Back in 1993, the now legendary NBA Jam series debuted at your local arcade and devoured my weekly allowance with reckless abandon. 

Gamers around the world could finally challenge friends, mothers, brothers, sisters, fathers, co-workers, grandparents, and even their creepy uncles as the likes of Charles Barkley, Scottie Pippen, Patrick Ewing, and Kenny ‘The Jet’ Smith, to a high-flying, fire starting, jam fest. 

I can remember stepping up against my neighbors as Chuck (Charles Barkley) and Kevin Johnson; Unstoppable.  Playing against random foes on the boardwalk I’d roll in with Scottie Pippen and Horace Grant; Makin’ it Rain.  If you ever crossed me, I’d whip out the deadly Patrick Ewing and Charles Oakley combo; GAME OVER.  With no fouls, backcourt violations, or free throws to take, NBA Jam revolved around backboard shattering alley-oops, turbo-shoving chumps across the pine (is there a better word for court?), and players who would get so hot that their shots were literally on fire.

Aside from the non-stop arcade action, what NBA Jam excelled at was commentary.  Today the NBA2k and NBA Live series pay top dollar for analysts to announce their games with TV perfect accuracy.  NBA Jam however, was eons ahead of its time when it came to its announcer.  To this day, whenever I hear “Boom-Shaka-Laka,” Slamma-a-Jamma!,” “Delivers a Facial!,” and of course, “He’s on Fire!” it brings a nostalgic tear to my eye.

NBA Jam was a near perfect game, and EA Sports has decided to remake the game for the 21st century.  Adding new game modes (Remix Tour, Worst-to-First Mode and a Dynasty Mode), player facial expressions, ankle breaking handles, and the ability to spin and dodge the dreaded turbo-shove.  EA Sports feels that they are ready to bring back the classic arcade feel that today’s next-gen basketball games simply lack.  As an NBA fan and an avid gamer the thought of reliving the arcade style basketball as Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol (Lakers), LeBron James and Shaquille O’Neal (Cavs), or Vince Carter and Dwight Howard (Magic) is about as exciting as basketball can get.  In addition to the current All-Stars that you’ll be able to pick from, EA has announced that 80s legends Larry Bird and Magic Johnson will be a matchup that you have to face off against in Dynasty Mode.
 
Expect a ton of unlockable characters, power-ups, cheat-codes and hours of relentless smack-talk to be dropped onto your Nintendo Wii this fall.  Latest news out of EA is that the Washington ‘Bullets’ will be without guard Gilbert Arenas.  

And hey, EA where’s my 360 version?!

If you still are not sold on how good this game will be, here is the trailer released by EA Sports:

-JB