NBA Jam: On Fire

Introduction

“NBA Jam: On Fire Edition” arrives on the heels of the surprise hit that spawned from EA’s failed “NBA Elite 11.” Initially intended as a DLC bonus to purchasers of that game, the new “NBA Jam” showed up as a Wii game before emerging on the other two big consoles. About a year later, a much more polished, value packed edition arrives as a downloadable only title, at a fraction of the price of last year’s release. Whether you’re new to the series or someone who invested many hours into its original heyday in the mid-90s, this new incarnation of the game is worth your time and money.

The Game Itself: Our Reviewer's Take

Taking the core mechanics of basketball and stripping them down to a few basic moves and two rules (no goaltending, 24-second shot clock), “NBA Jam On Fire” is one of the most accessible sports games in recent memory. The concept is simple: you play two-on-two basketball over four, three-minute quarters. Players select from a roster of modern NBA stars and at half time have the option to change make additional swaps. From there it boils down to how well you can grasp the concept of the right analog stick moves, X shoots, A passes, and the triggers are turbo. Defense is equally simple, with A allowing you two swap between players, X acting as steal (or the simultaneously game winning and breaking push when combined with turbo) and Y sends your player jumping for a block or rebound. Not a lot has changed from 1994, score three uncontested buckets and you’re “on fire,” which for the uninitiated allows you to have unlimited turbo and perform physics defying dunks.

What this new incarnation adds is the previously mentioned player swap ability. No longer are you forced to play as one-half your team. The game, by default on offense gives you control of whoever has control of the ball, and on defense the vital ability to switch back and forth on the fly, eliminating clunky AI partners from botching simple plays. Even the trademark game “fire” gets a boost, provided you score three uncontested ally-oops (passes straight into a dunk), now both teammates are “on fire,” the only catch being no matter how well you play, you get it for 20-seconds, which slowly ticks down whenever you’re on offense. To get the full Jam experience though, a noble attempt at a “campaign” mode has been offered to single players, titled Road Trip. If you want to unlock all the little quirks that made the old games so much fun, prepare to spend some time here.

Road Trip consists of beating each team three times, earning medals with each victory (bronze, silver, and gold naturally). Each successive medal is a step up on the difficulty, but each victory nets you in-game currency to unlock vital features such as bonus teams (including the Seattle Supersonics, Beastie Boys, NBA Mascots, and yes, Republicans and Democrats, team legends (the only real notable omissions include Charles Barkley, Michael Jordan, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Reggie Miller, and Wilt Chamberlain), custom icons and titles for your online persona, and little quirks such as big head mode, 8-bit filters, and custom basketball skins. Road Trip doesn’t take ages to complete, but over time you’ll find that the game has some shortcomings when it comes to the AI.

Most games against the computer left me feeling things were too easy or too hard (especially when the superhuman R.E.A.L AI shows up in the optional platinum matches). Gold level matches gave the best balance between challenge and raw fun, but when you near the end of Road Trip, believe it or not, it gets very tiresome doing bronze challenges that end with you winning by thirty or more points. Thankfully, there is the option for local multiplayer for up to four-players or the old standby of online play. Unfortunately, here amidst a sea of often overly competitive gamers, “NBA Jam: On Fire” begins to fizzle out.

First and foremost there’s no way to refine your matchmaking choices, which often leaves players connected to someone with a poor ping which makes for an unplayable, laggy match. When you do find a steady connection, at least in my experience, players gravitate towards the same handful of pumped-up legends and a one-word strategy: pushing. The push move, at times feels broken in this incarnation of the series and I’ve gone more than my fair share of matches where blocks are a rare commodity, instead replaced by the push spammed over-and-over-and-over. I understand the need for some players to win at any cost and EA could have fixed this by allowing for game lobbies, which limit roster selections or do something to nullify the push, maybe have it take more of the vital turbo meter per use?

“NBA Jam: On Fire” is still a load of fun and at the low price point an absolute steal. With the exception of the wonky matchmaking system online, the other two flaws can be fixed through a gentleman’s agreement with your fellow player, should he or she be willing. This isn’t a game like “NBA 2K11” that benefits from lengthy sessions. It’s best approached an hour here or there from time to time, unless you have a solid human player base to draw from for sessions. Otherwise, the limitations of the AI can make the game grow a bit tiresome. The bottom line though, is that a great series is back with a vengeance.