Sep 27, 2021 • 1HR 9M

NBA JAM (The Book) Interview - In Conversation with Reyan Ali

Author of the NBA JAM book, Reyan Ali talks about his Arcade Genesis and how he grew to love the NBA through gaming as a youth in Pakistan.

Sep 27, 2021

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Arcade Future

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Continuing our exploration into the 90s gaming empire that was Midway, we knew we had to get in touch with the guy who wrote the book on NBA JAM.

In 2019, Reyan Ali (with Boss Fight Books) penned the definitive dive into everything that is NBA Jam.

Released in 1993 and best known for its gravity-defying dunks and world-famous “Boomshakalaka!” voice by the unforgettable Tim Kitzkrow.

If you love the 90s and the NBA, then you know all about NBA Jam. Enjoy our conversation with the man who investigated the whole story about an incredible game that changed pop culture forever… Please sit back and enjoy our discussion about Arcades, pop culture, and of course, NBA Jam.

When NBA Jam dunked its way into arcades in 1993, players discovered just how fun basketball can be when freed from rules, refs, and gravity itself. But just a few years after Midway's billion-dollar hit conquered the world, Midway, publisher Acclaim, and video arcades themselves fell off the map. How did a simple two-on-two basketball game become MVP of the arcade, and how did this champ lose its title?
Journalist Reyan Ali dives deep into the saga, tracking the people and decisions that shaped the series. You'll get to know mischievous Jam architect Mark Turmell, go inside Midway's Chicago office where hungry young talent tapped into cutting-edge tech, and explore the sequels, spin-offs, and tributes that came in the game's wake…. - NBA JAM [Amazon]

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