NBA Live 97
NBA Live 97 — frequently asked questions
- What platforms is NBA Live 97 on?
- NBA Live 97 was released on Super Nintendo Entertainment System, Sega Mega Drive/Genesis, Sega Saturn, PlayStation, Sega Genesis/Mega Drive, DOS.
- When did NBA Live 97 release?
- NBA Live 97 was first released on October 31, 1996.
About NBA Live 97
NBA Live 97 is a basketball game with an emphasis on realism. You can choose from all of the NBA teams, create a team with players you create yourself, or choose a team formed by the All-Star players of the east or West coasts. When you create a player yourself you can customize the player to a high degree. There are over 60 offensive and 10 defensive set-ups. Match options include an exhibition match, a whole season or the playoffs.
Summary via IGDB.
Game details
- Platforms
- Super Nintendo Entertainment System, Sega Mega Drive/Genesis, Sega Saturn, PlayStation, Sega Genesis/Mega Drive, DOS
- Publisher
- Tec Toy
- 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 | Fake risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sega Genesis | 1996 | $5 | $13 | $60 | Low |
Also released on: Super Nintendo Entertainment System · Sega Mega Drive/Genesis · Sega Saturn · PlayStation · Sega Genesis/Mega Drive · DOS. 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 | $11 | $25 | — |
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 month
- Complete: about once a week
- Sealed: about 2 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 $0.75 in Oct 2007, $4.82 five years ago, and $4.69 as of Oct 2026.
Show as table
| Month | Loose | Complete |
|---|---|---|
| Jan 2008 | $0.75 | — |
| Jan 2009 | $0.75 | — |
| Jan 2010 | $0.75 | — |
| Jan 2011 | $1.95 | — |
| Jan 2012 | $0.90 | — |
| Jan 2013 | $0.87 | — |
| Jan 2014 | $2.99 | $3.19 |
| Jan 2015 | $3.13 | $5.99 |
| Jan 2016 | $3.59 | $4.26 |
| Jan 2017 | $2.63 | $5.45 |
| Jan 2018 | $4.75 | $6.99 |
| Jan 2019 | $2.95 | $5.65 |
| Jan 2020 | $4.23 | $4.43 |
| Jan 2021 | $3.51 | $5.13 |
| Jan 2022 | $5.04 | $7.03 |
| Jan 2023 | $6.88 | $7.99 |
| Jan 2024 | $4.56 | $8.27 |
| Jan 2025 | $3.00 | $7.25 |
| Jan 2026 | $6.10 | $10.09 |
| Oct 2026 | $4.69 | $13.47 |
Monthly price estimates from PriceCharting's completed-sale records, sampled quarterly, through Oct 2026.
Release record
| Territory | Date | Barcode |
|---|---|---|
| North America | November 1996 | 014633077285 |
| Europe / PAL | 1996 | — |
- Region
- NA+EU
- Released
- 1996
- Authenticity
- Low
The 16-bit take on EA's 1996 basketball game, nearly free in the US and noticeably dearer in Europe.
NBA Live 97 on the Genesis was made by NuFX and Hitmen Productions for EA Sports and came out in North America in November 1996 and in Europe the same year. It was the third NBA Live. Electronic Arts sold it alongside versions for the Super NES and the newer consoles, and promoted the 1996 edition for its updated teams and rosters.
What the press said at the time
“NBA Live '97 is the quintessential basketball title on the Genesis and is worth every penny for both the seasoned veteran and the hoops rookie.”
“And, apart from that not entirely earth shattering addition, updated teams for the current season are all this new upgrade has to offer over previ ous incarnations of the game.”
How the Sega Genesis version differs
GamePro called the Genesis version the quintessential basketball title on the Genesis.
A different GamePro critic reviewed the Super NES version in the same issue and scored it slightly lower than the Genesis version in sound, control and funfactor.
Also on other platforms
Sega Genesis/Mega Drive · PlayStation · Super NES · MS-DOS · Sega Saturn
- Sega Saturn. The Saturn conversion was reviled for numerous technical deficiencies; it was the first NBA Live on the Saturn.
- MS-DOS. The MS-DOS, Saturn and PlayStation versions used polygonal on-court players, making this the first 3D EA Sports basketball sequel in the series.
Before you buy
Among US carts it sits near the bottom on price. The European cart usually costs a good deal more than the US one, loose and complete. Sega Retro lists it as working with EA's 4 Way Play. The cartridge saves to a battery inside it, so check that a save holds; a replaced battery is a normal repair, not a sign of a fake.
NBA Live 97 screenshots
Watch on YouTube
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