From TV Animation - Slam Dunk - Shouri e no Starting 5

From TV Animation - Slam Dunk - Shouri e no Starting 5 is a Japanese-exclusive Game Gear title based on the popular basketball manga and anime series. Released in the mid-90s by Bandai (publisher unconfirmed), this sports game puts you in control of Shohoku High School's basketball team. It's a straight-up arcade-style basketball game, not a simulation, designed to capture the fast-paced matches from the anime. The Game Gear version is a portable companion to the console releases, offering a condensed but faithful experience for fans on the go. You control five players on the court, switching between them during offense and defense. The core objective is to outscore the opposing team by executing passes, dribbling, and shooting. The game uses a simplified control scheme typical of handheld sports titles: one button for passing or stealing, another for shooting or jumping. Special moves like alley-oops or character-specific techniques are triggered under certain conditions. Matches play out in timed quarters, and you can adjust speed and difficulty. The AI is decent but predictable, so learning the timing of shots and steals is key. For retro collectors, this is a niche but interesting piece of the Slam Dunk multimedia empire. It doesn't have the depth of 16-bit console basketball games or the license's later entries, but it's a competent portable sports game from an era when handhelds were still finding their footing with action titles. If you enjoy old-school basketball games or want a quick dose of anime sports action, it's worth a try. Just be ready for Japanese menus and no translation, so a bit of trial-and-error adds to the challenge.