NBA Jam: On Fire Edition

Happy Thanksgiving to all of our virtual ballers in the United States! I realise that many of you are probably enjoying quality time with family and friends right now, but I wanted to offer up a couple of Thanksgiving treats in the form of NBA Jam: On Fire Edition and NBA Live 08 videos. Dee has also recently uploaded some great highlight reels for NBA 2K14 and NBA Live 16 that you should definitely catch if you haven’t already.

First up, there’s a seasonally-appropriate NBA Jam: On Fire Edition video, featuring a full game between The Gobblers and characters from SSX. I’m playing the game on Real AI difficulty, which means that the CPU is very aggressive, and throwing my own strategies back at me. These turkeys may have escaped ending up on the dinner table, but it was a tough challenge to avoid them being roasted on the virtual hardwood instead!

Next up is a redux of my re-creation of Dazzling Dunks & Basketball Bloopers’ recap of the 1988 Dunk Contest in NBA Live 08 PC. You may recall that I posted that re-creation back in February for Michael Jordan’s 60th Birthday, and I decided to create a picture-in-picture version that compared my efforts to the original segment. As for Dee’s videos, he put together a reel from our exciting co-op session on NBA 2K14 using 2012 rosters, as well as a game of NBA Live 16 that he played against the CPU. We discussed both of those games in Episode #504 of the NLSC Podcast.

Check out all of those videos below! Once again, Happy Thanksgiving to everyone who is celebrating it today. Be sure to subscribe to the NLSC YouTube channel for more basketball gaming content, and as always, feel free to hit us up with any suggestions of games that you’d like to see us play.

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Dee and I continue to upload highlights from our individual and co-op basketball gaming sessions to the NLSC YouTube channel! Some of the recent uploads include new entries in the NBA 2K14 Retro Series, an All-Star Game in NBA Live 10, a classic teams showdown in NCAA Basketball 09, an epic game of NBA Jam: On Fire Edition using johnz1’s mod, a fantasy game in NBA 2K17, and a 2005 matchup in NBA 2K13.

I’ve picked up my NBA 2K14 Retro Series again after a long hiatus, featuring original classic teams and makeshift ones created using the limited in-game roster editing in the PlayStation 4 version of the game. For the uninitiated, the series is a celebration of NBA history with retro matchups and re-creations of memorable games, with post-production effects and era-appropriate commercials intended to invoke a feeling of discovering an old VHS or DVD, and watching it on a then-contemporary TV. Recent uploads include games between the 1995 Bulls and Magic, 2003 Wizards and Jazz, and 2008 Nuggets and Magic.

The NCAA Basketball 09 game features the 1982 North Carolina Tar Heels and 1983 Houston Cougars, with real names added to the roster. The NBA 2K13 game is being played using the URB 2005 season roster, featuring Steve Francis’ Magic going up against Stephon Marbury’s Knicks. Dee’s Ultimate Classic Teams Roster is on display in the NBA 2K17 game, as the 2002 Kings take on the 2006 Lakers. The NBA Live 10 All-Star Game features multiple candidates for the NLSC Top 10 Plays of the Week, while the NBA Jam: On Fire Edition game showcases 2023 rosters with an incredible finish.

Check out all of these videos below! Be sure to subscribe to the NLSC YouTube channel for more basketball gaming content, and as always, feel free to hit us up with any suggestions of games that you’d like to see us play.

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Happy Halloween, basketball gamers! We never need an excuse to play basketball games and share videos of what we’re doing on the virtual hardwood, but seasonal content is always fun. And since it’s the Spooky Season, I’m sharing a full game of NBA Jam: On Fire Edition in which I took on The Stickmen with the Skeleton Crew!

These two unlockable teams are part of a wide array of bonus content in NBA Jam: On Fire Edition, and the Skeleton Crew is obviously perfect for some Halloween fun. This game was played on the Real AI difficulty setting, in which the CPU ruthlessly counters your strategies, and throws them back in your face. It’s a stimulating challenge, but that doesn’t prevent me from producing some high-flying highlights. Indeed, not even the lack of a skull can prevent Headless Hank from punishing the rim and shattering the backboard! See for yourself.

You can find out more about Real AI and NBA Jam: On Fire Edition in my Wayback Wednesday video retrospective. Be sure to subscribe to the NLSC YouTube channel for more basketball gaming content, and as always, feel free to hit Dee and I up with suggestions for games that you’d like to see us play!

Dee and I have discussed the NBA Jam: Legends On Fire Edition mod for NBA Jam: On Fire Edition at length on the NLSC Podcast, and we’ve also had johnz1 on the show to discuss the project. It’s something that we’ve been waiting for years to see, and we’ve had a blast connecting on Parsec to play with it! Recently, we used the mod to replay the 1993 NBA Finals matchup of the Chicago Bulls vs. the Phoenix Suns.

With Dee as the host and controlling Scottie Pippen, I took control of Michael Jordan as we battled Charles Barkley and Kevin Johnson. Even with our experience playing co-op together and the skill of MJ and Pip, Sir Charles and KJ proved to be an extremely challenging matchup. Needless to say, Dee recorded our arcade take on the 1993 NBA Finals, and put together another fantastic highlight reel for the NLSC YouTube channel!

We’re consistently uploading great basketball gaming videos to our YouTube channel these days, an initiative that Dee has been spearheading with gameplay reels for a multitude of hoops titles, not to mention the weekly Top 10. I’ve also posted a couple of video retrospectives for Wayback Wednesday recently, including NBA Jam: On Fire Edition, so be sure to subscribe for more virtual hardwood fun!

As you may be aware, in addition to our modding community and original content here on the NLSC, we’re also active over on YouTube! It’s an initiative that Dee4Three has been spearheading for some time now, and his latest gameplay videos spotlight AND1 Streetball and the NBA Jam: Legends On Fire Edition mod for NBA Jam: On Fire Edition.

Both reels are from co-op sessions that we played over Parsec. In AND1 Streetball, we assembled a squad featuring some of the biggest names of the Mixtape Tour back in the day, including The Professor, Escalade, and Sik Wit It, and played a pickup game at Rucker Park. It was a joy to revisit this somewhat overlooked and underrated street hoops game, and produce some fun highlights. We also discussed the game in Episode #475 of the NLSC Podcast, and I’ve previously covered it for Wayback Wednesday.

For our session with NBA Jam: On Fire Edition using the Legends On Fire Edition mod, we replayed the 1995 NBA Finals matchup of the Houston Rockets vs. the Orlando Magic. It was a battle that went down to the wire, showcasing how challenging and exciting the mod can be! In case you missed it, a new version of NBA Jam: Legends On Fire Edition has just been released, and johnz1 also joined us on the podcast back in April. I also covered NBA Jam: On Fire Edition for Wayback Wednesday this week, with an in-depth video retrospective.

Check out both highlight reels below, and be sure to subscribe to the NLSC YouTube channel for more gameplay highlights, retrospectives, and other content! We’re also open to suggestions for games that you’d like to see us play, so by all means hit us up with those ideas.

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Back in March, johnz1 released the initial version of the NBA Jam: Legends On Fire Edition mod for the PlayStation 3 version of NBA Jam: On Fire Edition. As you may recall, the mod includes 67 squads based on the best NBA teams from the 1980s through to the 2020s, and a revamped Road Trip mode. Today, johnz1 has released v1.1 of the project!

The new version of NBA Jam: Legends On Fire Edition contains several ratings updates for better player performance, and corrects the colours of the press row tables for a number of teams. It also utilises a new installation method, and should now work properly on jailbroken PS3s as well as the RPCS3 emulator. A couple of other minor fixes such as changes to player order are also included. Full release notes from johnz1 can be found below.

Download v1.1 of NBA Jam: Legends On Fire Edition here! For more information and support, check out the release topic here in our Forum. Don’t forget that johnz1 has also released a 2023 update for NBA Jam: On Fire Edition, and joined us on the NLSC Podcast to talk about modding the game. Finally, if you need a reminder of how awesome NBA Jam: On Fire Edition is, be sure to check out my newly-posted Wayback Wednesday retrospective!

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This is Wayback Wednesday, your midweek blast from the past! From retrospectives of basketball games and their interesting features, to republished articles and looking at NBA history through the lens of the virtual hardwood, Wednesdays at the NLSC are for going back in time. This week, I’m taking a look back at NBA Jam: On Fire Edition, with a video retrospective.

Since I profiled the 2010 reboot in last week’s Wayback Wednesday, it only makes sense to cap off a month (and a bit) of 30th Anniversary celebrations with a look back at its sequel, NBA Jam: On Fire Edition! As I’ve said before, On Fire Edition has become my favourite NBA Jam game, and my pick for the best release in the series. That’s an opinion that I reiterate in the video, as I point out the enhancements to gameplay and modes that made the game so special. An NBA Jam: On Fire Edition retrospective has been long overdue, so let’s take a look back…way back…

I hope you enjoyed this retrospective, and all of the NBA Jam content in Wayback Wednesday over the past month! Even though we haven’t seen a new game since 2011, it remains an iconic series packed full of nostalgia, and the best releases are still fun to play today. Once again, I’ll plug our interview with Tim Kitzrow from 2019, and as always, encourage you to subscribe to the NLSC YouTube channel for more basketball gaming content.

Last month, johnz1 unveiled the NBA Jam: Legends On Fire Edition mod for the PlayStation 3 version of NBA Jam: On Fire Edition. More than a couple of gamers expressed interest in seeing a current season update for the game, and johnz1 has delivered just that with NBA Jam: On Fire Edition 2023!

The mod updates 21 teams for the 2023 season, complete with new player heads, team uniforms, courts, crowd signs, and more. All players and teams are unlocked, with the exception of the final “boss team” in Road Trip, which is exclusive to the mode. The nine teams that haven’t been added/updated for 2023 are still present in Road Trip, but are utilising replacement heads in lieu of new faces.

Download NBA Jam: On Fire Edition 2023 here! Please note that the mod is playable on both the RPCS3 emulator, and a jailbroken PlayStation 3; full installation instructions can be found in the release and support topic in the Forum. johnz1 will also be releasing documentation and tools to aid in modding NBA Jam: On Fire Edition in the future, so stay tuned for those resources! He also joined Dee and I for a chat in Episode #471 of the NLSC Podcast, so if you haven’t already, give it a listen to get the inside story on modding NBA Jam: OFE, and johnz1’s background in tinkering with various video games.

From courtside of the virtual hardwood, it’s Episode #471 of the NLSC Podcast!

This week, we’re joined by johnz1, creator of the NBA Jam: Legends On Fire Edition mod for NBA Jam: On Fire Edition PS3! John provides insights into the creation of this fantastic mod, and also shares stories of his history with modding, including projects for NBA Street Vol. 2 and Tecmo Super Bowl. We also chat about the philosophy behind ratings in the NBA Jam series, his discovery of hidden assets for Michael Jordan in the 2010 reboot of NBA Jam, and his origins as a basketball gamer. John also teases a future modding project for NBA Jam: On Fire Edition that should be out soon, and answers some rapid fire questions about legendary NBA players.

Download or play on your mobile device/tablet: CLICK HERE (Running time: 1:35:23 — 65.9MB)

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify

To get involved with the mailbag or to provide any feedback on the show, hit us up in the comments, reach out on social media, or post here in the NLSC Forum! For more information on the NLSC Podcast including episode guides, check out this page in our Wiki. You can also find the show on our YouTube channel, along with the rest of our video content. As always, thanks for tuning in, and go get buckets!

A couple of weeks ago, in Episode #467 of the NLSC Podcast, Dee and I mentioned a forthcoming modding project that we were very excited to hear about. The time has arrived, as johnz1 has released NBA Jam: Legends On Fire Edition, a comprehensive mod for the PlayStation 3 version of NBA Jam: On Fire Edition!

NBA Jam: Legends On Fire Edition features the best players on the best 67 teams from the 1980s through to the 2020s. For example, you’ll find multiple Los Angeles Lakers teams from different eras, including Magic and Kareem’s Showtime squad and the Shaq-Kobe Lakers, and both the early 90s and late 90s Chicago Bulls that team up Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen with Horace Grant and Dennis Rodman respectively.

It also includes new faces, body models, arenas, jerseys, and logos, making it a comprehensive total conversion mod. On top of that, it also reworks Road Trip into a historical challenge mode, in which the goal is to defeat every team in what were the four most devastating losses in franchise history. There’s also a “classic” Road Trip option, in which you can use any team against the four best lineups that each club has fielded.

Please note that you must own an original copy of NBA Jam: On Fire Edition to use this mod. It can be played on original hardware if your PlayStation 3 is jailbroken, otherwise you’ll need to use the RPCS3 emulator. All in all, johnz1 has released a fantastic mod for a fantastic game! What are you waiting for? Check it out now!

You can download the latest version of the mod here. The release and support topic, which includes full installation instructions, can be found here. You can also check out a trailer for this incredible mod below. Dee and I are looking to set up a time to get johnz1 on the Podcast to talk about the creation of the mod, so stay tuned for that.

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As Dee and I noted in Episode #461 of the NLSC Podcast, we’re back on our Road Trip in NBA Jam: On Fire Edition, producing highlights along the way. In our most recent session, we finished up with the New Jersey Nets’ Bronze challenge, using two of our favourite players: Julius Erving and Darryl Dawkins.

When the game was done, Dee whipped up a highlight reel of our best plays, and uploaded it to the NLSC YouTube channel. Although we weren’t successful in breaking the backboard with Dawkins on this occasion, we were still able to use the Philadelphia 76ers legends to put on a show! With two such prolific and spectacular dunkers, there wasn’t much call to bomb away from downtown; though, as you’ll see, Dr. J did dial long distance in impressive fashion. NBA Jam: On Fire Edition remains a blast to this day, as I’m sure these highlights will demonstrate.

Once again, I invite everyone to subscribe to the NLSC YouTube channel, where you’ll find many more highlight reels, and other original basketball gaming content. It’s an effort that Dee has been spearheading over the past couple of years, and I can promise that the fun will continue in 2023!

From courtside of the virtual hardwood, it’s Episode #461 of the NLSC Podcast!

Wishlist season is upon us once again, so we’re talking about the gameplay improvements that both we and the community want to see in NBA 2K24. It would appear that many of us are on the same page as far as what we want to see this year! Meanwhile, a Parsec session saw us resume our Road Trip in NBA Jam: On Fire Edition, and have some fun with Hoops for NES. A recent YouTube comment regarding NBA Live 99 also inspires us to discuss the importance of context when evaluating graphics in classic basketball video games. In this week’s mailbag, we’re quizzing the community on the top three-point shooters in NBA Live 06.

Download or play on your mobile device/tablet: CLICK HERE (Running time: 1:17:51 — 53.8MB)

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify

To get involved with the mailbag or to provide any feedback on the show, hit us up in the comments, reach out on social media, or post here in the NLSC Forum! For more information on the NLSC Podcast including episode guides, check out this page in our Wiki. You can also find the show on our YouTube channel, along with the rest of our video content. As always, thanks for tuning in, and go get buckets!

On behalf of the NLSC Team, Merry Christmas and Season’s Greetings to our community! Whatever your beliefs and traditions at this time of the year, I hope that you’re happy, healthy, and spending some quality time with friends and family.

A big thanks as always for continuing to support us throughout 2022! I hope you’ve enjoyed being a part of the community here at the NLSC this year, and are looking forward to more good times in 2023. We’re certainly keen to continue supporting our modding community, and creating entertaining original content in our coverage of basketball gaming. To that end, our gift to you today is a showdown between Santa’s Slammers and Team SSX in NBA Jam: On Fire Edition!

There’ll definitely be plenty of video content coming in 2023, so be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel! NBA Jam: On Fire Edition is also on my list of games that I’m overdue to cover for Wayback Wednesday, and with 2023 marking the 30th Anniversary of the NBA Jam series, it seems like an appropriate time to get around to it. Once again, Merry Christmas, Season’s Greetings, and a happy holiday season to basketball gamers everywhere. Enjoy these NBA Jam: On Fire Edition highlights, and if you’re hitting the virtual hardwood these holidays, have a blast!

This is Wayback Wednesday, your midweek blast from the past! From retrospectives of basketball games and their interesting features, to republished articles and looking at NBA history through the lens of the virtual hardwood, Wednesdays at the NLSC are for going back in time. This week, I’m taking a look back at Linsanity, and its effect on basketball video games.

The NBA has produced some captivating stories in its 75 years, including inspiring underdog tales. When I was growing up as a young NBA fan in the 90s, the story of how John Starks went from undrafted prospect to a key member of the best Knicks teams since the 70s was one of the most popular. Some twenty years after Starks’ breakout season in New York, another Knicks guard would become a fan favourite after making his mark. Of course, while there are some fun coincidences in the careers of John Starks and Jeremy Lin, there are some noteworthy differences as well.

Both originally made their NBA debut for the Golden State Warriors, seeing limited minutes while playing less than half of the season. Both had gone undrafted, though Lin had arguably been a much longer shot to make the league, having not received any athletic scholarship offers and being just one of four players from Harvard to go pro (and the first in over fifty years). Again, both were fan favourites in New York, whose big break came in part thanks to injuries. However, while Starks’ career was memorable, Linsanity was something special, brief as it may have been. It also had a noticeable impact on the virtual hardwood. Let’s take a look back…way back…

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Welcome to another edition of The Friday Five! Every Friday I cover a topic related to basketball gaming, either as a list of five items, or a Top 5 countdown. The topics for these lists and countdowns include everything from fun facts and recollections to commentary and critique. This week’s Five is a list of five reasons that I rank NBA Jam: On Fire Edition as the best release in the NBA Jam series.

We really need another NBA Jam game. I know there were gamers that skipped the NBA Jam games by EA Sports, either because they were burned by previous non-Midway Jam titles, they didn’t trust or want to support EA, or a mixture of both. I understand having that stance, but frankly, you missed out on a couple of really good NBA Jam games! They were faithful to the originals, while also bringing something new to the table. It’s because of this that NBA Jam: On Fire Edition remains my pick for the best NBA Jam game to date.

I know that’s a big claim to make, especially when the original NBA Jam still holds up today. Tournament Edition was a fantastic follow-up to that, and though Midway lost the Jam moniker, NBA Hangtime was a worthy sequel to TE. NBA Showtime: NBA on NBC and NBA Hoopz were also fine games in Midway’s branch of the lineage; Acclaim’s titles, not so much. In short, there is some stiff competition for NBA Jam: On Fire Edition, yet I do believe that it stands above the rest. While EA were struggling with NBA Live by the early 2010s, they made great use of the NBA Jam license, creating the definitive Jam experience with NBA Jam: On Fire Edition.

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