Boomshakalaka!

One of the greatest and funnest basketball games in gaming history is making headlines this week after Hogs With A Blog created a rom hack for the original 1994 version of NBA Jam, with a new 2K17 roster and special characters.

As for gameplay it looks and feels just like the original. You’ll notice slight variations here and there besides the updated roster lineup and special characters I haven’t figured out the initials for yet.

Some Key New NBA Jam 2K17 Features

• Play as 117 of the top NBA players including Lebron James, Russell Westbrook, Steph Curry, and many more.
• Play with all 30 NBA teams, including New Orleans, Toronto, and Memphis.
• A completely revamped roster that is accurate as of Jan 1st, 2017.
• Unlockable legends like MJ and Kobe, past players like Scottie Pippen, Reggie Miller, and more.
• Minor graphical tweaks and updates.

My Review

I’ve been a fan of NBA Jam since it first hit the Arcades, Sega Genesis, and SNES. I can’t even estimate how many times I’ve owned this game or how many hours I’ve enjoyed playing it. There is no doubt that NBA Jam is my favorite sports game of all time.

I was so excited when I caught wind of this rom hack today. I got to downloading immediately. Though I’m not a fan of basketball like I was in 1994, a fresh take on this classic was music to my ears.

I used the emulator snesX9 to open the rom hack after downloading. It might just be that emulator or my laptop, but the game crashes every time I try to open the option screen. Besides not being able to configure the game options everything else seems to run smooth.

Not being able to change the settings didn’t halt my excitement once I realized the game runs fine besides that, but I knew it would present a challenge. I already knew my NBA Jam skills were going to be rusty. Not being able to change the skill level meant I was going to have to get some practice and knock the dust off if I wanted to create a gameplay video.

Usually when I play, I like to have a human player 2 to have my back. The games AI teammates always have made vital mistakes that cause me to have to work so much harder for a win. Clumsy teammates still haven’t changed with the new 2K17 update.

Before I attempted to create the above gameplay video I played 4 rounds, and tried to guess at Harambe and Hillary’s initials. HRM, HAM, HIL, and, HRC didn’t work.

It turns out I’m as rusty as I expected to be, and the AI characters suck as much as ever. I would have preferred to get some practice on very easy mode to start, but I enjoy a good challenge.

In the first half I kept even on the first 4 practice rounds. After halftime it seems like the rival team had a epic moral speech in the locker room every game. They really step the intensity level up 5 notches in the second half. I lost all 4 times by 8 points or more.

So by round 5 I was getting pretty tired of having my arse handed to me. I put my game face on and hit the record button. The round of gameplay I captured in my video had to be the most intense game of NBA Jam I’ve ever played. I wanted to win so bad.

If you watched the video you’ll see what I mean about intense. I was really focused, and getting a win looked pretty grim throughout most of the game. It was a heart pounding struggle for me. At the end of the 3rd quarter I thought they we’re going to destroy me in the next.

With a minute left on the clock I was down by 4 points and was pretty sure I was a goner. Its not over until the fat lady sings. I wasn’t going down without a fight. Somehow I miraculously worked my way up to 2 point lead with 7 second on the clock. They came in with a dunk for the last second tie and I got in one of the greatest blocks in video game basketball history. At least it was for me anyway.

“Not In My House!” – Mutombo

When I got that block and won the game I threw both fists in the air and yelled yes like my favorite team just won the championship. My wife looked at me like I was crazy. Because I was recording it made it one of those treasured memories in gaming I’ll never forget. Video games are so awesome!

If your a fan of the NBA, or just NBA Jam, you’ve got to check this update out. Playing that round made my day. Its like how a golfer feels when they hit a hole in one. I really appreciate the dev’s creating this rom. Hopefully it brings you some enjoyment to your day also.

You can download the rom free on Hogs With a Blogs Website. I ran it with snesX9, but there are other SNES emulators out there. I’m not sure if the option screen causes a crash on any of the alternatives. You can find other emulators on Google, and there are usually tutorials for them all on YouTube.

I obviously loved this game! I salute the retro loving re-creators/ updaters and give their 2k17 update an overwhelmingly positive BOOMSHAKALAKA review.

Authors Note:
I forgot to mention that the updated hack is modeled after the 1994 SNES Tournament Edition version.