NBA Courtside 2 was one of those N64 sports games that actually felt like a step up from arcade-style hoops—more simulation than NBA Jam, but still fast enough to keep things fun. The controls take a minute to get used to (that right stick does a lot), but once you figure out the post moves and quick passes, it plays surprisingly smooth for a late-90s basketball game.

Kobe’s on the cover, but the real star is how well the game captures that era of the NBA—the rosters, the jerseys, even the way players move feels like watching a broadcast from ‘99. Graphics were solid for the time, though don’t expect modern detail. The commentary’s cheesy in that nostalgic way, and the soundtrack’s got that classic sports game vibe.

If you’re into retro sports games, this one holds up better than most from the N64 era.