See how 1993’s NBA Jam was Made (and Sold to the NBA)

Bluesky · by **Andrew** on Wed Nov 02, 2011 10:21 pm

From last week on Kotaku: See how 1993’s NBA Jam was Made (and Sold to the NBA)

phpBB [video]

We rarely get to see the process by which a video game is pitched to a publisher, even today in an age of developer diaries and all-access marketing. It's even rarer we get to see how a game was pitched all the way back in the early 90s.

Yet that's what we're getting a look at today, in this fascinating video detailing not just how arcade classic NBA Jam was able to get its all-important NBA rights, but even cooler, how its iconic graphics were created.

In the above video, uploaded by video-game-ephemera, you'll see all kinds of interesting stuff. Footage of Midway's other notable arcade times of the era, for one, like Terminator 2. Footage of people playing a prototype version of NBA Jam and, with cameras in their face for a pitch video, loving it.

It's interesting to watch. It seems the initial idea would've had more camera angles including cuts to different angles on dunks, which is a concept that's perhaps worth exploring in future games. It's also interesting to note the talk of realism, given what the game would ultimately become.

YouTube · by **JaoSming** on Wed Nov 02, 2011 10:47 pm

very interesting to watch, weird to think they were going Sim....baby :czar:

Bluesky · by **Andrew** on Wed Nov 02, 2011 11:34 pm

As sim as 2-v-2 could be, at any rate. The proposed camera angle on dunks actually kind of reminds me of the dunking cutscenes in games like Double Dribble.

Also fun to see Jordan and Barkley as the stand-in players.

by **udexgod** on Thu Nov 03, 2011 6:11 am

this is the first time i watched this clip wow! i love seeing michael jordan and barkley in there as the stand-in players.

1993 nba jam definitely my FAVORITE nba jam ever. but too bad due to licensing issues, mj wasn't included in the game series SMH. glad charles barkley made the cut though. for me it would have been the perfect nba fun game because it had the best nba roster imo.

Bluesky · by **Andrew** on Thu Nov 03, 2011 9:19 am

It'd be great if they could get MJ in a future Jam game. Unfortunately his deal with 2K Sports is exclusive.

by **udexgod** on Fri Nov 04, 2011 6:38 pm

Andrew what year will Jordan's deal with 2k sports expire? will it be next year?
I really want to know and I wish there will be a basketball game where Barkley and Jordan will both be on it. Hopefully NBA 2K13 or Live 2013/2014

by **benji** on Fri Nov 04, 2011 6:44 pm

Jordan actually was in early arcade versions of Jam that went out before he had to be removed, they assumed they still had the license to him. And Barkley was taken out of later versions just like Shaq due to Barkley Shut Up and Jam!. (And Shaq-Fu/EA in his case.)

Also, in Jam, if you play Pistons against the Bulls, the game will do anything possible to make the Bulls lose.

Bluesky · by **Andrew** on Fri Nov 04, 2011 6:53 pm

udexgod wrote:Andrew what year will Jordan's deal with 2k sports expire? will it be next year?
I really want to know and I wish there will be a basketball game where Barkley and Jordan will both be on it. Hopefully NBA 2K13 or Live 2013/2014

I believe beginning with 2K12 they extended the deal for another three years, so he won't be in a game other than 2K for a little while yet. That should mean he's in NBA 2K13 in some capacity, presumably they'll continue with their historical content.

More recently, NBA Live 2000 included both Jordan and Barkley.

by **udexgod** on Sun Nov 06, 2011 9:44 am

benji wrote:Jordan actually was in early arcade versions of Jam that went out before he had to be removed, they assumed they still had the license to him. And Barkley was taken out of later versions just like Shaq due to Barkley Shut Up and Jam!. (And Shaq-Fu/EA in his case.)

Also, in Jam, if you play Pistons against the Bulls, the game will do anything possible to make the Bulls lose.

are u sure Jordan made it in early arcade version of NBA Jam? i have NBA Jam Barkley in my old historic SNES console (still functional), and i got the arcade version where Shaq was on the Orlando team on a console emulator, but i cant find Jordan in this early arcade version.
yeah that's true but only on last second situations, you can't make last second shots if youre playing as the Bulls vs the Pistons. it's bias it sucks.