NBA Jam, the classic, arcade-style basketball game turns 25 this year. That’s enough to make any veteran of the 16-bit era feel their age.
The two-on-two game, made famous by its outlandish dunks and ultra-satisfying “Booomshakalaka” commentary has endured with graphical and roster overhauls for mobile devices and consoles.
However, with the quarter-century anniversary fast approaching, it appears we could be in-line for a complete remake.
Related: NBA 2K18 review
The hint comes from the man behind those memorable commentary calls, basketball announcer Tim Kitzrow.
“I can’t speak anything to the specifics, but I can tell you there is movement in the works to get it done for the 25th year,” he told ESPN.
“So I’m hoping that we get a remake that does justice to the original.”
Strangely, Kitzrow says he’s working with Microsoft on a reboot for the game.
The original arcade game was developed by Midway and the home versions were published by Acclaim. However, Electronic Arts currently owns the rights after acquiring them in 2010.
That led to the release for the Wii, PS3 and Xbox 360 versions of the game in 2011.
Where Microsoft fits into all this remains to be seen. Perhaps the game will be Xbox One/Windows exclusive out of the gate?
KD and Steph? Or Russ and PG13?
The original game’s lead designer Mike Turmell, who now works at mobile games giant Zynga, believes the franchise represents “untapped” potential.
“I helped on the reboot of the franchise (back in 2010),” said Turmell, who isn’t currently involved in the reboot efforts.
“They did a pretty good job. But there’s so much more that can be done. It’s really sort of an untapped category, to have that over-the-top NBA action with the official license. It’s a great brand.”
All that begs the question who’d be the team to beat in the 25th Anniversary Edition of NBA Jam? Would it be Golden State’s duo of Kevin Durant and Steph Curry? Or what about the Oklahoma City pairing of Russel Westbrook and Paul George? Within the Eastern Conference, have veteran duo LeBron James and Dwyane Wade still got enough to challenge?
Could NBA Jam still flourish in the era of the supremely detailed NBA 2K series? Drop us a line @TrustedReviews on Twitter.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
