Slam 'n Jam '96 featuring Magic & Kareem

"The best basketball game on the Saturn by far"

No I am not talking about the NBA Live series *shudder* or even worse the NBA Action series (run for your life!). As my main man Rashad Mccants would phrase it: Slam N Jam 96 is the best basketball game on the Sega Saturn "by far." Who cares for an NBA license when the game is this old. So much has changed that a 10 year old license would be completely inaccurate. The game has a very similar appearance to the old Konami games Run N Gun and Give N Go. Even the names sound similar, but to the best of my knowledge, there is no relation. In fact Slam N Jam had its origins on the ill fated 3DO, what was Trip Hawkins thinking when he set the initial price at $799? The developers, knowing full well that maybe only 27 people experienced the game in its initial run, decided to release SJ96 for both the Saturn and that other machine. So here are my thoughts.

Graphics -- 6/10
Unfortunately this game does not look as good as its Konami dopplegangers. The game is present from one camera angle -- the baseline and the camera follows the action in a pseudo first person perspective. The characters are all 2d sprites, thus they look out of place on the 3d plane. I am, however, unsure if something like that can ever be done right. The players are large and detailed. They animate well and each one has his own facial features. Being the only real players Magic and Kareem are easily identifiable, but I always thought Magic was a little chubbier than that! With enough playtime, the fictional players too will be recognized. There is no slowdown and no sprite breakup or random transparencies. This is the Saturn after all. The only problem is that some dunks could have used a few more frames of animation, but I am not complaining too much. There are lots of colors in the game and on the courts. I would have preferred if the developers had opted for more realistic flesh tones and whatnot. The crowds are well animated; they are much more than some colored mesh. The game also includes some FMVs of Magic and Kareem highlights. I wish they included more because the FMVs were full screen and of great quality.

Sound/Music -- 5/10
The only music in this game is during the intro and menu options. Otherwise during the game, there is nothing but crowd sounds, squeaking sneakers, grunts, and some commentary. Sadly, the commentary is woefully inadequate. Not every non dunk by Kareem is a sky hook. The crowd sounds also seem to come in and out randomly. While others have complained about the squeaking sneakers, simply turn down sfx and you will be fine. The crowd displays its ignorance of proper crowd behavior by cheering after EVERY made basket. So much for homecourt advantage.

Gameplay -- 7.5/10
SJ96 is an arcade style basketball game of constant fast breaks. I usually prefer simulations, but on the Saturn the gamer has no choice but to turn to SJ96's over the top dunks and occasional threes. It is hard to square up for a jumpshot, but I would not criticize this game's controls for being too slippery. I believe the problem with squaring up is due to the funky animations the players exhibit around the 3 point line. I have a tough time stealing the ball, but blocking and fouling are incredibly easy. There is the minor annoyance of charges, which are called way too often even with lenient officiating turned on. The computer is tough to beat in this game. I am currently in a 5 game playoff series, tied 2-2. I set it on easy, but the computer still has a Jordanesque ability to hit shots in the last minute. Something that is even more challenging than the computer are free throws. I hope I get the hang of them soon! Most surpising is that this old game gives the gamer the option of calling picks and isolations on offense and double teams on defense. I love this game!

Last thoughts
Assuming the gamer wants to play the game on his settings, SJ96 has a minor quirk of requiring the saved files to be manually loaded up on the menu screen. SJ96 saw releases on three different systems and yet it remains a darkhorse in the sports category. The loadtimes are amazing lasting only about 3 seconds before each half. To conclude, SJ96 is still a little rough around the edges. It could have used some more programming, but it still merits my strong recommendation.

Reviewer's Score: 7/10, Originally Posted: 07/18/05