NBA Jam
NBA Jam is an arcade basketball game later made available for the Sega Genesis, SNES, Sega CD, Game Boy and Game Gear The game was praised and criticized for its over-the-top and unrealistic gameplay. It was one of the first sports video games to put emphasis on excessive action instead of staying true to the sport. The arcade version features players from the 1992-93 NBA season; the console version used players from one season later. Several players were missing from some or all versions of the game, including Chicago Bulls' Michael Jordan (the license to use his likeness wasn't made available to Midway) and Orlando Magic's Shaquille O'Neal (available in the arcade version but not the console versions).
Gameplay:
NBA Jam was played more like a streetball game. It was a 2-on-2 basketball game with about 3-minute quarters (although the time could be extended or shortened). There were no fouls, free throws, or rules violations except for goaltending; players were free to shove their opponent and make contact as much as possible. Players could dunk well above the rim and, at times, break the backboard (which would come back intact once the players left the area). There were codes in the game where players could activate big heads, high speed, or even secret characters.
On fire ability
The most notable feature is the "On fire" ability. If a player made three consecutive baskets without the opposition or his own teammate scoring during the streak (goaltending did not count), the player would become "On fire" and the hoop would turn into a flame when the player made a basket. A player's shooting ability increased, and he would almost not miss. In most versions, the player would remain on fire until the other team scored; goaltending would not end a streak. There were some versions, mainly the SNES version, where the player would automatically lose his ability after the fifth shot made, of which the player would need two consecutive baskets to reclaim the ability.
Fast Facts
- Developer: Midway
- Platform: Arcade, Super Nintendo, Sega Genesis, Game Boy, Sega CD, Game Gear, Playstation 2, and Xbox
- Mode: Single Player and Multi Player
- Genre: Sports
- Release Date: 1993 (SNES and Genesis) 2003 (PS2 and Xbox)
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