Laker's Versus Celtics was released in 1989, which is kind of strange considering it was Lakers versus Pistons in real life. But considering the rivalry between the Lakers and Celtics, it wasn't unexpected. This game continues that rivalry be featuring some of the best teams and players from that time period.

You have the Lakers with Kareem and Magic, the Celtics with Bird and McHale, the bad boys of Detroit, and the charging Bulls with Jordan and Pippen. Not only that, but throw in the Jazz, New York Knicks, and Phoenix Suns and you have one great game. There's also the West and East Coast all-stars and you can have them play against any team so you can have Magic against Magic if you want.

The actual gameplay is great. There's no mouse. Only keyboard or joystick. You can shoot and steal, block and pass, and the top players like Kareem and Jordan have their trademark moves. The skyhook is especially good. There's a tournament mode and exhibition. Each quarter can be 2,5, 8, or 12 minutes long and there are different difficulty levels.

The graphics are good for its time. The all star players have their individual animations, but most players had generic moves and looks. The sound was also pretty good with a nice arcade beat. There was a TV type atmosphere about the game thanks to the large audience and scoring board. The players and basketball had shadows and the characters were large enough so you can read the numbers of their jerseys.

The game featured a 2 player mode, but if there was no joystick, the players had to share the keyboard, which can get crowded. Lakers Versus Celtics would later have several releases and reincarnations on various consoles, but the original PC version with the original roster is still the best. We highly recommend the game for basketball fans who grew up watching the great ones.