NBA Jam (PlayStation 3)

A 2010 update of the original NBA Jam, this version was released initially for the Wii, and later as a standalone HD title for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. It retains the series’ classic 2-on-2 gameplay with loose rules, plus the inclusion of all 30 teams from the 2010-2011 NBA season, and a new Remix Mode adding even more arcade elements to the on-court action.

True to the original, NBA Jam allows players to steal the ball and shove opponents without penalty, hold down a recharging “turbo” modifier to juice up their speed and moves, and become “on fire” after three consecutive baskets. Elements from later Midway basketball games are included, such as crossovers, spins, and tag-team alley-oops from NBA Hang Time. Extended rosters are also taken from NBA Jam Tournament Edition – giving each team at least three players with varying strengths and stats, who can be substituted at halftime. Injuries are not present in this game, and each team’s roster can be expanded with unlockable players earned by completing in-game achievements.

Remix Mode also takes elements from NBA Jam Tournament Edition by reintroducing on-court powerup icons. Players that grab these icons gain temporary benefits, like instant on-fire, or invulnerability to being shoved. Other modes bring back “hot spots” that grant point bonuses for shots made within them, an “elimination” mode where the lowest-scoring player after each quarter is ejected from the game, a mode where backboards are given a life bar and each team tries to shatter their opponents’ board first, and a variation on the classic 21 street ball game.

Players can also choose to tackle a Classic campaign, where they guide one team against all other 29 NBA teams, or a Remix campaign, where strong performance grants points used to unlock new divisions, and boss battles against basketball greats await. Completing these challenges unlocks new teams and secret cheats.

The game uses various digital photos of its players upon animated CG bodies, with their expressions changing (somewhat comically) based on their actions. A still photo of that team’s current coach is also included at the side of the court. Graphics are fully HD for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. All versions also have the option to use some element of motion controls. For the Wii, players can tilt the remote up, then down to mimic shooting the ball. The PS3 and Xbox versions use the right thumbstick to the same effect. All three versions also support standard button configurations, using the series’ classic layout.