NBA In The Zone 2 on N64 is one of those mid-tier basketball games that somehow nails the arcade feel better than most. The animations are a little stiff by today’s standards, but back then, pulling off a smooth crossover or a last-second buzzer-beater actually felt satisfying. The Japanese version has some subtle differences—roster tweaks, slightly faster gameplay—that make it weirdly more fun than the US release if you’re into that.

You’ve got all the classic 90s NBA teams, and the controls are simple enough that you can just pick it up and play, but there’s some depth if you dig into the playbooks. The commentary’s hilariously repetitive after a while, but that’s part of the charm. If you’ve burned out on NBA Jam and want something with a tiny bit more realism without going full sim, this one’s a solid pick.