NBA Live '96 on the Sega Genesis was my go-to basketball game back in the day—way before fancy graphics and motion-captured animations. The pixelated players somehow still had swagger, especially when you pulled off a ridiculous dunk with someone like Shaq or Scottie Pippen.

The controls are simple—pass, shoot, turbo—but there’s a weirdly satisfying rhythm to the gameplay. You’ll miss a few three-pointers at first (the shot meter’s brutal), but once you get the hang of it, nailing a last-second fadeaway feels way better than it should for a 16-bit game.

Season mode’s where I spent most of my time, tweaking lineups and pretending my Genesis could simulate real NBA drama. The commentary’s hilariously repetitive, but hearing "He’s on fire!" after your third bucket in a row never gets old.

If you’re into retro sports games, this one holds up way better than most from the era. Just don’t expect modern mechanics—this is pure, janky '90s basketball nostalgia.