NBA Jam 2002

• Release Date: February 20, 2002
• Genre: Sports
• Style: Basketball
• Similar Games: College Slam (Game Boy), Disney Sports Basketball (Game Boy Advance)

Game Description

Preceded only by Acclaim's own Arch Rivals, NBA Jam was among the first basketball games to emphasize a fast-paced, no rules "street" style of play. The title garnered countless quarters in the arcades and led to friendly rivalries in console-equipped living rooms across the country. The action-oriented rules interpretation and exaggerated sports star personalities return in this GBA release. Play should be reminiscent of the title's mid-'90s incarnation on the SNES, though this 2001 release has been updated with 29 teams and over 140 players from the most recent NBA season.

Review: Overall

It would seem like a no-brainer for Acclaim to release a Game Boy Advance version of NBA Jam based on the previous 16-bit games, similar to what EA Sports did with Madden NFL 2002. The source material is already there and the GBA has proven itself more than capable of handling such projects. But such is not the case with NBA Jam 2002, an atrocious two-on-two basketball game that's completely devoid of the excitement and energy of its namesake. Instead of following the well-known look and feel of the 1993 arcade game or even trying to improve on it, NBA Jam 2002 strikes out on its own with depressing results.

Eschewing the digitized, hyper-realism of the original, NBA Jam 2002's graphics consist of generic sprites that don't represent particular players, stilted animation, and a crowd that literally looks like it could be from an NES game. Among the various graphical glitches are players that frequently slide along the court without moving their legs, times when the ball appears on the back of a player, and an ugly jagged effect when players are in motion.

The use of voice was a highlight in previous NBA Jam games, but here it's yet another example of incompetence. The announcer is rarely capable of saying more than "nicely received," which he repeats over and over and over. The other comments don't really seem to follow the action, and sin of sins, the phrase "Boomshakalaka!" is never uttered.

The gameplay itself follows the NBA Jam formula in form but certainly not function. Because of the various visual problems, you never feel like you're in touch with the court or the ball and most of the time it's hard to tell who even has possession. There are no satisfying dunks, inhuman three-point shots, or over-the-top fouls. Just flawed, monotonous non-action that becomes unplayable after all of two minutes. If all that weren't enough, season progress is saved using a password and there's no multiplayer support, not even for two players.

Review: Enjoyment

NBA Jam 2002 is one of the worst games for the Game Boy Advance.

Review: Graphics

The menu interface is the most attractive part of the game, but the in-game graphics are simplistic and plagued with glitches.

Review: Sound

The announcer is annoying, but his voice is crisp and clearly audible. The crowd noise is also decent.

Review: Replay Value

The tiresome gameplay gets old immediately.

Review: Documentation

The black-and-white instruction manual is adequate.

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