N64 basketball sequel goes back to its roots

NBA Jam '99 wasn't a bad game, but it wasn't as well-received as Acclaim might have been hoping for. Partly because of that, the folks at Iguana in Salt Lake City have gone back to the roots of the franchise for the sequel and are planning a whole slew of new arcade additions.

Probably the biggest overall change being implemented to NBA Jam 2000 is the inclusion of old-school two-on-two basketball action - a Jam tradition that was sorely absent in last year's version. This addition actually works out to Iguana's benefit, as eliminating six polygonal players from the screen leaves room for more detailed players. Whereas Jam '99's basketballers were generally made up of roughly 300 polygons, Jam 2000 athletes are constructed at a poly-count of more than double that.

Taking inspiration from Midway's Ready 2 Rumble boxing game, the arcade-style basketball players in Jam 2000 will be created in an extremely over-the-top fashion. This means athletes with ridiculous, almost cartoony characteristics such as big afros, old-style high-socks and short shorts, as well as players with body frames that look more fit to play American football. And gamers, utilising an extensive create-a-player feature based on that seen in WWF Attitude, will be able to design and customise their very own goofy athletes and teams.

On the gameplay side, a number of changes are being implemented for an overall experience that moves much faster than last year's game. Players will have the choice of selecting multiple speeds of gameplay now. Depending on what speed setting is selected, animation routines are either cut back or played in full. Removing excessive animation frames boosts gameplay speed significantly and gamers who want the absolute smoothest animation possible can have it at a slower, more realistic gameplay speed.

In an attempt to add a little more 'attitude' to the game, Iguana have popped in a handful of new options that are sure to keep Jam enthusiasts happy. First, expect the ability to push opposing athletes while dribbling the ball, thus knocking them down or away. In addition, look for grabbing and crushing guards and Jam 2000 will feature more codes and cheats than any other incarnation of the series.

According to Iguana, Jam 2000 will also feature loads of new visual effects in the vein of hugely exaggerated dunks and shots, fire streaks, smoke, sparks and other effects. The game is expected to hit the shelves in the autumn.