582nd played so far
Genre: Sports
Platform: Various
Year of Release: 1993
Developer: Midway
Publisher: Midway
My knowledge of basketball is probably summed up best by saying that the podcast Pistol Shrimps Radio actually teaches me things about the game, and that the most exposure I’ve had to it was through the Michael Jordan classic Space Jam. I absolutely dread the newer NBA 2k10 that’s on the list, based on how I tend to find new sports game impossibly difficult to get into.
Older games tend to fare a bit better, being less complex, so I hope that will pay off today.
Our Thoughts
NBA Jam is, indeed, a lot more accessible and so a lot more fun than other sports games like FIFA 2010, closer to something like ISS Pro Evolution. The big advantage is that it’s 2vs2, where you play with one character and the other is AI controlled. You don’t need to fight to keep track of who’s who, and don’t need to deal with control jumping around. It’s simpler, but because of that easier for the layman.
It is a decent – simple and fun – sports game. Because there aren’t many players, tactics don’t get complex, and getting to the basket and throwing is tricky, but not that difficult. It is mostly very playable.
Final Thoughts
Sports games tend to work as they should, and it’s often difficult to really point out the differences – this lets you play basketball, and it’s simpler because it’s with less players. That saves it for me, but, as always, not really following the sport means that I don’t get as much enjoyment out of it as others would. Good in the genre may sound insulting, but it works here.