Series

NBA Games in Order

All 198 entries, oldest first.

The NBA series has 198 entries in our database, from Basketball to NBA Showtime: NBA on NBC. They are listed below in release order, which is also the recommended play order.

Verified 15 Oct 2026

Where to start

Best reviewed NBA In the Zone 2 · 90/100

Most recent that reviewed well NBA ShootOut '97 · 90/100

Earliest entry Basketball

The list below is in release order, which is the safest route through any series. We do not publish a story order, because that is a judgement about games rather than something our data can tell us.

198 games

Basketball

25 August 1980

Lakers versus Celtics and the NBA Playoffs

1 January 1989

Bulls vs Lakers and the NBA Playoffs

1 January 1991

NBA All-Star Challenge

1 March 1991

NBA All-Star Challenge 2

1 June 1992

Bulls Vs Blazers and the NBA Playoffs

30 September 1992

Tecmo NBA Basketball

1 December 1992

Bulls Versus Blazers and the NBA Playoffs

26 March 1993

NBA Showdown

1 October 1993

NBA Jam

31 December 1993

NBA Jam Tournament Edition

17 January 1994

NBA Action starring David Robinson

1 February 1994

ESPN NBA HangTime '95

1 February 1994

NBA Jam

4 March 1994

Tecmo Super NBA Basketball

1 July 1994

NBA Jam

24 November 1994

NBA Live 95

16 December 1994

NBA Action '94

31 December 1994

NBA Jam

31 December 1994

NBA Jam Tournament Edition

23 February 1995

NBA Action '95 starring David Robinson

1 June 1995

NBA Jam Tournament Edition

1 June 1995

NBA Give 'n Go

29 September 1995

NBA Live 96

1 October 1995

NBA Live 96

22 January 1996

NBA Hangtime

16 April 1996

NBA ShootOut

19 April 1996

NBA Action

5 June 1996

NBA Live 97

31 October 1996

NBA Jam Extreme

31 October 1996

NBA In the Zone 2

30 December 1996

NBA ShootOut '97

11 March 1997

NBA Action 98

28 October 1997

NBA Live 98

31 October 1997

NBA Fastbreak '98

27 December 1997

NBA Hangtime

31 December 1997

NBA in the Zone '98

16 February 1998

NBA ShootOut 98

11 April 1998

Kobe Bryant in NBA Courtside

27 April 1998

NBA Live 99

31 October 1998

NBA Jam 99

4 December 1998

NBA Live 98

31 December 1998

NBA in the Zone '99

8 April 1999

NBA in the Zone

1 June 1999

NBA Courtside 2 Featuring Kobe Bryant

31 October 1999

NBA Jam 2000

31 October 1999

NBA Live 2000

31 October 1999

NBA Showtime: NBA on NBC

31 October 1999

Quick answers

Frequently asked questions

How many NBA games are there?

There are 198 games in the NBA series in our database, including spin-offs, remasters and re-releases.

What order should I play the NBA games in?

The list below is in release order, which is the safest route through any series — later entries assume you know what happened in earlier ones.

Where should I start with NBA?

NBA In the Zone 2 is the best reviewed entry at 90/100, while NBA ShootOut '97 is the most recent that reviewed well — usually the easier one to start on, since it will feel closest to a modern game.