the grunter

Originally came out in 1993 in practically every arcade in North America, NBA JAM is the first ever (and probably the last) arcade game cabinet to have earned $1 billion dollars, one quarter at a time.

Featuring two versus two style full-court gameplay, people love NBA JAM because none of the official NBA rules apply in this game. Be it out of bounds, fouling or 3-in-the-key, expect to go all out and do whatever it takes to gain points, with the only exception of goal-tending. Even the laws of physics don’t apply in the world of JAM, expect to see players fly above the hoop, do a 720 degree spin and end with a reverse dunk.

At the time, due to NBA JAM’s popularity, developer Midway ported the game to practically every home console and handheld available. Of course numerous sequels came out ever since, with some really good ones like NBA JAM: TE (Tournament Edition) and NBA Hangtime. However the majority of the follow-ups have been disappointing, and attempts at going 3D did not stop fans from bashing the series. Personally “NBA on NBC” in 1999 was the last passable title in the series. Some of the worst ones make you wonder how they can screw up a simple game like that so badly.

(This is utter bullcrap)

Developed by EA Canada, NBA JAM makes a formal come back in 2010. Originally set to be a Wii exclusive, eventually a promotional bundle with NBA Elite 11 (now a vaporware), and finally a stand-alone game on Xbox 360 and PS3.

The Good

* Back to the roots with the original NBA JAM style gameplay, meaning no fouls, no fancy but cumbersome 3d models, no “supermoves” o other distractions that do not enrich gameplay
* New elements such as “Remix Tour” give an alternative option after player gets comfortable with the main game, which features some interesting power-ups and game modes such as 21, domination and elimination. The result is the game appeals to both fans of the series and new comers
* Easy to learn controls but well-balanced to reduce one-sided situations. Every move can be countered, it comes down to testing player’s reflex and timing when playing with another skilled player
* Simplicity is what makes the original game fun and approachable, this one nailed that feeling
* Online gameplay for the first time ever, the leveling/collecting system (icons and titles) keeps the players coming back

The Bad

* In order to achieve better balance, some game physics/mechanics that are familiar among fans have been changed. This can be good and bad, personally I’m not too happy that you cannot shove a player split second before he dunks, just to name a few
* Cannot shove your teammate, which is actually a lot of fun when four players are playing together
* Good but not great player roster (hidden ones included)
* Enemy/teammate AI is not too smart, at times predictable
* Quite serious rubber-banding shows lazy AI codes (meaning the computer AI becomes significantly stronger and your teammate AI becomes mentally challenged whenever your team has a big lead)
* Remix modes such as domination/elimination are interesting, but not really fun. When playing these modes with three or more players it can even get frustrating
* No online co-op campaign mode, only versus
* The series has always been known for some of its creative cheat codes that unlock hidden players/courts/attributes, the amount and creativity of cheat codes in this one doesn’t even compare to the original

(No mores of these priceless moments, unfortunately)

The ???

* Really, still no Michael Jordan? (The original game was not able to use his image due to copyright issues, now it seems that either Air Jordan tried to pull a highway robbery or someone decided to go cheap with the budget)
* Again, why are teammates not shovable? It seems strange when everything else from the original is included in this game
* If you are an achievement/trophy whore, earning every single one could take a while (involves completing campaign mode 6 times)

Lastly

* It is worth the stand alone price, don’t worry about it being ported from the Wii version, or originally supposed to be free (Where are all the people who used to say they would buy NBA Elite 11 just for NBA JAM?)
* High definition graphics on the Xbox 360/PS3 versions look great, but the core gameplay which matters most is there for all three consoles. Controls on the Wii version is actually quite fun and unique, before they give you arthritis
* It’s a game that will always be welcomed in parties, and will never get old until someone makes an attempt 20 years later to reboot the series again

(Review 1 of 52, 2011)