Just over three decades ago, Midway’s NBA Jam was a monster hit in arcades that rivaled Mortal Kombat and Street Fighter II. Arcades have largely fallen by the wayside since the days of NBA Jam’s dominance. However, the spirit of the game is being revisited in NBA Superstars, a new arcade game from Raw Thrills and Play Mechanix that recreates the over-the-top style of NBA Jam. And to further connect the two games, NBA Jam announcer Tim Kitzrow is lending his voice to NBA Superstars as well.
All 30 NBA teams are represented in NBA Superstars, which features modern players including LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Nikola Jokic, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and more. One of the updated changes for this title is that NBA Superstars will feature three-on-three games as opposed to NBA Jam’s two-on-two contests.
The arcade cabinet for NBA Superstars also represents a significant step up from the NBA Jam era. It features a 75-inch screen, marquee lights that simulate camera flashes, and team-specific color-coordinated RGB LEDs. Additionally, players will be able to create their own online accounts that can keep track of their records and statistics via QR codes that can be scanned by the game.
NBA Superstars will be released in arcades this summer. But if you’d rather bring the arcade action to your living room, Arcade1Up’s NBA Jam home arcade cabinet features multiple versions of the classic basketball game. You can currently save $100 on the Shaq Edition at Best Buy. And if you would rather stick to the modern consoles or PC, you should check out, NBA 2K Playgrounds 2, a spiritual successor to NBA Jam that maintains the original’s two-on-two action.
