It's time to jam with your friends! Arcade1Up has announced they're opening pre-orders on a new cabinet fit for a 7' 1" former NBA center. The NBA Jam: Shaq Edition home arcade machine is a direct collaboration between the company and legendary big man Shaquille O'Neill that brings the nostalgic arcade basketball experience onto one of Arcade1Up's biggest machines yet. Themed after the Hall of Famer, this cabinet markets itself for fans of the NBA, Shaq, or just sports video game enthusiasts.
NBA Jam is a classic 1993 arcade basketball game from Midway that puts players in the shoes of NBA legends in an over-the-top 2-on-2 competition. It gained a ton of traction with fans due to being one of the first games to include the likenesses of real NBA players and teams, though the gameplay really made it a mainstay. Rather than a pure basketball simulation, NBA Jam and its sequels opt for carnage, allowing players to shove each other out of the way with no consequences, jump incredibly high, nail logic-defying dunks, and literally become on fire if they hit enough shots consecutively. It's also a game beloved for its Easter Eggs and cheats, like giving all the players big heads or unlocking former President Bill Clinton as a playable character.
Owing to its namesake, the NBA Jam: Shaq Edition cabinet is a massive 67'' tall machine complete with a 19'' LCD screen. It's a sleek design, fitting the basketball theme with a silhouette of Shaq dunking on the competition adorning the front and side of the cabinet along with his signature. The light-up NBA Jam marquee over-top also gives the machine a little extra pop to stand out against the rest.
The machine also comes loaded with two additional titles outside the original NBA Jam: NBA Jam Tournament Edition and NBA Hangtime. Both serve as sequels to Midway's arcade classic with Tournament Edition including massive rosters of playable NBA legends and a tournament mode to challenge every NBA team while Hangtime introduced character creation to the chaotic formula. Players will also be able to take NBA Jam online to compete with their friends and post their best scores on the online leaderboard. No subscription is required to play online plus the new machine allows for cross-play with Arcade1Up's other NBA Jam machines, meaning you'll be able to challenge your friends wherever they play.
Compared to Arcade1Up's other NBA Jam cabinets, the Shaq Edition is going to cost a pretty penny at $699. With the extra size and endorsement from the big man himself, it might be worth the bit of extra cash for this sleek themed machine. As an extra flex for purchasing the cabinet, your name will have a Shaq silhouette badge next to it when you post your scores online, showing everyone you're playing on a Shaq Edition cabinet.
Fans interested in picking up this machine can see more information on Arcade1Up's website. It is expected to release sometime in August.