"This game is really jammin."

Hey just to let follow gamers know is that I' am not that big of a sports fan even though I do watch the occasional game on t.v and I always play sports outside with my friends but I' am not considered a sports freak(Video games are my calling yet I always like the sports fighters in fighting games like the USA team in KOF,the Gorin high school fighters in Rival Schools,and J.Maximum in World Heroes). Well that does not mean I enjoy sports video games but I think you've heard enough for now. NBA Jam Tournament Edition is an upgrade to the original NBA Jam which I kind of liked and this version appeared on almost every system known to man including the Atari Jaguar and the 3DO(I have to look at the 3DO part but I do know that the doomed Jaguar got a version of Tournament Edition). The Jam series was the first of Midway's sports games that would include NFL Blitz and Ready 2 Rumble Boxing. Unlike most other basketball games NBA Jam was more fast paced and wasn't and didn't focus on realism(Or maybe that is today's basketball games but anyway you tell me if semi big heads are realistic). I think most of the NBA players at the time are here with the exception of big name stars like Michael Jordan,Charles Barkley,and Shaq(For some strange reason you can't put them all into one basketball game in fact Jordan didn't star in a basketball game intil recently but that was after he retired for the second time). Well let us get on to the review if you haven't all ready.

Graphics
Look pretty good but nothing spectacular. The players look good even with some of the semi big heads(One example of how the game does not concentrate on realism). The basketball court looks neatly done too and the audience really interacts with the game like whenever someone scores a three pointer they go crazy and they are ready to tear the place up. One weird thing is that when you start the game and the referee tosses the ball into the air to see who gets it first once someone gets it and when the screen scrolls to the left or right the ref just magically disappears when you return to the center but other then that the graphics were done great.

Gameplay
There are only two players per team on the court unlike in real basketball but hey this makes things easier and not too complicated. Wen one of the quarters is over you have to insert more credits if you want to continue the game(That is one thing I don't like about playing sports games in arcades but that's something you have to live with). The regular game is just standard fun and I can't really explain how it is but it is(Did you ever encounter a time when you don't know why a game is fun and just say it is well this is one of those examples). Even you are not into basketball you will like the gameplay here in NBA Jam:TE and as I already said the game does not concentrate on realism(In the world where this game takes place there is no such things as fouls in basketball and I think the ball catches on fire when someone is about to do a really good dunk). You can also get three other people into the game so the heat really starts to boil and it makes things even more fun then they were before.

Control
There are three buttons on the cabinet and they include a turbo meter which makes your guy go faster(There is a turbo meter so you can't use this all of time),a button to shoot the ball and it also serves as a defense button when the opposing players get too close,and also steal button to get the ball from your opponent. Moving is simple unless you have trouble with the easy task of just moving your players forward then you are alright.

Sound
Not big on music really because I don't think I heard any. The crowd cheering was neatly done but if there is one thing that I didn't like was the announcer who was just plain annoying and he sounded like he had a frog in his throat(Dude at least clear your throat before you speak you won't be so annoying next time). The sound is so-so not great or really good just so-so.

Replay
Since you have to insert more credits to continue a game then there is a lot of replay value. If the one player mode gets boring then get some friends and play head to head for a while but I don't think that it is unlikey that you will get bored very soon.

Final Word
A good basketball game that provides non explainable fun for one to four players. Hey even if you hate basketball with all of your heart yet you like video games then give this a try because even in its semi old age it still provides some entertainment and you won't miss it since it is not that rare. So give it a shot if you haven't.

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 05/04/01, Updated 05/04/01