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Monday, January 11, 2010

Games New NBA Jam Planned For Wii

Posted by Earnest "Nex" Cavalli on Mon, Jan 11, 2010 at 6:30 AM

After years of focusing on their realistic sports titles, EA is finally resurrecting the single greatest non-Mutant-League sporting games ever created: NBA Jam.

James Worthys Finest Moment
  • EA Games
  • James Worthy's Finest Moment

From this morning's announcement:

EA SPORTS NBA JAM revives the classic franchise with vintage NBA JAM gameplay, and all-new features that deliver a fresh new take on the game. Featuring the sights and sounds that fans of the franchise will instantly recognize, EA SPORTS NBA JAM mixes the old school with the new, to deliver a one-of-a-kind sports presentation on the Wii.

*cue sound of record skipping*

Wait, what? The Wii? Really? EA is rebooting NBA Jam and hoping it can carve an audience from all the housewives who bought the console in the hopes that it could magically suck the fat off of their asses?

I'd like to cite some nugget of info from the company's press release that would support my being completely baffled by this, but the rest of the thing reads like EA's PR folk were actively trying to say as little as possible. When they mention that the game will be coming to the Wii at some point in 2010, it almost reads like they slipped up, revealed an actual piece of information, and were hoping you'd forget having read it, while backing up slowly and reaching for their car keys.

Until whenever the release date turns out to be though, we can always imagine that this game is going to be awesome. Or, at least, that it will include some anachronistic yet completely goddamn radical cameos from Bill Clinton, Warren Moon and Adam Yauch.

 

Comments (8) RSS

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1
Yeah, the Wii is totally for housewives. No serious gamer would be caught dead playing Zelda, Smash Brothers, or the best console version of last year's Ghostbusters game.

Nor would any serious gamer be caught dead playing video games with his girlfriend, probably because he doesn't have one.

The 360 and PS3 are for people who love pixels and buttons. Those of us who want to have fun will stick with the Wii.
Posted by eldepeche on January 11, 2010 at 8:57 AM · Report
2
I have nearly ended friendships over this game. And my best friend just got a Wii. We're strong enough though.
Posted by Williams, Jay on January 11, 2010 at 9:50 AM · Report
3
Oh calm down you petulant stereotype. I didn't say the Wii was a kiddie console, or unfit for "hardcore" games. That was all in your overzealous Nintendo fanboy head.

My point was that the Wii, despite (or because of) its massive success, has a userbase that is mainstream and thus much more likley to completely ignore NBA Jam because they a) weren't alive to see the originals
b) only use their Wii as an ersatz yoga coach
c) hate the use of waggle controls in anything

While I'm sure NBA Jam will be a timed exclusive and will eventually hit the PS3 and X360, the whole situation smacks of Nintendo paying EA to give them a solid sorts title for once.
Posted by Earnest "Nex" Cavalli on January 11, 2010 at 9:52 AM · Report
4
@Nex: You're ersatz attempts at being offensive are falling shorter and shorter with each attempt. It's time for a new trope.
Posted by Graham on January 11, 2010 at 10:03 AM · Report
5
@ Graham: No, YOUR ersatz! Now incorrectly use the word "irony" to explain why this trope is dead. Unless your too busy looking for a kettle to insult.
Posted by Earnest "Nex" Cavalli on January 11, 2010 at 10:16 AM · Report
6
I like the implication that someone who hadn't seen the original NBA Jam wouldn't be interested in playing a new one. The reason I liked Jam so much was that I didn't have to learn a ton of buttons, didn't have to deal with the aggravation of passing to the wrong person and ruining my play, and could dunk on the first try. NBA Jam was a basketball game that made casual gamers into hardcore gamers.

But I'm sure NBA Jam would do much better among people who spend their time playing Gears of War or Halo or something, right?
Posted by eldepeche on January 11, 2010 at 11:10 AM · Report
7
"But I'm sure NBA Jam would do much better among people who spend their time playing Gears of War or Halo or something, right?"

Well, yeah. That's a very stupid, very obvious question. You fail to realize that even the 3-button control scheme of the Genesis version of NBA Jam would intimidate the hell out of the average Wii Sports player. I'm glad you're so staunch in your support of people you're obviously completely oblivious about, but there is a good reason why the best selling Wii games can be played with no buttons and almost invariably hold a player's hand through any section that could be considered even mildly challenging.
Posted by Earnest "Nex" Cavalli on January 11, 2010 at 4:12 PM · Report
8
"there is a good reason why the best selling Wii games can be played with no buttons"

WUT
Posted by A CAT, probably on January 11, 2010 at 4:44 PM · Report

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