/Mega Drive
- Developer
- EA Sports
- Publisher
- THQ
- Game modes
- Single player, Multiplayer
- Themes
- Non-fiction
- Series
- NBA
Details via IGDB.
Reception
Every version compared
Prices, contemporary reception and the studio credited for each release
| Platform | Year | Loose | Complete | Sealed | Period reviews | Fake risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sega Genesis | 1995 | $2 | $9 | $67 | Bottom Line 8.5 | Low |
Also released on: Super Nintendo Entertainment System · Sega Mega Drive/Genesis · PC (Microsoft Windows) · DOS · PlayStation · Game Boy · 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| European (PAL) release | $6 | $17 | — |
What it needs to play
- Some modesSave battery (inside the cartridge) — saves to memory kept alive by a battery inside the cartridge; if that battery has died, saves are lost (MAME cartridge records).
How often it sells
- Loose: about once a week
- Complete: about 2 times a week
- Sealed: about 5 times a year
Sales frequency from PriceCharting's completed-sale records, as of 2026-10-29.
Price over time
- Loose
- Complete
A loose copy sold for about $0.38 in Oct 2007, $6.00 five years ago, and $2.36 as of Oct 2026.
Show as table
| Month | Loose | Complete |
|---|---|---|
| Jan 2008 | $0.75 | — |
| Jan 2009 | $0.99 | — |
| Jan 2010 | $2.25 | — |
| Jan 2011 | $0.75 | — |
| Jan 2012 | $0.87 | — |
| Jan 2013 | $0.87 | — |
| Jan 2014 | $2.95 | $7.99 |
| Jan 2015 | $3.88 | $4.97 |
| Jan 2016 | $2.99 | $4.97 |
| Jan 2017 | $3.31 | $6.14 |
| Jan 2018 | $2.97 | $6.98 |
| Jan 2019 | $4.10 | $7.50 |
| Jan 2020 | $4.38 | $7.15 |
| Jan 2021 | $3.72 | $5.12 |
| Jan 2022 | $5.80 | $9.20 |
| Jan 2023 | $6.92 | $10.80 |
| Jan 2024 | $3.24 | $9.76 |
| Jan 2025 | $5.65 | $10.96 |
| Jan 2026 | $5.68 | $9.99 |
| Oct 2026 | $2.36 | $9.00 |
Monthly price estimates from PriceCharting's completed-sale records, sampled quarterly, through Oct 2026.
Release record
| Territory | Date | Barcode |
|---|---|---|
| North America | 1995 | 014633075861 |
| Europe / PAL | 8 November 1995 | — |
- Region
- NA+EU
- Released
- 1995
- Authenticity
- Low
A strong 16-bit basketball sim and one of the cheapest US carts, with a battery to check.
NBA Live 96 is the second NBA Live game from EA Sports. The Genesis version was developed by Hitmen Productions, came out in North America in 1995 and in Europe on 8 November 1995, and has a cover showing the tip-off to Game 1 of the 1995 NBA Finals.
Next Generation approved of the Genesis version's new features, particularly the post-up move and the create-a-player feature.
What the press said at the time
| Game Informer Issue 32 | December 1995 | Bottom Line 8.5 |
“is not as good as the SNES, but this is still the best b-ball for the Genesis.”
“For the true NBA fan who can't get enough of a good thing or the first time b-ball sim buyer, this game’s a must.”
How the Sega Genesis version differs
The game introduced a Free Agent pool and Create-a-Player to the series. Michael Jordan and Charles Barkley are unlicensed but exist as hidden players in the console versions, unlocked by entering their surnames in Create-a-Player.
Next Generation called the Genesis version the best basketball simulation anywhere and said the Super NES version pales next to it as a simulator.
GamePro found the Genesis version inferior to the Super NES one, with smaller sprites, fewer colors and less smooth opening music, but still outstanding in absolute terms.
Also on other platforms
Super NES · Sega Genesis/Mega Drive · Game Boy · PlayStation · MS-DOS
- PlayStation. Create-a-Player was left out of the PlayStation version to meet release deadlines, and GamePro called it an overall mediocre effort.
- Game Boy. The Game Boy release is the only NBA Live game for that system.
Before you buy
Among US carts it is one of the cheapest. The European cart usually costs far more than the US one. The cart saves to a battery inside it, so test that a save holds; a replaced battery is a normal repair, not a sign of a fake. Sega Retro lists it as working with EA's 4 Way Play and with XBAND. EA's 4 Way Play and Sega's first Team Player do not run each other's games, while Sega's later Team Player (MK-1647) runs both in its EXTRA mode.
NBA Live 96 screenshots
Watch on YouTube
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