
	Platform Xbox 360 Genre Sports Publisher Electronic Arts Developer EA Canada ESRB E (Everyone) Released November 17, 2010

- Frank West and Chuck Greene make a good team - New weapon combos - A lot of the "chores" have be stripped out

- Not being able to play as Frank West in single-player - A lot of the risk/reward that the chores represented are gone - The ending didn't really offer any satisfaction (but if hints at Dead Rising 3 with Frank as the central character)

Review: NBA Jam (Wii) Review: NHL 11 (360) Review: NBA Live 10 (360)
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NBA Jam

Score: 9.0 / 10

I still have my fingers crossed that arcade sports experiences a resurgence. It has definitely made some promising rumblings but it hasn't exploded yet. NBA Jam is a great leap in the right direction though; maybe it'll be the catalyst that gets things rolling.

If you're old enough to have a memory of the arcade classic NBA Jam, with its comical dunks, over-the-top commentary, and flaming basketball, this updated

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- Xbox 360 Game Reviews
- Sports Game Reviews
- Games Published by Electronic Arts

version for the Xbox 360 will poke your nostalgia. The first spoken phrase is "Boomshakalaka!" That should be enough to slide you right into that younger frame of mind.

It did something to me. It made me happy playing it. Not just an amused, "Oh, I'm having fun with this" but actually made me feel better after playing it.

Without the motion controls (see our Wii

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review of NBA Jam) it felt like there was something missing from the visceral feel of the game. Pressing a button is not the same as slamming the controller down -- it doesn't convey that same sense of power dunking over an opponent. The game still controls very well, it's just missing that little extra thing. And my kids preferred the motion controls of the Wii version.

While I have spent the most time with the "Play Now" option, there are many more modes to explore, including the Remix Modes and Remix Tour, which up the wackiness and fun with all sorts of specific criteria. Take for example Domination. Circles appear on the court; score from that area and you have control of the circle. As time passes, fewer points are awarded. Put that in a 2v2 situation and you have some fun times on your hands. In general, the craziness of the NBA Jam sensibility runs throughout, so it still remains fun, but for me they don't have quite the appeal of just jumping in and playing a game.

Unlike the Wii version, the fully functional online component means you (almost) always have access to some stiff human competition over Xbox Live. And it definitely looks much sharper.

NBA Jam is good for you. Find it, play it, love it.

- Aaron Simmer

(December 31, 2010)