WARNING: PLEASE READ THE ENCLOSED CONSUMER INFORMATION AND PRECAUTIONS
BOOKLET CAREFULLY BEFORE USING YOUR NINTENDO(R) HARDWARE SYSTEM OR GAME
PACK.
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APPROPRIATENESS OF THE RATING, PLEASE CONTACT THE ESRB AT
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REGISTERED TRADEMARKS OF NINTENDO OF AMERICA INC.
STARTING THE GAME................................................2
COMMAND SUMMARY..................................................2
INTRODUCTION.....................................................5
SETTING UP THE GAME..............................................6
GAME SETUP MENU.............................................6
TEAM SELECT SCREEN..........................................9
CUSTOM TEAMS...............................................10
PLAYER SETUP SCREEN........................................11
PREGAME INTRODUCTION.......................................12
PLAYING THE GAME................................................13
OFFENSE....................................................13
DEFENSE....................................................15
INFRACTIONS................................................16
PLAYCALLING................................................18
PAUSE MENU.................................................19
END OF THE QUARTER/HALF/GAME...............................26
PRACTICE MODES..................................................27
2-ON-2 OR 3-ON-3 HALF COURT................................27
SEASON PLAY.....................................................28
STARTING A SEASON..........................................28
TEAM SCHEDULE SCREEN.......................................29
AFTER THE GAME.............................................31
THE NBA PLAYOFFS................................................32
STARTING A PLAYOFF SERIES..................................32
THE PLAYOFF TREE...........................................32
ROSTER SETUP MENU...............................................34
1. Turn OFF the power switch on your Super Nintendo Entertainment
System(R).
WARNING: Never try to insert or remove a game pak when the power is
ON.
2. Make sure a Controller is plugged into the controller socket 1 on the
Super NES(R).
> If you're playing against a friend, plug the other Controller into
controller socket 2.
3. Insert the game pak into the slot on the Super NES. Press firmly to
lock the game pak in place.
4. Turn ON the power switch. The EA SPORTS(tm) and NBA(tm) Live 97 logos
appear.
If you don't see them, begin again at step 1.
> Press START after each screen to proceed to the Game Setup menu.
COMMAND SUMMARY
GAMEPLAY CONTROLS
Control Pad Move Player
START Pause game
R button Turbo mode (see p. 4)
OFFENSE - WITH THE BALL
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Y No action X Crossover dribble/
Spin move (if available)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
B Pass (Control Pad A Shoot (press to jump;
to choose receiver) release to shoot)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
OFFENSE - WITHOUT THE BALL
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Y Call for pass X Jump/Rebound/Tip-in
(or make computer
ball handler shoot)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
B Switch to player nearest A Hand-check
the ball (Control Pad to
choose specific player)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
DEFENSE
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Y Steal X Jump to rebound or
block shot
------------------------------------------------------------------------
B Switch players A Hand-check
(Control Pad to choose
specific player)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
PLAYCALLING
> To call the set/play assigned to A, B, X, or Y, press SELECT + A, B,
X, or Y.
+ The default Offensive Play assignments are:
A: Isolation A B: Inside * A
X: Three Point A Y: Box A
+ The default Defensive Set assignments are:
A: 1/4 Court B: 3/4 Court
X: Full Court Y: Half Court
> To call the Quick Play assigned to A, B, X, or Y, press L + A, B, X,
or Y.
+ The default Offensive Quick Play assignments are:
A: Pick and Fade B: Pick and Slip
X: Hand Off Y: Pick and Roll
+ The default Defensive Quick Play assignments are:
X: Instant Foul Y: Double Team
TURBO MODE
R + Control Pad Run Faster
R + A (Check) Hard hand-check
MENU CONTROLS
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Control Pad Move highlight Control Pad Change
[up/down] up/down [left/right] highlighted option
------------------------------------------------------------------------
SELECT Return to START Continue
previous screen
(if available)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
B Action button 1 X Action button 2
------------------------------------------------------------------------
L Action button 3 R Action button 3
(left) (right)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
* NOTE: To erase all saved data and reset the battery-backed memory to
the original factory settings, see Set Options Menu on p. 8.
On every court, there are players and...everyone else. Players create.
Players push the game beyond expected boundaries.
In the arena of interactive b-ball, there's only one player: NBA Live
97.
Real 5-on-5 hoops, with all 29 teams, complete rosters, and authentic
strategy.
Take your man at the top of the circle with a spin dribble, then dish in
mid-air when the big man cuts off the lane. Launch off the floor for a
power slam. And before the ball is out of the net, call for a full
court press, because you're still down a bucket.
Be a player. Play NBA Live 97.
+ Exhibition, Season, and Playoff modes, with battery back-up and 1996-
97 schedule.
+ All 29 NBA teams, 2 All-Star teams, and 4 Custom teams.
+ Real NBA players updated with complete 1995-1996 stats.
(So put away that sports almanac; it's in the game.)
+ New Trivia Quiz - test your b-ball knowledge.
+ New larger rendered player animations.
+ New 2-on-2 and 3-on-3 practice modes.
+ Ability to create and modify custom players.
Use the Game Setup menu to choose the game mode, rules, and level of
difficulty you want to play. Different options become available
depending on which mode is selected.
> Control Pad [up/down] to highlight options.
> Control Pad [left/right] to change the highlighted option.
> Press A to go to the highlighted submenu. (A is the primary action
button in all menus.)
> Press START to continue.
ò EA TIP These controls are used in all menus in NBA Live 97, so learn
'em here and use them everywhere.
MODE EXHIBITION MODE: Play a single game with any NBA, All
Star, or Custom teams.
SEASON MODE: Start a new Season where you control an
NBA team. See Season Play on p. 28.
PLAYOFF MODE: Start a new Playoff tournament. See The
NBA Playoffs on p. 32.
LOAD SERIES: Continue a Season or Playoff saved in one
of the two memory slots.
NEW 2 ON 2 or 3 ON 3 HALF COURT practice: Work on your
individual skills in a competitive practice session
with two or three players per side.
+ If this mode is selected, the RULES option becomes
POINTS, the QUARTER option becomes OUTS, and SET RULES
changes to BASKET POINTS. See Practice Modes on p. 27.
RULES ARCADE RULES [default]: Freeform basketball where the
players never tire or get injured, and fouls and other
violations aren't called by the refs.
SIMULATION RULES: Absolute realism. Players tire, get
injured, and foul out, so you must substitute
accordingly.
CUSTOM RULES: Use last Set Rules menu settings for
rules and simulation options.
LEVEL ROOKIE LEVEL: The easiest level. It's easy to score,
and the computer team isn't too hard on you.
STARTER LEVEL [default]: Average difficulty; the
computer plays harder on defense.
ALL-STAR LEVEL: Showtime! It's difficult to make
steals or block shots, and the computer offense and
defense are cranked to the max.
QUARTER The length of a quarter can be set to 3 [default], 5,
8, or 12 MIN.
SET RULES Go to Set Rules menu. (See below.)
SET OPTIONS Go to Set Options menu. (See p. 8.)
ROSTER SETUP Go to the Roster Setup menu to modify your roster line-
up and create, edit, and trade players. (See Roster
Setup Menu on p. 34.)
SET RULES MENU
Use this menu to set custom rules and simulation options. Default
settings are listed in bold [I'll point out defaults in brackets].
DEFENSIVE FOULS This slider (OFF by default) sets the defensive foul
sensitivity. More fouls are called the more the bar is
filled.
OFFENSIVE FOULS Sets the offensive foul sensitivity (OFF by default).
OUT OF BOUNDS Toggle out of bounds calls ON/OFF [default OFF].
FATIGUE Toggle player fatigue ON/OFF [default OFF].
INJURIES Turn player injuries ON/OFF [default OFF]. When
Injuries are ON, every time a player gets knocked down
there is a slight chance he will be injured.
In an Exhibition game, an injured player is only
affected during the current game. In season or Playoff
mode, he is out for 1-7 games.
SET OPTIONS MENU
Set sound and control options.
OVERALL VOLUME This slider sets the volume of the sound effects and
music that play during menu screens.
SFX VOLUME Set game sound effects volume.
MUSIC MODE ON or OFF [default ON].
CROWD SOUND Turn crowd sound ON or OFF [default ON].
SLOW MOTION Turn automatic slow motion for spectacular slams ON or
DUNKS OFF [default OFF].
SHOT CONTROL Toggle shot control between PLAYER and CPU (computer)
[default PLAYER]. In PLAYER mode, the chance the shot
will go in is determined by the distance, angle, and
release point of the shot. In CPU mode, the shot's
probability is determined by the NBA player's
statistics and attributes rather than player control.
CPU ASSISTANCE Turn CPU Assistance ON or OFF [default OFF]. When ON,
the computer increases the statistical percentages of
the team that's behind to help them get back in the
game.
SCORE OVERLAY Turn the Score Overlay ON or OFF [default ON]. The
Score Overlay displays the current score of the game in
the upper left corner of the game screen.
ERASE CARTRIDGE This function erases all saved data and resets the
battery-backed memory to the original factory settings.
To perform this function, press START + SELECT from the
Erase Cartridge screen. Or to exit this screen without
any changes, press any other button.
TEAM SELECT SCREEN
The Team Select screen appears before every Exhibition game. The
visiting team is shown on the left side of the screen, and the home team
is shown on the right. Team rankings appear below the team logos when
NBA teams are selected.
> To toggle the highlight between the home and visitor teams, press A.
> To change the highlighted team, Control Pad [left/right] to cycle
through the NBA, All-Star, and Custom teams.
> To sort the teams by ranking, highlight a rating. You then cycle
through the teams as sorted by that ranking.
> To go to the Team Info screen to view information for the highlighted
team, select TEAM INFO.
Team Info options:
> To cycle through NBA teams, Control Pad [left/right].
> To change the home or visiting team to the currently selected team,
press START. When prompted to confirm your choice, select NO
(cancel) or YES (confirm).
ò EA TIP To allow the computer to randomly match up two NBA teams,
press L + B.
> Press START to continue. The Player Setup screen appears.
In NBA Live 97, you can build up to four Custom teams, using players
from 29 NBA teams. Custom teams can only be used in Exhibition games.
To play with a Custom team:
> Select any of the four Custom teams (SLAMMERS, BLOCKERS, JAMMERS, or
STEALERS) from the Team Select screen. Press START, and the Custom
Team screen appears.
To change the players on the Custom roster:
1. Control Pad [up/down] to highlight the player you want to change,
then press A. The bottom of the screen lists the roster players for
an NBA team.
> Press the L/R buttons to cycle through the 29 NBA teams.
2. Highlight a player from an NBA team and press A to replace the
original player with the highlighted player. You return to the
roster of the Custom team.
> To cancel the transaction, highlight the player originally selected
and press A.
> To view more stats, Control Pad [left/right].
> To toggle between 1995-96 stats and current stats, press X.
* NOTE: The first time you select a Custom team, all the roster slots
are empty and read -SELECT PLAYER-. You must fill every roster
slot in order to continue.
PLAYER SETUP SCREEN
An icon representing every Controller plugged into the system appears on
this screen. Up to five players may play if a Multi-Player Adapter is
attached. In addition to selecting the team you control, you can
select, enter, and delete user names to personalize your controller to
track your user stats.
MULTIPLAYER GAMES
The Multi-Player Adapter lets up to five players play competitively or
cooperatively. Just plug the adapter into Controller Socket 2 on the
Super NES, and you're ready to go.
* NOTE: The Multi-Player Adapter is not designed for use with the Super
NES Super Scope(R), the Super NES Mouse(R), or Controller Socket
1.
> To change the setting for your Controller, Control Pad [left/right]
to position the Controller symbol under either team to select that
team or in the middle to select computer control.
> To toggle the control method, press the L/R buttons. When the
control arrow points up, Control Pad diagonally [default] to move up
and down the court. When the control arrow points diagonally,
Control Pad [left/right] to move up and down the court.
> To cycle through player names, Control Pad [up/down]. Press A to
select the highlighted name.
TO ENTER A NEW PLAYER NAME, highlight NEW and press A. Control Pad
[up/down] to select a letter, then Control Pad [left/right] to
delete/add a letter.
> When you've entered the last letter, press START to enter the name.
TO DELETE A NAME, highlight DELETE and press A. Highlight a user name,
then press X to delete that name.
> When all players have pressed A to select their user names, press
START to continue. The Pregame Introduction screens appear.
PREGAME INTRODUCTION
Before the game, the Pregame Introduction screens set the stage for the
basketball action to follow. First, the Game Introduction screen
announces the teams and home court.
> Press START to continue. The Team Matchup screen appears.
> The Team Matchup screen compares the two teams. One to three
basketballs indicate strength in each of five categories.
SCORING: Scoring ability.
REBOUNDS: Offensive and defensive rebounding.
BALL CONTROL: Passing and dribbling ability.
DEFENSE: Shot blocking and steals.
OVERALL: Overall matchup.
> Press START to continue. The player introductions introduce the
starting players from both teams. Press START to go directly to the
tip-off.
THE TIP-OFF
Every game starts with a tip-off between the centers.
> To jump for the tip-off, press X.
You control the man over the star/circle control symbol. On offense,
you control the man over the star. On defense, the star changes to a
circle. Depending on which Controller you're using, the control symbol
has a different color:
Player 1 BLUE
Player 2 RED
Player 3 GREEN
Player 4 CYAN
Player 5 PURPLE
If your player is offscreen, an arrow the same color as your control
symbol points toward him from the edge of the screen. Press the Control
Pad in the opposite direction to bring him back onscreen.
Just like in the NBA, offense and defense require different skills in
NBA Live 97. While the Control Pad is always used to move your player,
the buttons have different functions on offense and defense. Learn the
controls first, then you can focus on your basketball skills and
strategy.
ò EA TIP When your player's control symbol is pulsing, he's on a hot
streak, and his attributes are temporarily boosted.
OFFENSE
MOVING WITH AND WITHOUT THE BALL
> Press the Control Pad in the direction that you want to move. You
continue to move and dribble as long as you hold down the Control
Pad. When you release the Control Pad, you stop moving, but maintain
your dribble.
> To execute a crossover dribble or spin move, press X. The dribbling
move your player executes is determined by his Dribbling rating and
his proximity to other players.
> Once you leave your feet to shoot you must release the ball before
you land, or the refs call traveling.
> To run faster, hold down the R button while moving. This kicks you
into Turbo mode, where you may be able to catch another player from
behind or make a lightning drive to the bucket.
If you don't have the ball, you can hand-check your defender to get
better position:
> To hand-check, press A. To give an especially hard hand-check, hold
R while pressing A. (The ref may call you for a foul, though.)
PASSING
> To pass to the default receiver, press B. To retain control of the
passer (perfect for give and go plays), hold B until the receiver
catches the ball.
> To pass to a specific player, use the Control Pad to aim the pass
while pressing B.
> To throw an alley-oop pass, throw the ball to a player with a clear
path to the basket. If he is in a position to jump for an alley-oop,
an alley-oop play is automatically executed.
> To call for a pass from a computer-controlled player, press Y.
ò EA TIP Since you can throw the ball faster than you can run, passing
is the quickest way to move the ball on the court. Ball
movement is the key to offensive success - NBA defenses can
contain almost any single player, but good passing gives fits
to even the best defense.
SHOOTING
Players shoot differently depending on who and where they are. For
instance, when shooting from the outside, the player will try a
jumpshot. Closer in, and he may try a hook shot. Near the hoop he'll
try one of a variety of slams (assuming he can slam) or layups.
> To shoot, press and hold A. Release the ball at the top of your jump
by releasing the button.
> To fake a shot, tap A.
ò EA TIP If SHOT CONTROL in the Set Options menu is set to PLAYER,
you'll shoot more accurately if you get your feet set before
you shoot and release the ball at the top of your jump.
ò EA TIP If you press B before you release A, you can still pass the
ball after you leave your feet to shoot.
REBOUNDING AND TIP-INS
When you don't have the ball, you can crash the boards. If your player
has good position, he automatically tries to tip the ball back in the
basket.
> To jump to grab a rebound or tip the ball in, press X.
24 SECOND SHOT CLOCK
> From the moment your team gains possession of the ball, you have 24
seconds to get off a shot that hits the rim. Each time the ball hits
the rim or a change of possession occurs, the clock is reset. The 24
second clock appears at the bottom left of the screen when there are 10
or fewer seconds left.
+ If you don't get a shot off before the 24 second clock expires, the
referee calls a shot clock violation, and the other team gets
possession.
DEFENSE
Everyone wants to make the sports highlights with awesome dunks, but to
win games you have to play tough D.
SWITCHING DEFENDERS
You can switch to the defender nearest the ball at any time, assuming he
isn't controlled by another human player.
> To take control of the defender closest to the ball (between the ball
and basket), press B.
> To take control of a specific defender, Control Pad in the direction
of the defender and press B.
ò EA TIP Your first order on defense is to stop the ball, so get a man
on the ballhandler before he reaches the top of the key. This
cuts off easy penetration and slows down the offense.
STEALS
When you're close to the ballhandler, you can try to reach in and steal
the ball.
> To try to steal the ball from an opponent, press Y.
ò EA TIP You have to be close to the man with the ball to pull off a
steal. But don't get too aggressive, unless you want to get
whistled for a foul.
SHOT BLOCKING AND REBOUNDING
You can jump to try to block a shot or grab a rebound.
> To jump to reject a shot or work the glass, press X.
ò EA TIP Dont jump for the ball too quickly after a shot or you may
get called for goaltending.
INFRACTIONS
When the refs spot an infraction on the court, they blow the whistle to
stop play, and the violation is displayed onscreen.
FOULS
An offensive player gets to take free throws:
+ When a player is fouled after the defense commits 5 or more team
fouls in a quarter, the offensive player gets 2 free throws.
Offensive fouls don't count as team fouls.
+ When a player is fouled in the act of shooting, he goes to the line.
The basket counts if it is good, and the player gets 1 free throw.
If the basket is missed, the player gets 2 free throws (3 if he was
fouled while shooting a three-pointer).
+ After a flagrant foul, the offense gets 2 free throws plus possession
of the ball.
FREE THROWS
Use the T-Meter(tm) to aim your shots from the line. The T-Meter appears
when your player goes to the charity stripe.
The ball moves left/right on the horizontal bar to control the
left/right accuracy of your shot.
> Press A when the ball is in the center of the bar to aim your shot.
The ball moves up/down on the vertical bar to control the distance of
your free throw.
> Press A when the ball is in the center of the vertical bar. The
player shoots the ball, and normal play resumes after the final free
throw.
The speed the basketball cursor travels on the bars of the T-Meter is
controlled by the player's Free Throw rating - the better the rating,
the slower the ball travels.
ò EA TIP If playing against another human player, there is a definite
home court advantage! When the visitor shoots free throws,
his opponent can rapidly press A, B, X, or Y to animate the
home crowd background, making it harder to concentrate on the
T-Meter.
PLAYCALLING
You can assign four different Sets and/or specific Plays for both
offensive and defense from the Strategy menu, and then call them on the
fly during the game. In addition, you can assign offensive and
defensive Quick Plays. See Strategy Menu on p. 21 for instructions on
selecting sets and plays.
> To call the Set/Play assigned to A, B, X, or Y, press SELECT + A, B,
X, or Y. If your team has possession of the ball, an offensive play
is called; on defense, a defensive play is called.
> To call the Quick Play assigned to A, B, X, or Y, press L + A, B, X,
or Y.
> Follow the steps from the animated diagram to execute the play.
Computer-controlled players will move as outlined on the diagram, but
you must control the actions of the ballhandler.
* NOTE: The plays and sets are guidelines, but NBA players aren't
robots - you make the play happen. We've drawn the X's and
O's, but it's up to you to orchestrate your team.
The Pause menu appears whenever you press START during a game. You must
pause the game to call a time out, make a substitution, or choose from
other menu options. The TIME OUT and SUBSTITUTION options are not
always available - for instance, you can make a substitution only when
the play clock is stopped. When options are grayed out, they cannot be
selected.
TIME OUTS
You can pause the game at any time, but you must have possession of the
ball to call a time out. The number of time outs remaining is listed
after TIME OUT in the Pause menu. Each team gets 7 time outs per game.
(If you call a time out after your 7 are exhausted, a technical foul is
called and the other team shoots a free throw - but the clock is
stopped.)
To call a time out:
> Highlight TIME OUT from the Pause menu and press B. The SUBSTITUTION
option becomes available if it was not already.
SUBSTITUTION
You can make player substitutions when the play clock is stopped between
periods, by a time out, or by a violation such as a foul or out of
bounds. When the clock is not stopped, the SUBSTITUTION option isn't
available.
To make a substitution:
1. When the clock is stopped, select SUBSTITUTION from the Pause menu.
The Substitution screen lists the 5 players currently in the game.
> To toggle between the two teams to check out your opponent's line-up,
press L/R. (You can only make substitutions for the team you
control, however.)
> To cycle between game stats, player ratings, 1995-96 stats, and
season/playoff stats (if applicable), press X.
> To cycle through the available statistics/ratings for the players,
Control Pad [left/right].
2. To highlight a player for substitution, Control Pad [up/down].
3. To substitute for the highlighted player, press A. A screen listing
the available bench players appears.
4. Highlight a bench player, and press A to insert that player into the
lineup. To return to the Pause menu, press START or SELECT.
ò EA TIP Try to sub in a player who plays the same position as the
player you're replacing - don't put a center in for the point
guard.
REPLAY
You can replay the last few seconds of action during the game.
> Select REPLAY from the Pause menu. An overlay displaying the game
clock and the button functions appears at the bottom of the screen.
X: Frame reverse
Y: Play reverse
A: Play forward
B: Frame forward
> To move the center of the Replay screen, Control Pad in any
direction.
> To toggle between normal and reverse angle, press SELECT.
Go to the Offensive Plays menu to select offensive plays and strategy.
You can have the computer automatically choose sets and plays, or you
can choose four sets/plays to call during the action.
CPU SELECTS Select this option to have the computer automatically
select your offensive sets and plays. (But you can
still call your own plays when you want.) When set to
OFF [default], you call all your plays manually, and
any play or set you call is run until you call another.
> To toggle an option ON (*)/OFF, highlight the option
and press A.
CRASH BOARDS Go after offensive rebounds aggressively if ON (*), and
get back on defense if OFF [default].
Offensive Sets and Plays
Seven offensive sets are available in NBA Live 97, and each set contains
from 4-10 plays.
Press A, B, X, or Y to assign highlighted play to button
> To cycle through the plays for the highlighted set, Control Pad
[left/right].
As you select plays, the animated diagram on the right displays the
motion of the players and the ball. In the diagram:
------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 Point Guard 2 Shooting Guard
------------------------------------------------------------------------
3 Small Forward 4 Power Forward
------------------------------------------------------------------------
5 Center 0 Player with the ball
------------------------------------------------------------------------
The first play in each set has an "A" for automatic after it. When an
Automatic play is selected, the computer randomly chooses a play from
the offensive set when that set is called, and then keeps calling plays
from that set until another set or play is called. If you select a
specific play (i.e., any play other than "A"), that play is run until
you select another.
> To select the highlighted set/play and assign it to a button, press
A, B, X, or Y. The selected play is assigned to that button, and any
other play assigned to that button is cleared.
> To call the appropriate play during the game, press SELECT + A, B, X,
or Y.
DEFENSIVE SETS
Go to Defensive Sets screen to select defensive sets and options.
CPU SELECTS When set to ON (*), the computer selects defensive sets
automatically. When set to OFF [default], any
defensive set you call is maintained until you call a
different set.
PRESSURE Select LOW, MEDIUM [default], or HIGH defensive
pressure. Higher pressure may lead to more steals, but
also more fouls.
Defensive Sets
Five defensive sets are available, including man-to-man and trapping
sets. The clipboard diagram on the right side of the screen shows the
alignment for the highlighted set. Sets are selected and called in the
same manner as offensive sets, except that there are no individual plays
- only basic sets.
In the NBA, a basic play such as a pick and roll between a point guard
and a power forward can be the cornerstone of a team's offensive
success. In NBA Live 97, you can call your own NBA-style Quick Plays on
the fly. Quick Plays differ from standard plays in that they are quick,
simple, and can be run from any set (but do not alter the set).
Quick Plays are selected and called in the same manner as plays, and any
button assigned to a Quick Play overwrites any other offensive set or
play assigned to that button. The diagrams show a typical situation in
which the Quick Play can be called. However, the plays will execute
differently depending on which player calls the play and where the
player is located on the court. Experiment for best results.
> To call the appropriate Quick Play during the game, press L + A, B,
X, or Y.
DEF. QUICK PLAYS
The two Defensive Quick Plays let you stop the clock with a foul or
double-team the ballhandler without altering your basic defensive set.
INSTANT FOUL Computer players try to foul the ballhandler to stop
the clock.
DOUBLE TEAM Computer players try to double-team the ballhandler.
> To call the appropriate Quick Play during the game, press L + X or Y.
DEFENSIVE MATCHUPS
Go to Defensive Matchups screen.
> To select the highlighted player, press A.
> To change the opposing player that the selected player guards,
highlight the player you want to guard, and press A again. The
player who was guarding the man you selected now guards your original
man.
> To toggle double-teaming ON (Y) or OFF (N) [default] for the selected
player, Control Pad [left/right]. When on, the computer-controlled
defensive players try to double-team the ballhandler.
ò EA TIP Double-teaming is a good way to shut down a player who's
lighting you up.
SUBSTITUTION
Toggle between MANUAL and AUTO [default] player substitution. When set
to AUTO, the computer subs for tired players automatically.
> To view the player changes when the computer makes an AUTO
substitution, press START when a substitution message appears on the
screen.
OFFENSIVE SWITCH
Set the mode for switching players on offense when you don't control the
ballhandler. When you press B without pressing the Control Pad, you
switch to the player closest to the ball (unless this setting is OFF).
This option controls how the Control Pad affects player switching.
OFF Disables player switching, so you control the same
player all the time. To use this feature, switch to
the player you want to control, pause the game, and
select OFF. You now always control the same player on
offense.
BALL [default] Switch players relative to the ball. When you press
B + [up], you control the closest player in the up
direction from the ballhandler.
PLAYER Switch players relative to the player you now control.
When you press B + [up], you control the closest player
in the up direction from your current player.
CLOSEST Switch to the player closest to the ball, regardless of
what direction you press the Control Pad.
Set the mode for switching players on defense in the same manner as
OFFENSIVE SWITCH. The default setting is BALL.
PLAY NOTIFY
Toggle notification of playcalling ON/OFF [default OFF]. When ON, an
overlay on the game screen lists the play being called.
COACH MODE
Toggle coaching mode ON/OFF [default OFF]. When ON, you can call plays,
pause the game, etc., but you donÆt directly control any players.
STATISTICS MENU
View stats for the current game or, if available, the current series.
TEAM STATS Go to the Team Stats screen to view both teamsÆ
statistics for the current game.
PLAYER STATS Go to the Player Stats screen to view statistics for
NBA players. The team you control is shown by default.
> To switch to the other team, press L/R.
> To cycle between game stats, player ratings, 1995-96
stats, and series stats (Season or Playoff modes only),
press X.
USER STATS Go to the User Stats screen to view stats (sorted by
Controller) for all human players participating in the
current game.
> To toggle between Game and Career stats, press X.
SHOT CHART View a shot chart showing made shots (green 0) and
those you missed (red X).
> To switch to the other team, press L/R.
PLAY OPTIONS MENU
The Play Options menu gives you access to options and rules screens.
SET RULES Go to the Set Rules screen to change specific rules.
See Set Rules Menu on p. 7.
SET OPTIONS Go to the Set Options menu (p. 8).
PLAYER SETUP Change controller options. See Player Setup Screen on
p. 11.
EXIT GAME Go to the Exit menu. Select EXIT CURRENT GAME to quit
the game; select DO NOT EXIT to return to the Play
Options menu.
In Season or Playoff mode, you have the option to exit
the entire season or playoff as well as the current
game.
END OF THE QUARTER/HALF/GAME
END OF THE QUARTER: The buzzer sounds, play stops, and the score is
displayed. Press START, and the Qtr Stats screen appears. Press START
to continue, and the teams return to the floor.
END OF THE HALF: After the score is displayed, the Key Players screen
highlights a player from each team, followed by the Halftime Stats
screen. (To view additional stats, Control Pad [left/right].) Press
START to continue after each screen, and a trivia question appears.
(The answer is given after the third quarter.) When play resumes, all
uninjured players are at full Stamina.
END OF THE GAME: After the final buzzer, the final score is displayed.
Press START, and the game stats of the Player of the game are shown.
Press START after each screen, and the End of Game stats are displayed
followed by the Statistics menu. (See Statistics Menu on p. 25.) When
you're through looking at the screens, press START to go to the Game
Setup menu.
PRACTICE MODES
Created to tighten your game, the 2-on-2 or 3-on-3 Half Court practice
games are new and ready for use. Nothing can sharpen your skills faster
than a little quick and dirty competition.
2-ON-2 OR 3-ON-3 HALF COURT
Selecting either of these modes places you in a halfcourt practice game
to a specified number of points. Arcade rules are in effect, so don't
look for the ref to bail you out with a call when you get fouled on the
way to the hoop. Define just how quick you want this competition to
last from the Game Setup menu.
POINTS Set the number of points it takes to win to 7
[default], 11, 15, 21, 30, or 50. The first team to
the specified point total, with a 2 point lead, wins
the game.
OUTS Select LOSER'S OUTS [default] to let the other team
inbound the ball after a basket or WINNER'S OUTS to
give the ball back to the team who makes the bucket.
Winner's outs make it easier to get on a run; loser's
outs ensure a more balanced game.
BASKET PTS Select 1 AND 2 POINT or 2 AND 3 POINT [default] BASKETS
to set the scoring for normal shots and shots from
behind the 3-point line.
1. When you continue from the Game Setup screen, the 2 on 2 (or 3 on 3)
Setup screen appears. To toggle between team slots, press A; to
cycle through teams, press L/R; to highlight a player slot, Control
Pad [up/down]; to cycle through players for the highlighted slot,
Control Pad [left/right].
2. Press START, and the Player Setup screen appears. Select controller
options as normal, and the game begins.
+ The ball must be cleared beyond the 3-point line after every change
of possession. A tone and screen message signal successful
clearance.
SEASON PLAY
You can take a team through an entire season in NBA Live 97. You can
play and/or simulate your way right on to the NBA Playoffs and the
Finals. Two memory slots for saving season or playoff series (including
stats) are provided, so you can save and resume your season any way you
want.
STARTING A SEASON
1. From the Game Setup menu, select SEASON from the MODE option.
2. Set up the remaining options, then press START. The Team Select
screen appears.
To continue a saved Season:
1. From the Game Setup menu, select LOAD SERIES from the MODE option.
Press START to continue, and the Load Series screen appears.
2. Select one of the two memory slots, and press START. You return to
the position at which the season was saved.
In Season mode, the Team Select screen allows you to choose the team
you'll control through the season and choose the number of games in the
season.
TEAM Control Pad [left/right] to select from the 29 NBA
teams. Ratings for the selected team are displayed to
the right of the screen.
SEASON Select from 82 (the standard NBA schedule) [default],
28, or 56 game seasons.
> Press START to continue. The Team Schedule screen appears.
TEAM SCHEDULE SCREEN
Use this screen to play or simulate games throughout your team's season;
view league standings, and scheduled games; or make player trades.
> To move through your teamÆs schedule by day, Control Pad
[left/right].
> To activate the highlighted option, press A.
> To jump to the next scheduled game, press START or X. If the next
scheduled game is already highlighted, pressing START takes you to
the game.
PLAY Play the currently highlighted game. You can only play
or simulate the next game; you cannot skip any unplayed
games.
SIMULATE Simulate the currently highlighted game. The game
score appears beneath the team names.
* NOTE: If quitting Season play, you must save the last simulated game
in order to play out the rest of the season.
STANDINGS View League Standings by division.
> To cycle through the NBA divisions, Control Pad
[left/right].
> To cycle through the NBA teams, Control Pad [up/down].
CALENDAR View the league schedule by day.
> To page through the league schedule by day, Control Pad
[left/right]. (To page by month, press L/R.)
* NOTE: The TNT logo indicates games broadcast on TNT.
ROSTER SETUP Go to the Roster Setup menu (p. 34).
GO TO PLAYOFFS Go directly to the Playoffs, with the current standings
determining the Playoff seeding. See the NBA Playoffs
on p. 32.
SAVE Go to the Save Series screen. See Save Series Screen
on p. 31.
After a Season game, the postgame and Statistics screens appear as
normal. Press START to continue, and the Save Series screen appears.
SAVE SERIES SCREEN
1. To select a memory slot, highlight one of the two slots and press A.
The current Season series is listed in the selected slot.
> To toggle between SAVE and DO NOT SAVE, Control Pad [left/right]. If
you want to save the series, be sure to select SAVE before exiting
the screen.
2. To continue, press START. You return to the Team Schedule screen.
END OF THE SEASON
The Standings screen appears after the Save Series screen. Teams that
qualify for the playoffs are highlighted in gold (division winners in
red, and conference champions in blue). Press START to advance to the
Playoff Tree screen. If you made the playoffs, see Starting a Playoff
Series on p. 32. If you didn't make the playoffs, the Playoff Tree
displays the playoff results. Press START to return to the Game Setup
screen.
The playoffs come but once a year in the NBA, but you can create your
own playoff atmosphere any time you want in NBA Live 97. You can start
with an NBA team in Season play and try to make the playoffs, or set up
your own custom playoffs using any NBA teams.
STARTING A PLAYOFF SERIES
FROM THE GAME SETUP MENU: When you start a new Playoff series from the
Game Setup menu, you can choose the teams that play in the series, as
well as which teams are human-controlled.
1. From the Game Setup menu, select PLAYOFF MODE from the MODE option.
2. Set up the remaining options, then press START. The Playoff Tree
screen appears.
FROM SEASON PLAY: If your team qualifies for the playoffs, the Playoff
Tree appears after the end of the season, and your team is highlighted
with a control star. Playoffs proceed as normal, except that you cannot
change the teams or human control stars.
THE PLAYOFF TREE
Press L/R to cycle through teams for highlighted slot
Press A to toggle human control Star on/off for highlighted team
> To highlight a team, Control Pad [up/down]. To scroll the screen
left/right, Control Pad [left right].
> To toggle human control on/off for the highlighted team, press A.
Human-controlled teams have a blue star behind the team name at the
bottom of the screen. Games involving human-controlled teams are
played; other games are simulated.
> To change the team in the highlighted playoff slot before the
playoffs begin, press L/R to cycle through the NBA teams. A team can
appear in more than one playoff slot.
> To change the series schedule, highlight GAMES in the center of the
screen. Press A to cycle through the choices. Choose from 5-7-7-7
(the NBA format; 5 games in the first round and 7 games thereafter)
[default], 1-1-1-1, 1-3-3-3, or 3-5-5-5.
> To go to the Roster Setup screen to change your playoff roster,
select ROSTER SETUP. See Roster Setup Menu on p. 34.
> To continue, press START. The Playoff options appear at the center
of the screen:
PLAY: Play the next scheduled Playoff game. Press A, and the Player
Setup screen appears. Gameplay proceeds as normal.
SIMULATE: Simulate the next Playoff game.
SAVE: Go to the Save Series screen (p. 31).
REORDER ROSTER: Go to the Re-Order Roster menu (p. 37).
EXIT: Exit the Playoff.
END OF THE GAME
After a Playoff game, the postgame and Statistics screens appear as
normal. Press START to continue, and the Save Series screen appears.
1. To select a memory slot, highlight one of the two slots and press A.
The current Playoff series is listed in the selected slot.
> To toggle between SAVE and DO NOT SAVE, Control Pad [left/right].
2. To continue, press START. You return to the Playoff Tree screen.
> If you win your round, the procedure is the same as any other game,
except when you return to the Playoff Tree your team icon is moved to
the next bracket and you face a new opponent.
> If you lose a round, you return to the Playoff Tree screen to see the
final playoff results after the postgame screens. Press START after
each screen to return to the Game Setup screen.
ROSTER SETUP MENU
>From the Roster Setup menu, you can trade players as well as create
Custom players to change the roster and starting lineup for any team(s).
* NOTE: Team rosters are determined by actual NBA rosters as of August
13, 1996. Some players are not included in the game for legal
or contractual reasons.
TRADE PLAYERS SCREEN
You can trade players between your team and any other team, as well as
pick up free agents from the Free Agents pool. You're the GM here - you
make the deals!
1. Select TRADE PLAYERS from the Roster Setup menu. The Trade Players
screen appears.
2. Highlight the player you wish to trade, and press A. The bottom
portion of the screen lists the roster of another NBA team.
> To cycle through the NBA teams, including the Free Agents pool, press
L/R.
> To cycle through the statistics/ratings for the players, Control Pad
[left/right]. (X to toggle between 1995-96 stats and ratings.)
3. To accept the trade for the highlighted player, press A. (Or to
abort the trade, highlight the original player and press A.) You
return to the Trade Players screen.
You can create and edit up to 24 players in NBA Live 97. Newly created
players are placed in the Free Agents pool, and may be picked up by any
team.
1. Select CREATE PLAYERS from the Roster Setup menu, and the Create
Player screen appears.
CREATE PLAYER
NAME Enter a player name of up to 12 teams.
> Press A to access the Name, then Control Pad [up/down]
to change a highlighted letter; Control Pad
[left/right] to add/highlight a letter.
> Press A to accept the name.
NUMBER Enter a jersey number from 00-99.
HEIGHT and Adjust player height (5'3"-7'10") and weight (130-355
WEIGHT lb).
HAND Select LEFT or RIGHT hand for dribbling and shooting.
HEAD and PLAYER Select head style and player skin tone.
ò EA TIP To add a Created player to your roster, select a player from
your team, and trade for the Created player from the Free
Agents pool that appears after the last NBA team.
TO EDIT AN EXISTING PLAYER: Choose EDIT PLAYERS from the Roster Setup
menu, then select a player from the Edit Player list screen. Press A,
and the Edit Player screen appears. Change player features and
attributes in the same manner as in the Create Player screen.
TO DELETE AN EXISTING PLAYER: Choose DELETE PLAYERS from the Roster
Setup menu, then select a player from the Delete Player list screen.
Press A to erase the player or START to return to the Roster Setup
screen.
* NOTE: You can only delete a created player if he is currently in the
Free Agents pool in all game modes (Exhibition, Season, and
Playoff).
The Re-order Roster menu allows you to change the roster slots for the
players on your team. The first 5 players on the roster are the
starters.
> To select a team, press L/R.
> To cycle through the statistics/ratings for the players, Control Pad
[left/right]. (X to toggle between 1995-96 stats and ratings.)
> To exchange the roster slot of two players, highlight a player and
press A. Highlight a second player, and press A again. The players
switch roster slots.
RESET ROSTER
Reset all team rosters to their original lineups with the press of one
button. (Not available in Season mode.)
> To reset all rosters, press X. All trades are reversed and every
roster returns to its original order.
> To return to the Roster Setup menu without resetting the rosters,
press any other button.
TBS Super Station is a registered service mark of Turner Broadcasting
Sales, Inc. All rights reserves. TNT is a registered trademark of
Turner Network Television, Inc. All rights reserved.
The NBA and individual NBA Team identifications used on or in this
product are trademarks, copyrighted designs and other forms of
intellectual property of NBA Properties, Inc. and the respective Teams
and may not be used, in whole or in part, without the prior written
consent of NBA Properties, Inc. (C)1996 NBA Properties, Inc. All rights
reserved.
EA SPORTS, the EA SPORTS logo, and T-Meter are trademarks, and "If it's
in the game, it's in the game", and Electronic Arts are registered
trademarks of Electronic Arts.
Software and documentation (C)1996 by Electronic Arts. All rights
reserved.
