Bulls vs. Blazers and the NBA Playoffs
| Bulls vs. Blazers and the NBA Playoffs | |
|---|---|
 European Mega Drive cover featuring (left to right): Terry Porter, Horace Grant, Scottie Pippen, Clifford Robinson,
Kevin Duckworth and Will Perdue | |
| Developer(s) | Electronic Arts |
| Publisher(s) | EA Sports |
| Composer(s) | Michael Bartlow |
| Series | NBA Playoffs |
| Platform(s) | Super NES, Sega Mega Drive/Genesis |
| Release | SNESGenesis |
| Genre(s) | Sports |
| Mode(s) | Single-player, Multiplayer |
Bulls vs. Blazers and the NBA Playoffs is a basketball video game produced by Don Traeger and developed by Electronic Arts, first released for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System in 1992. The following year, it was released for the Sega Genesis. It was then later released for the Mega Drive, under the title NBA Playoffs: Bulls vs Blazers.
The game is the sequel to Bulls vs Lakers and the NBA Playoffs. Like its predecessor, the game's title refers to the previous season's NBA championship series, the 1992 NBA Finals match-up between the Chicago Bulls and Portland Trail Blazers.
It is the first EA basketball game to feature in-game advertisements featuring the company's "EA Sports" logo.
Gameplay
The game can be played in various ways: Players can play against each other or one player can face the CPU. Games against the CPU are divided into two modes: "One Game" or "Tournament". The latter simulates the 1992 NBA Playoffs. "Play Option" can be set to "Arcade" or "Simulation". The former allows for unlimited fouls and players do not get fatigued. "Play Level" (Difficulty) has three settings: "Pre-Season", "Reg-Season", and "Showtime". Games can be configured for 2, 5, 8, or 12 minute quarters. Players can pick from one of the 16 teams who competed in the 1992 NBA Playoffs or they can choose one of that season's All-Star teams.
Marquee Shots
Each team features at least one player with a signature move known as a "Marquee Shot". These only occur when a player presses the correct button under the right circumstances. The list of players for whom there exists a "Marquee Shot" is posted in the instruction manual. However, the move for some players will vary depending on which version of the game you are playing. Some examples are: Michael Jordan's "Kiss The Rim", Larry Bird's "Turn Around Jumper/Fade Away Jump Shot", Earvin Johnson's "Fake No-Look Pass Into Lay-Up", Tim Hardaway's "UTEP 2-Step" , Shawn Kemp's "Off-the-Glass Jam", Larry Nance's "Around the World Jam", Isiah Thomas' "Spinning 360 Lay-Up", Billy Owens' "Alley-Oop Slam", and Karl Malone's "In Your Face Slam". [2]
Teams
Western Conference:
- Portland Trail Blazers
- Los Angeles Clippers
- Utah Jazz
- Los Angeles Lakers
- San Antonio Spurs
- Phoenix Suns
- Seattle SuperSonics
- Golden State Warriors
- All Stars West
Eastern Conference:
- Chicago Bulls
- Cleveland Cavaliers
- Boston Celtics
- Miami Heat
- New York Knicks
- New Jersey Nets
- Indiana Pacers
- Detroit Pistons
- All Stars East
Reception
Super Gamer reviewed the SNES version and gave an overall score of 79% writing: "A comprehensive Basketball sim with great FX and music. Unfortunately, it runs too slowly."[3] In 2018, Complex placed the game 95th on their "The Best Super Nintendo Games of All Time".[4]
References
- ^ "Super NES Games" (PDF). Nintendo of America. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 11, 2014. Retrieved April 12, 2023.
- ^ "Bulls Vs Blazers Player Manual, Page 27" (PDF). Classic Reload.
- ^ "Bulls vs. Blazers and the NBA Playoffs Review". Super Gamer (2). United Kingdom: Paragon Publishing: 122. May 1994. Retrieved March 17, 2021.
- ^ Rich, Knight (April 30, 2018). "The Best Super Nintendo Games of All Time". Complex. Archived from the original on 2018-01-16. Retrieved 2022-01-21.