The Changing Face of NBA Live 99

It was great to see EA Sports and other sports game developers start to texture-map actual player faces on their polygonal 3D players a couple years ago. You could easily identify the player (most of the time) just by his visage. But it was a bit less exciting when their facial expressions would never change, so no matter how intense the situation, players always looked like unemotional androids.

Now, for the first time ever in a sports game, NBA Live 99 will make those faces move. Players will laugh, frown, and get angry dynamically throughout the game. With over 30 unique facial expressions per player, it should really help the players look more life-like.

Other new additions to NBA Live 99 include free roster downloads throughout the NBA season, new on-court sounds including player chatter and coach calls, an outdoor practice court, a full-featured arcade mode with high-flying dunks and wacky sounds, a real-time ticker showing NBA scores, and a General Manager feature that lets you play up to ten seasons.

Watch for NBA Live 99 to release on PC, PlayStation, and Nintendo 64 some time this fall.