By James Hawkins
Tuesday, September 7, 2010 at 8:30 am
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| NBA Jam is better than you. |
And that is because it offers something that no other game offered: big heads and high-flying slam dunks. Didn't think those were the two key ingredients to a great game, huh? Well they are. They absolutely are.
And if you follow me this way, I'll explain just what made my four games of NBA Jam so incredible. Hit the link.
The game is so simple, it sounds pretty stupid. It is based entirely on three things: blocking, shoving, and dunking. There are no penalties, except for shot-clock and goal-tending. Outside of that, you can push and shove players to the ground, nip up the ball, and roll on them with a mega-unrealistic, yet totally awesome, dunk.
It is visceral and rewarding. Every time your player goes up for a shot, there is the chance for a huge, acrobatic play. And when the play is actually executed, it really feels like a bit of video gaming heaven. Lots of tight finishes and celebration -- exactly what I want in a competitive gaming experience.
I played both the Xbox 360 and the Nintendo Wii versions, and the Xbox 360 was superior, from what I could gather. The Wii's motion sensor is used to manage the shooting and dunking, and though it is a hell of a thing to slam down your fist as Dwayne Wade does a triple-axle, backflip dunk, having to block and time your jumps complicates the simplicity of the actions, and in NBA Jam, simple is king.
Expect the game out around October 5 of this year. It is something you might want to schedule a party for, as an NBA Jam tournament would make for a perfect Saturday night.
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