There was a time when arcade games dominated the market and anyone who spent their teenage years playing those games will know about the huge success of NBA Jam. Before there was NBA Jam APK, there was the classic two-on-two basketball arcade game that became so iconic and earned more than $1 billion in coins in the 90s.
It even brought catchphrases like “boomsahakalaka” and “he’s on fire” into the common vernacular. And yes, it was also the reason a lot of kids went broke or failed classes during those years.
Since then, NBA Jam has seen a few resurrections after the original games capped off in 2003. EA has since acquired the rights to NBA Jam and worked with Mark Turmell, the game’s original programmer and lead designer, to relaunch the series in 2010 followed by an enhanced version the next year.
But Turmell left EA in 2011 to move to Zynga and a follow-up to the series never came to life. More than 25 years since its original release, rumors of an NBA Jam remake are circling around the gaming community, especially after the game celebrated its silver anniversary last year. But are we really going to see this classic come back to life?
Tim Kitzrow released a statement hinting a remake.
The original voice behind NBA Jam Tim Kitzrow is said to be working with Microsoft on a remake of the game. In an interview with ESPN, the game’s original announcer said: “I can’t speak anything to the specifics, but I can tell you there is movement in the works to get it done for the 25th year.”
He even hoped that the remake does justice to the original NBA Jam arcade game, which meant that something was definitely in the pipeline. This has earned the excitement of many NBA Jam fans who have always wanted to see a remake of the iconic game.
But, Microsoft doesn’t own the rights to NBA Jam.
While many fans are looking forward to a release this year due to Tim Kitzrow’s statement, a lot of speculators are also questioning the involvement of Microsoft in its development since it doesn’t own the rights to NBA Jam—or at least that’s what we know. EA still owns the rights to the game and released NBA Jam: On Fire Edition in 2011.
Before EA, Midway created the original arcade game, which means that Microsoft has never had any involvement in the series. But some experts say that EA may be collaborating with Microsoft in a development for Xbox One, PlayStation 4 or Nintendo Switch.
So, is there really a remake?
The question still remains unanswered, especially since EA hasn’t released any statements regarding a remake project for NBA Jam even after it celebrated its 25th anniversary last year. But the time is definitely ripe for a remake and as Mark Turmell said: “There’s so much more that can be done.” In the end, the decision lies on the game’s developers, but the clamor for a remake will definitely continue.