Earlier this month we reported that EA Sports is hard at work on a Wii-exclusive NBA JAM title. We could hardly contain ourselves. However, the first official press release didn't really give us any solid details or leads on what to expect. But all that's changed thanks to Nintendo Power, who has the first official scoop on the revival of the arcade classic.
Firstly, Mark Turmell, the creator of the original arcade series, has been brought aboard the project as its senior creative director, teaming up with EA Vancouver, the development house at EA behind the game. This means EA Sports' rendition of the NBA JAM franchise will be as authentic to the original as possible, while still moving the series forward with the current technological landscape.
And how exactly is the series moving forward, technically? Well, the graphical style will incorporate both 3D and 2D graphics. 3D for the character models, 2D for the player's heads. That's right, every player's head will look like it was snagged from a kiddy cereal box that will feature both "good play" and "bad play" expressions, clipped from high resolution photos from a variety of NBA sources. Check out this screen to see what I mean.
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Yes, that is a real screenshot of EA's NBA JAM, I swear. And if that doesn't make you want to play this game, I don't know what will.
As far as how NBA JAM will play, the game will feature Wii Remote/Nunchuk motion control, taking a cue from the ease of motion Punch-Out!! recently brought to the table. And for those looking for more of a classic throwback style of play, EA Sports NBA JAM will also feature classic Wii Remote-exclusive control for the diehard fans who don't want to practice their wrist flicking while breaking down backboards.
EA Sports NBA JAM will feature 2 modes of play, "Classic Campaign" and "Remix Tour." Classic Campaign plays just like previous NBA JAM titles; 3v3, no rules other than shot clock and goaltending, while Remix Tour changes the core mechanics, tweaks the rules, and switches up the camera. However, more details on "Remix Tour" are not yet available.
And finally, the game will feature a number of classic NBA JAM moves, as well as a ton of new dunks and a new spin move, making it possible to evade the patented shove move of NBA JAM lore. Here is a list of what to expect:
Fire
Shattering Backboard
Cheats
Flashing Shoes
Flashing ball
Big Head Mode
Legends
Playable Mascots
Secret Characters
This is all we have for now, but it's enough to tide the hunger. Also, no release date, or window has been given, but hold tight, details on that should be coming down the pipeline. But if these nuggets of information are anything to go by, EA Sports NBA JAM will be one of the most enjoyable games this year.
