EA Brings the “Boomshakalaka” Back to iPhone in NBA Jam

Posted by Blake Grundman on February 9th, 2011

With EA's NBA Elite brand somewhat on the rocks as of late, someone needed to make sure that the company was still "In the game," so to speak, at least when it came to basketball franchises.  But when your marketable properties have all dried up, where can you go?  How about taking a trip back to a well that will be forever full: nostalgia.

When you think of nostalgic NBA experiences it is hard not to reflect back on the Midway created classic that started the arcade sports craze, NBA Jam.  I used to sink quarter after quarter into this flame inducing, crowd frenzying, presidential dunking, circus of hardwood shenanigans.  So you could imagine my excitement when I learned of EA's acquisition of the brand and their plans of reboot.  However, this was an experience that I fully expected to only be available to my kindred spirits on the console.  Apparently I was VERY wrong.

According to a trailer that slyly snuck out the other day from the bowels of EA Sports, it looks as if the reboot is iOS bound.  Check out the first glimpse of in-game footage below!


I don't know if I can accurately portray my excitement in words.  Just the chance to be able to throw down a three sixty tomahawk slam from half court using the leader of the free world, not to mention any number of current NBA All-Stars and league legends, seemed both unfathomable and incredamazeballs, all at the same time.  See? I was so excited I had to make up my own word to describe it!


My initial OMGWTFBBQ eventually melted away, as reality set in, and I began to wonder what kind of features were going to be available in this release.  Here is what we know so far:

2 modes of play, lets you ball the way you want, including a JAM CAMP Tutorial:

  • Play Now – Select a team and jump right into the game

  • Classic Campaign –  Defeat all other teams to win the championship, and unlock legends, hidden players and cheats


There is just something about the phrase "hidden players" that gets me all frothy at the mouth in anticipation.  Even the ever popular voice of the franchise, Tim Kitzrow, is back in the booth, providing the game with all of the extra "He's on fire"s, “boomshakalaka”s, and "kaboom"s necessary to send your mind wandering back to your youth.

While no release date has been announced yet, just know that with my level of excitement for the game, it will be getting posted on our Twitter feed and Facebook page as soon as I have any information whatsoever. You can look forward to a review here soon, as well.  In the meantime, check out the awesome images of the high-flying excitement that will be coming your way soon!

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