Julius Irving vs Larry Bird: One-on-One set the precedent for modern sport simulation games. Released by Electronic Arts (EA) in 1983, One-on-One is the cornerstone of EA's software empire and sparked the string of professional athlete endorsed titles that continues today. In this groundbreaking game player's assume the role of Larry Bird or Julius Irving (Dr. J), two NBA legends. One-on-One represents the first time where the name, likeness and abilities of a professional athlete were featured in a video game. Cutting-edge graphics allowed the on-screen characters to look and move like their professional counterparts. The unique abilities of the NBA stars were also reflected in the abilities of their character. After choosing their NBA star players engaged in a one-on-one game against a human opponent or the computer. The game offered deep gameplay and allowed players a variety of moves. Players could block shots, steal the ball, spin away from their opponent, shoot the ball from any angle or distance, and slam-dunk. A referee called penalties for travelling or reaching in, allowing the other player to take penalty shots. The game also featured a "fatigue bar," a meter that displayed the energy level of each player. Dribbling in place or calling a time out restored a player's energy and allowed them to run faster and shoot more effectively. One-on-One also introduced slow-motion replays and the destruction of background objects to the sports simulation genre. Excessive dunking shatters the backboard, at which point a highly annoyed janitor comes out to sweep up the court and mutter at the players. One-on-One inspired a sequel entitled Jordan vs. Bird: One on One which was released in 1988 and kick-started the sports simulation genre. Modern sports games such as the Madden NFL the Hoops franchises owe a great deal to One-on-One.