Games Like NBA Jam
Quick Answer
The closest games to NBA Jam are NBA Jam: On Fire Edition, NBA Street Vol. 2, NFL Blitz, Windjammers 2 and Golf Story. Below are 9 picks with the reason for each — what carries over from NBA Jam, and what does not.
What Made NBA Jam Work
NBA Jam is two-on-two, no fouls, on fire, and the ball catches light. It is an arcade game that happens to use basketball, and the reason people ask is that almost nobody makes sports games this unserious any more.
NBA Jam is Midway's 1993 arcade basketball game, designed by Mark Turmell, and later ported to home consoles. Two-on-two teams of real NBA players play with no fouls, superhuman dunks and a player who is 'on fire' after three straight baskets, with Tim Kitzrow's famous commentary. Fans usually want another over-the-top arcade sports game.
9 Games Like NBA Jam
1.NBA Jam: On Fire Edition
The last proper entry, and the best-playing version of the formula.
Why it fits: EA Canada's 2011 game for PS3 and Xbox 360 brings back two-on-two play, big dunks and the 'on fire' mechanic.
What is different: The same two-on-two formula with newer rosters and an online mode; it is the closest thing to a straight sequel.
Where to play it: PS3 and Xbox 360.
More about this game →2.NBA Street Vol. 2
The other great arcade basketball game, and just as stylish.
Why it fits: EA Canada's 2003 game under EA Sports BIG is a street basketball game with tricks and Gamebreakers.
What is different: Three-on-three street ball where tricks fill a meter for a Gamebreaker; style matters as much as the score.
Where to play it: PS2, Xbox and GameCube.
More about this game →3.NFL Blitz
The same studio doing to American football what Jam did to basketball.
Why it fits: Midway's 1997 arcade game applies the NBA Jam formula to American football, with no penalties and big hits.
What is different: American football, seven a side with late hits allowed; the same arcade spirit in a different sport.
Where to play it: Arcade, N64 and PlayStation.
More about this game →4.Windjammers 2
Arcade sport reduced to its purest competitive form.
Why it fits: Dotemu's 2022 sequel to the 1994 Neo Geo game is a fast competitive disc-throwing sport.
What is different: A one-on-one disc-throwing duel across a net, not a team sport, and matches last seconds.
Where to play it: PC, PS4, Xbox One and Switch.
More about this game →5.Golf Story
For the arcade-sport-with-personality feel in a different shape.
Why it fits: Sidebar Games' 2017 Switch game is a golf RPG with a story and humour.
What is different: A role-playing game with golf at its core; slow and story-led rather than a two-minute blast.
Where to play it: Switch.
More about this game →6.Mario Strikers: Battle League
The modern version of unserious sport with items.
Why it fits: Next Level Games' 2022 Switch game is a small-team football game with items, gear and special Hyper Strikes, and no fouls to speak of.
What is different: Five-a-side football with items and tackles that knock players flat; the arcade excess moves to a pitch.
Where to play it: Switch.
More about this game →7.Rocket League
The best arcade sports game currently being played.
Why it fits: Psyonix's 2015 game is car football with jumping and boosting.
What is different: Rocket-powered cars playing football, built for online play and physics rather than a fire-powered dunk.
Where to play it: PC, PS4, Xbox One and Switch.
More about this game →8.Wave Race 64
Nintendo's arcade sports design from the same era.
Why it fits: Nintendo EAD's 1996 Nintendo 64 game is an arcade sports game from the same era.
What is different: A jet-ski racer; it shares only the pick-up-and-play feel, not the sport or the opponent.
Where to play it: N64.
Games like this →9.Super Mega Baseball 4
Arcade-leaning sport that still plays properly.
Why it fits: Metalhead Software's 2023 game, published by EA, is an arcade-leaning baseball game with real depth.
What is different: Full baseball games with a real stats layer and team management, far deeper than a quick jam session.
Where to play it: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S and Switch.
More about this game →
Where to Start
NBA Jam: On Fire Edition is the best modern version. NBA Street Vol. 2 is the pick for another arcade basketball game. Rocket League is the best current arcade sports game.
How We Picked These Games
Every pick is an arcade sports game that values fun over realism, or a sports game with the same competitive, pick-up-and-play spirit. We gave priority to basketball and to games from the same era or studio.
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How These Picks Match NBA Jam
NBA Jam is catalogued here as a sports game on the Super Nintendo. All nine picks share at least one of its genre tags — nine sports games among them.
Going by the "where to play it" notes, three can be played on PC, six can be played on a PlayStation, eight can be played on a Nintendo system and five can be played on an Xbox. Windjammers 2, Golf Story and Super Mega Baseball 4 are from small or self-published studios. NBA Jam: On Fire Edition, NFL Blitz, Mario Strikers: Battle League and Rocket League are the ones a child and an adult can play together.
| Game | Genre | Shares with NBA Jam | Where to play |
|---|---|---|---|
| NBA Jam: On Fire Edition | Sports, Arcade, Family | Sports | PS3 and Xbox 360. |
| NBA Street Vol. 2 | Sports, Arcade | Sports | PS2, Xbox and GameCube. |
| NFL Blitz | Sports, Arcade, Family | Sports | Arcade, N64 and PlayStation. |
| Windjammers 2 | Sports, Arcade, Indie | Sports | PC, PS4, Xbox One and Switch. |
| Golf Story | Sports, RPG, Indie | Sports | Switch. |
| Mario Strikers: Battle League | Sports, Family, Arcade | Sports | Switch. |
| Rocket League | Sports, Arcade, Family | Sports | PC, PS4, Xbox One and Switch. |
| Wave Race 64 | Racing, Sports, Arcade | Sports | N64. |
| Super Mega Baseball 4 | Sports, Arcade, Indie | Sports | PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S and Switch. |
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