NBA Jam (Xbox 360)

The name NBA Jam should instantly be recognizeable for anyone who grew up in the 90s, ever went to an arcade, or knew someone who loved basketball back when.  For those that don't know, NBA Jam was a game released in '93 in arcades and was later ported to multiple home consoles.  Each team played with 2 players chosen from their respective teams roster (usually consisting of around 4 total).  NBA Jam brought over-the-top craziness to basketball with high-flying dunks, insane blocks, a funny cartoony look, and an overly eccentric announcer.  Gamers poured quarters into the arcade classic and still today NBA Jam is one of the most highly regarded multiplayer arcade games.  Flash forward 17 years and NBA Jam is being remade (for the second time) for current consoles.  Most had hoped for a downloadable title similar to other retro revivals like Mega Man 9 or Bionic Commando and a similar price tag (Under $15) but unsurprisingly EA Sports decided to go with a full retail release.  At $50 is this nostalgic trip worth it, or would you be better off investing in a SNES to get the classic title?

NBA Jam was originally produced by Midway (Mortal Kombat) but when that company went under, EA snatched up the property and started work on a remake.  EA wisely brought back many staples from the original title including a similar but updated look of the players along with almost unchanged gameplay.  The controls were wisely kept simple using only 4 buttons and a control stick or d-pad (unless you prefer using the right stick instead of the face buttons).  I was also very excited to learn that the original announcer reprises his role with all new dialogue and remade classic lines.  Another pretty surreal quirk from the original game brought over was the ability to play as special characters.  Whereas the classic title allowed you to play as Bill Clinton, mascots, and Mortal Kombat characters, the remake lets you play as..Bill Clinton, mascots, and the Beastie Boys?  Well, its still pretty cool being able to dunk on Obama with Sarah Palin after Bush stole a pass from Hillary. *Seriously..you can do that!  While these similarities may seem great to fans of the original, it may be too similar to the classic and if that really is the case, does it warrant a purchase? 

I have to be honest in that I was expecting a little bit more from this game.  All of the classics elements from the original that I knew and loved are all present, but I don't know if that is enough anymore.  Along with the classic campaign (use one team to play against every other team and then defeat legends) is fun, it grows stale quickly.  Added was a remix tour where different modes come up like "Domination", "21", and "1 on 1" but it didn't really seem all that fun for me (especially the abysmal 21!).  The AI returns with it's cheating ways and rubberband logic making many games that were blowouts, come down to the final few buckets.  The real joy and still greatest thing about NBA Jam however is the awesome multiplayer.  I played single-player and it was pretty boring, but once I had a partner to play with and against, hours went by like nothing.  But for a game that doesn't really have much meat, I think little things could have been added to further enhance gamers enjoyment.  For example, with the Kinect, Playstation camera, and even ease of online use, would it really have been that hard to imput some type of create-a-character mode?  Players could load up 3 or 4 headshots and then just choose from some preset of body features.  This is just one sample of a feature that could have easily been implemented and helped to justify a full retail purchase but there are countless more such as roster management or online leagues.

Pathetic

May not have enough features worth the $50
Grows stale after awhile
Abysmal single-player
Computer's stupid rubber-band logic

Very Nice!

Multiplayer is a blast
Graphics are surprisingly nice
Many elements of the classic NBA Jam brought back
Simple and responsive controls
Online play thankfully added

FINAL GRADE: B

NBA Jam is tons of fun, given the right circumstances.  Fans of the original should definitely check it out.  While the single-player is lacking, this is honestly a multiplayer title and when played with a couple friends you'll definitely have a ball.

Would Your Girlfriend Like It?

(From April)

I enjoy playing this game a lot.  The controls are easy and I was able to keep up with my boyfriend! :) I'm not really a sports gamer chick but surprisingly I was able to play it for hours without it losing it's fun factor.  The bobble heads *Note she's referring to the unlockable big-head mode* are cool and I like that you could choose other characters besides basketball players.  The commentary is great!  He could say something as simple as, "Knock knock. Who's there?  BOOMSHACKALAKA!" lol and I giggle everytime.  Overall, I say BUY! BUY, BUY, BUY! :) It's worth your money.  I'm not even a sports type of chick and I love this game.

Verdict: Umm..Buy Buy Buy apparently.