NBA Jam

Acclaim's gone for the slam dunk with NBA Jam and although it's not an exact translation of the arcade, it's still gonna score big with most fans of the classic coin-op. This one's more fun than an NBA contract.

Even if it's not an exact translation, it's a good one - and the better of the two cartridge versions. Just be prepared to eat a little parquet now and then.

NBA Jam does have a few minor flaws. The turbo is so plentiful that you can practically use it during the entire game, and blocking shots is nearly impossible. Non-dunking players such as John Stockton can slam, destroying what little realism there is. Lastly, the computer has the annoying habit of making full court, last second shots at the end of each half. Two marquee players represent each NBA team, and since the game was made during NBA's "golden age", you get many all-time greats like David Robinson, Karl Malone, Scotty Pippen, Patrick Ewing, Reggie Miller, and Clyde Drexler (sorry, no Michael Jordan). Records are saved using a password system. NBA Jam enjoyed a string of sequels, and its frantic, smash-mouth style of play singlehandedly created a new genre of "extreme" sports games.

So, while I can't say, "Go out and buy a copy today!" cuz it's like, pretty damn old, I can say that this game changed the way I looked at basketball video games. Kudos to you, Midway. At least you did something right before you went and made Mortal Kombat.

This sports cart has more action than most action games. It does everything right - and it does it with the blazing speed of an action playoff game.

Only die-hard lovers of the game need apply here. If you had the choice of this CD or the Genesis cart six months ago, you definitely would've opted for the CD, which outscores the Genesis by a three-point shot. The long holdup may have cost NBA Jam CD some popularity points. However, if you still crave some pulse-pounding parquet action, NBA Jam CD is for you.

Excuse the pun, but this game jams! This is one of the few sports title I actually like and I can't stop playing it. It takes a lot for me to like a sports game and Acclaim has produced one of the most addicting sports titles I have ever played. The awesome slams and virtual no-foul rules are a total laugh riot! The fact that you can have you own personal record is cool, too. Again, excuse the pun, but this game jams!

It's a small thing, but symptomatic: with all that storage space, there's so much opportunity for nifty extras that taking so little advantage of the extra space is almost a crime. It's still the same great game, but in a way, that's exactly the problem.

Det har gjorts många både realistiska och knäppa varianter på basket, NBA Jam är det bästa. Det är inte perfekt, men en bra bit på väg.

The long awaited Sega CD version of NBA Jam has pluses and minuses that make it about as good as the Genesis version. It's a great game, but Sega CD owners who held out for the CD version may be upset that this one's not significantly better than the cartridge. Additions include updated player rosters and a terrific soundtrack; the music's just as good as the arcade version, if not better. There are a few new "special guest" characters too.

This cart is a noble attempt to squeeze the features and spirit of the arcade hit into a handheld, but much is lost in the translation.

For being the first basketball title to twist the boundaries by taking a break from the stagnant world of realism, NBA Jam found more fame than it could've hoped for. This Genesis version is a faithful rendition of the arcade blockbuster. If you're looking for an engaging sports game like no other, start jamming with NBA Jam today! This is a sports game for those of us who don't like sports games.

For the Genesis, this game does just fine and is probably one of the better sports games for the system. The voices are fuzzy and the colors are a bit bland. Still, the game is a very good play - even with four players!

If you can handle the Genesis' shoddy soundtrack and sound effects, don't mind losing the full length video clips during halftime, and like to play the game instead of waiting for it to load, then you're probably better off with the Genesis version.

As usual with big name games, it's hard to justify buying a watered-down handheld version when you could get a 16-bit edition for just $25 more. But if you're a road-trippin' b-ball nut, Jam is one of the best hoops carts for the Game Boy yet.

Not surprisingly, the Game Boy version of NBA Jam looks and plays like the Game Gear version. It has the updated player rosters of the Sega CD version, but on the tiny screen there's no way you can tell the characters apart; in the portable editions, the play's the thing that's important. No problems there, though; it has a respectable number of dunks and the speed is pretty good. I would like to have seen two or even four player support, but the real hardcore jammers are playing the game on one of the 16-bit machines, anyway.

NBA Jam has always been a game that was a blast to play. Whether you have the classic version, 32x port, Tournament Edition, or the Sega CD format, you are most certainly guaranteed to have a good time. The improvements in audio as well as the addition of video clips, while fairly good, detract from the game in the long run due to the loading times that they bring with them. If you have a little time on your hands then this game will not let you down whatsoever.

This two-on-two arcade basketball game was originally released on the Super Nintendo, where it was a runaway hit. The Genesis can't quite reproduce the sharp graphics and clear voice samples of the SNES version, but it's close enough. I noticed it was easier to steal the ball in this version, which gives the defense a much-needed boost. The main problem I have with this game is the control. The Genesis controller just isn't designed for this type of game. Sure, you only need three buttons, but these need to be pressed in combination with each other. The SNES shoulder buttons were really the key. Anyway, if you can put up with the awkward control, this isn't a bad game. The action is fast and the dunks are ridiculously spectacular. But if you have an SNES, stick with that version.

Although the Game Gear has some limitations, this game does come off fairly well from a stand point of an arcade translation. Compared to other GG games, the graphics are decent and the game plays very well. It's too bad that most of the awesome jams had to be taken out. The play-by-play announcing had to be omitted because of memory problems. Any GG owner who loves basketball will love this game.