Obama, Palin, others playable in NBA Jam

What, you expected any less? Yes, of course various political and cultural icons will be showing up in EA's just released reboot to NBA Jam. ESPN revealed as much in a recent interview with the game's creative director, Trey Smith, who said not only is former President Bill Clinton a playable character, but also the Beastie Boys, President Obama, Vice President Joe Biden, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and former VP Al Gore.

A team of republicans is helmed by Miss Wasilla 1984 herself, Sarah Palin, with former President George W. Bush, former VP Dick Cheney and Arizona Senator John McCain backing her up. "Secret characters were on the list from day one," Smith said, adding "these secret characters and the element of surprise is something we hung our hats on very early." EA wouldn't reveal how said characters are accessed, but considering the game was released today for Nintendo Wii (with 360 and PS3 versions coming "in time for the holidays"), we'd suggest you start pounding away at buttons on that character selection screen right now.

Reader Comments (63)

LMFAO

@Leon Trotsky TDA

Kudos to all parties for not being sticks in the mud and allowing for this to happen. NBA Jam is all about the secret characters, so this is great news.

I'm playing as Obama and dunking on Palin as much as I can lol.

@JGray73

Or go with the Bizzaro-World version and put them both...ON THE SAME TEAM! Dun dun dun!

@JGray73
Dunking on Palin gives "taking it to the rack" new meaning.

@Brendan H
The internet points. Give them to this man.

@JGray73

Yeah totally! I can't wait to unlock Obama's alternative hammer & sickle jersey!

It's not a proper NBA Jam without unlockable politicians.

@LaughingTarget Actually, it's not NBA Jam without the rare unlockable MK characters.

@Nero6 Sadly, EA doesn't own Mortal Kombat. But I was at least expecting some other EA properties... like Issac, from Dead Space! ...And Faith, from Mirror's Edge.

@MowDownJoe
Now faith, that would be wicked cool.

@MowDownJoe "I'm Commander Shepard, and this is my favorite 2-on-2 court on the Citadel."

This is actually pretty cool. Faux news won't take this lightly though.

Why is EA obsessed with Obama?

@Unknown Hero He is the President of the United States, so his likeness can be in videogames for fun. Whats the problem?

Clinton was in the original NBA Jam, Reagan was in Bad Dudes, whats the problem.

Maybe MJ makes an appearance?? Probably not since he had been removed from PvZ...

@Barkley610
Probably??? my dude, did u not see the cover of 2k11?!?! im playin that shit right now... all i got to say is, WOW...

@Barkley610 He meant Michael Jackson.

@Jim Halpert DM Xbox Live

Nope... he meant Montell Jordan. I mean, he stands 6'8" right?

Because if you wanna start a political argument, NBA Jam has got you covered.

Biden vs Cheney the ultimate old people match up

I hope for Biden's sake that there aren't any shotguns in this game.

nba jam + obama - online play = ?

@Mrguy you know that guy

Yes we can?

@Ezio Auditore da Firenze
lol, i see what you did there.

@Ezio Auditore da Firenze you win 1 internets.

@Ezio Auditore da Firenze

yes *wii can

@Cleric
o_O taking it to another level. Nice!

Nothing can stop the Obama

This is so stupid.

@Qwaint

I think your comment tops it.

Call it a hunch but uh..

lawsuit

@Cleric
If by "hunch" you mean "a complete misunderstanding of Fair Use" then I agree.

@A Sandwich

Yeah tell it to the NCAA lawsuit. They're still using their likeness. Fair use doesn't hold water in court, esp with video games.

@Cleric

You expect politicians to sue a popular game franchise to keep their likeness out?

We have a passive legal system for just this reason. Obama, Palin, etc.. they don't mind the extra attention.

This is just good fun.

If you play as Obama do you always have to play against that team, The Economy? Good ol' Biden, always running in the wrong direction.

wow, i think my mind if blown

Well, this proves it. The 90's are alive and well. It's still ok for a president to be dunked on without the secret service around him.

If politicians being in video games is the next big thing, I'm putting my money down on seeing Sarah Palin in Cabela's Dangerous Hunts 2011, assuming it features moose.

@Benedict Or wolves and helicopters.

I'd like to boom shakalaka Palin if ya know what I mean XD!

Awesome

Obama - Biden... the dream team! HAHAHA

Now if Putin was there...

Wouldn't Palin shoot the other players then chew on the ball?

I saw you can be the two hosts of sportsnation from espn. colin and the beadle chick.

@bjbroderick

yup i also think they said they had the highest rating in the game. I love me my sportsnation!!!

I want T Pain in it!

@Boomh4u3r
No.

@Boomh4u3r

Who's T Pain?

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NBA Jam

Obama, Palin, others playable in NBA Jam

Reader Comments (63)

Posted: Oct 5th 2010 9:17PM Leon Trotsky TDA said

Posted: Oct 6th 2010 12:57PM TexRob said

Posted: Oct 5th 2010 9:19PM JGray73 said

Posted: Oct 5th 2010 9:24PM LaughingTarget said

Posted: Oct 5th 2010 10:16PM Brendan H said

Posted: Oct 6th 2010 12:09AM muchu said

Posted: Oct 6th 2010 5:50PM Liquidfingers said

Posted: Oct 5th 2010 9:22PM LaughingTarget said

Posted: Oct 5th 2010 9:50PM Nero6 said

Posted: Oct 5th 2010 10:08PM MowDownJoe said

Posted: Oct 5th 2010 10:29PM Mmmmz said

Posted: Oct 6th 2010 12:06AM JohnDM said

Posted: Oct 5th 2010 9:23PM PR0F3TA said

Posted: Oct 5th 2010 9:25PM Unknown Hero said

Posted: Oct 5th 2010 9:41PM adv2k169 said

Posted: Oct 5th 2010 9:28PM Barkley610 said

Posted: Oct 5th 2010 11:36PM BG GRZZ said

Posted: Oct 5th 2010 11:52PM Jim Halpert DM Xbox Live said

Posted: Oct 6th 2010 12:13AM bakedbeans6 said

Posted: Oct 5th 2010 9:30PM Burnflare said

Posted: Oct 5th 2010 9:33PM thedisagree said

Posted: Oct 5th 2010 9:37PM Epoque said

Posted: Oct 5th 2010 9:34PM Mrguy you know that guy said

Posted: Oct 5th 2010 9:38PM Ezio Auditore da Firenze said

Posted: Oct 5th 2010 9:58PM Protege420 said

Posted: Oct 5th 2010 10:01PM Mrguy you know that guy said

Posted: Oct 5th 2010 10:16PM Cleric said

Posted: Oct 8th 2010 1:52PM Protege420 said

Posted: Oct 5th 2010 9:50PM 343 Guilty Fart said

Posted: Oct 5th 2010 10:00PM Qwaint said

Posted: Oct 5th 2010 10:13PM The MARIO said

Posted: Oct 5th 2010 10:16PM Cleric said

Posted: Oct 5th 2010 10:26PM A Sandwich said

Posted: Oct 5th 2010 11:51PM Cleric said

Posted: Oct 6th 2010 12:40AM Dustin F said

Posted: Oct 5th 2010 10:21PM draffauf said

Posted: Oct 5th 2010 10:26PM Orangekun said

Posted: Oct 5th 2010 10:31PM LittleMofreaky said

Posted: Oct 5th 2010 10:35PM Benedict said

Posted: Oct 6th 2010 12:42PM spin cycle said

Posted: Oct 5th 2010 10:43PM Basevi said

Posted: Oct 5th 2010 10:48PM Anticrawl said

Posted: Oct 5th 2010 10:55PM Angel Mass said

Posted: Oct 5th 2010 10:55PM Gilliand said

Posted: Oct 5th 2010 11:00PM PoisonedAl said

Posted: Oct 5th 2010 11:01PM bjbroderick said

Posted: Oct 6th 2010 12:20AM boredasfook said

Posted: Oct 5th 2010 11:44PM Boomh4u3r said

Posted: Oct 5th 2010 11:51PM Vegeta has a ps3 said

Posted: Oct 5th 2010 11:59PM The MARIO said

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