NBA Hang Time

Jam-style hoops is nothing new, but Hangtime does it with enough flash and freshness to keep you happily dunkin' like a fool. The multiplayer action's particularly awesome. Hardcore b-ball sim fans won't find the depth they're looking for, but a few games will leave you jonesin' for more of those wild double dunks and alley-oops.

If you want the best basketball game on the N64 it’s Courtside 2 featuring Kobe Bryant. If you want a fun multiplayer game that you can play in short bursts and happens to be based on a basketball game than Hangtime is for you. Knowing what you know about my hate for Arcade titles it’s hard to believe that I’m endorsing this title but it’s true. I think that Hangtime is one of the better gaming experiences on the 64 and I don’t care if that conflicts with my stance about arcade gaming. I’d rather you know the truth at the sacrifice of my opinion rather than being pig headed about something.

Hangtime's gameplay doesn't deviate from the clichéd Jam formula, so if you're looking for real-life hoops, NBA Live '97 holds top honors. However, Hangtime's formula is unquestionably a blast, supplying enough cool features to deserve some game time.

Bahnbrechend Neues ist Midway mit NBA Hang Time nicht gelungen, was natürlich auch an der Arcade-Vorlage liegt. Die Unterschiede zu NBA Jam sind dann auch nicht riesig, sondern fein. Beide Programme spielen sich ähnlich und bieten witzige Extras wie brennende Körbe, den begrenzten Turbo-Modus oder coole "Alley Oops". Grafisch hat Midway die Nase dank SVGA vorne, auch der Sound kann sich hören lassen, denn die dufte Hiphop-Mucke und der englische Kommentator schaffen die nötige Atmospähre. Insgesamt ein netter Zeitvertreib für zwischendurch.

This game would probably be better described as NBA Jam 64. It seems that Williams bought the rights to the first Jam engine when Acclaim decided it was time for a change. This being the case, the title offers basically nothing new, except updated players and bigger character sprites. The ability to create your own player does make for added playability. The graphics look 16-bit (quite a feat for the N64), and the sounds aren't much to talk about either. Buy this if you want to Jam on your N64.

seem to be having déjà vú when playing this game, only it just doesn't seem to be as good as the first time. That's probably because what I see in NBA Hangtime has been done before -- and better -- by NBA Jam. That said, this game is relatively entertaining albeit one-dimensional. If you are looking for a simulation or sense of realism, turn right around and head back where you came from. However, if you are looking for an escape into high-flying no-brainer fun, you're here. I think the game would be better enjoyed playing a human counterpart and may be a big hit with the youngsters who seem to thrive on '90s-style basketball -- dunk and dunk some more.

In short, Hangtime isn't too bad, but there are some things that plague it that just could've been improved. The create-a-character options, the sound, and the graphics all seem to just bring the game down considerably. Luckily the core gameplay is still there. The alley-oop option is good, but you can live without it. Get this game if you're looking for something new, but if you already have NBA Jam T.E. on 32X or NBA Jam on Genesis, you should be set.

Falls Sie sich für eine ernsthafte und möglichst wirklichkeitsnahe Basketballsimulation interessieren, ist dieses Arcadeleichtgewicht nichts für Sie. Wen Taktik und endlose Statistiken langweilen, und wer statt dessen ein schnell zugängliches, actionbetontes Basketballspiel sucht, hängt hingegen bei NBA Hang Time schon eher richtig. Die Akteure sind gut steuerbar. Wenn der Teamkamerad nach einem perfekt getimten Paß elegant punktet, kommt Freude auf.

In the final analysis, NBA Hangtime is a fun, arcade-perfect port that will bring most basketball fans lots enjoyment. NBA Hangtime fills a necessary gap in the sports genre, and Midway has executed a solid conversion -- with four-player capabilities -- at a relatively early stage in the system's game cycle. However, there is very little improvement in gameplay, graphics, or sound that couldn't appear on a Saturn, PlayStation, or even Super NES. And technically, it's a little bit of an embarrassment to show your friends your cool new, 64-bit system, and then play NBA Hangtime, which takes advantage of nothing N64 has to offer.

Except for these minor changes, this game is old hat. However, if you're one of the few people still hopelessly addicted to NBA Jam, then Hang Time could be the wisest purchase you'll make this year.

Even though NBA Hangtime was made by the creators of the original NBA Jam, they weren’t allowed to use the Jam name due to legal reasons. However, the lawyers couldn’t stop the developers from using the same exact engine and nearly identical gameplay.