Category: Sports

  • One on One: Dr. J vs. Larry Bird

    Developer: AtariPublisher: Electronic Arts, Ariolasoft, Atari Corporation (7800)Release Year: 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987Platform: Apple II, Amiga, Atari 7800, ColecoVision, Commodore 64, IBM PC, Mac, TRS-80Genre: SportsTaxonomy: Playable Black characters You play as Julius Erving in a one-on-one game of basketball against the computer. You play by the standard rules of basketball and the game…

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  • Heavyweight Champ

    Developer: SegaPublisher: SegaRelease Year: 1976, 1987 (Remake)Platform: ArcadeGenre: SportsTaxonomy: Playable Black characters One-on-one boxing game. The arcade cabinet has a lever for each hand that allows to the played to punch, block, and move. interviews and other media scholarship Return to List

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  • Black College Football: BCFX: The Xperience

    Developer: Nerjyzed EntertainmentPublisher: Aspyr MediaRelease Year: 2006Platform: Win, Xbox 360Genre: SportsTaxonomy: Playable Black characters, Mechanics, Development, fandom/community/reception, Black cultural traditions A college football game that takes place on a series of HBI (Historically Black Institutions) campuses. Also includes two rhythm mini-games that depict the halftime show and the drum line challenge. interviews and other media…

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  • Basketball

    Developer: AtariPublisher: AtariRelease Year: 1979Platform: Atari 2600Genre: SportsTaxonomy: Playable Black characters, fandom/community/reception One-on-one basketball game that can be played by one or two players. Game is played in two four minute halves. interviews and other media scholarship Return to List

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  • SkateBird

    Developer: Glass Bottom GamesPublisher: Glass Bottom GamesRelease Year: 2021Platform: Linux/Luna/Mac/Switch/WIN/Xbox OneGenre: Sports Taxonomy: Development You play as a small pet bird, saddened by their unnamed human owner no longer skateboarding, you take up skateboarding in order to make yourself happy again. interviews and other media scholarship Return to List

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  • Rap Jam: Volume One

    Developer: 64WD CreationPublisher: Mowtown GamesRelease Year: 1995Platform: SNESGenre: SportsTaxonomy: Playable Black characters, Black NPCs, Anti-Blackness/regressive characterizations You play as one of the included rap artists in a game played on outdoor courts. The game involved hard fouls and fighting with no foul calls. interviews and other media scholarship Return to List

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  • NBA Street

    Developer: NuFX, EA CanadaPublisher: EA Sports BIGRelease Year: 2001 (PS2), 2002 (GameCube)Platform: GameCube/PS2Genre: SportsTaxonomy: Playable Black characters; voice acting/motion capture; Black NPCs; Black cultural traditions; Narrative themes; robust character creation system; fandom/community/reception; mechanics; anti-Blackness/regressive characterizations Combining the talent and big names of the NBA with the attitude and atmosphere of streetball, you try to score…

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  • Michael Jordan in Flight

    Developer: EAPublisher: EARelease Year: 1993Platform: DOSGenre: SportsTaxonomy: Playable Black characters; Black cultural traditions; voice acting/motion capture; mechanics In this game the player is on a 3-on-3 half-court with Jordan on their team. This is game includes a knock-out tournament mode. interviews and other media scholarship Return to List

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  • MLB: The Show

    Developer: San Diego StudioPublisher: San Diego StudioRelease Year: 1997-2023Platform: PS2/PS3/PS4/PS5/PSP/PS Vita/Switch/Xbox One/Xbox Series X/SGenre: SportsTaxonomy: Playable Black characters; voice acting/motion capture; Black NPCs; Black cultural traditions; Narrative themes; robust character creation system; fandom/community/reception; mechanics In this game you control an entire team or a select player in one of the 30 Major League Baseball teams.…

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  • NBA 2K (Franchise)

    Developer: Sega Sports, 2K GamesPublisher: Sega Sports, 2K Games Release Year: 1999-2023Platform: Android/Dreamcast/GameCube/iOS/Mac/PS2/PS3/PS4/PS5/PSP/Stadia/Switch/Wii/Win/Wii U/Xbox/Xbox 360/Xbox One/Xbox Series X/SGenre: SportsTaxonomy: Playable Black characters; voice acting/motion capture; Black NPCs; Black cultural traditions; Narrative themes; robust character creation system; fandom/community/reception; mechanics You control the players of NBA teams where the objectives coincide with the rules of basketball. interviews…

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