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NBA Jam slams its way back into action on the Nintendo Wii.

NBA Jam on the SNES was one of my favorite sports games growing up, and I still play it to this day. I have been waiting for an NBA Jam that would compare to the perfection of this classic game. Over the years NBA Jam games have been a failure and have not been nearly as good as the original titles. EA who took over Midway's franchise hopes to achieve this goal with their release on the Nintendo Wii. The Wii brings a whole new look to NBA Jam's gameplay in a way that opens up my hopes for a comeback.

Over the years the franchise has tried new things to add complexity to the game. Whether it was adding new features or new modes, there remained an issue throughout. This issue was that there was just too much to do. These games were over-thought and ridiculously complex causing them to fail, because they deviated from the true purpose of the experience.

NBA Jam Wii seems to have finally gotten it right. It incorporates the simplistic controls that make NBA the game it needs to be. The game is very smooth with very nice looking graphics. It's a classic arcade style 2 on 2 game with perfectly paced game play which is easily controlled. The game play is both intense at times and crazy fun at others.

When I played the demo I used the Wii Remote and Nunchuck, which were very simple and easy to use. To start, you need to flick the controller up to jump for a shot, then flick it down to release. This also applies to dunks, where you'll essentially slam the Remote downward to dunk the ball. This also works the same on defense where you flick the controller up to jump and block the ball. From what I remember, the controls are fairly similar to Midway's old controller layouts.

Another cool feature is the ability to use the Wii's Classic Controller if you do not want to swing your arms around. I have not played with this controller but I have a feeling it will not disappoint. I personally thought the motion controls for this game were perfect because you really get the feeling of slamming the ball down on dunks and the feeling you're actually setting up plays such as alley-oops.

The new NBA Jam will have 4 player multiplayer along with a ton of new modes. You can play season mode where you get to play your favorite team's schedule along with playing one on one mode where you can play some of the current NBA greats such as Kobe Bryant. The one on one battles will be half court so that you will get a better camera view of the game. This allows for easier ways to defend your basket during your battle. There will be other types of boss battles, from the sounds of things but the reps for the game were hesitant to be too specific.

Overall, between the look and the gameplay it seems like NBA Jam is finally back. EA has done a great job on the multiplayer and it is a game for everyone to play. Regardless of if you have ever played previous NBA Jam games, this is a game anyone will enjoy. This game will be released in fall 2010 and is recommended to anyone interested.