Acclaim & the Harlem Globetrotters announce new game

The fun thing about being THAT kid at school who couldn’t be involved with certain things during PE/gym classes is that I got to do basically anything else. The weeks when it was basketball, there was a half-court set aside, and I’d spend the whole period sinking three-pointers like Obama in that “That’s what I do!” clip. Other than that, my knowledge of basketball begins and ends at: Where some teams play, Space Jam (there is only 1), and that the Harlem Globetrotters will bruise your ego. It turns out, with the return of Acclaim, we’re getting a game to celebrate 100 years of the Globetrotters.

Announced on Monday, though it kind of slipped through some of the cracks, Acclaim (yes, that one) and Namo Gamo were revealed to be behind Super Basketball Classics. Namo Gamo previously developed the retro-inspired 8-bit basketball game Basketball Classics in 2019. The team has returned to showcase Globetrotters in a new 2D arcade release. Here is what the press release said:

“Acclaim announced Super Basketball Classics Featuring the World-Famous Harlem Globetrotters, a new entry in its beloved retro sports lineup that fuses old-school arcade basketball with the iconic flash, flair, and fun of the Harlem Globetrotters. Inspired by classic 8 and 16-bit hoops games and rebuilt for modern players, the game delivers fast, pick-up-and-play action packed with trick shots, couch co-op chaos, and nonstop highlight-reel moments.

The game, coming to PC and home consoles, will be making its debut in conjunction with the Harlem Globetrotters’ 100th anniversary season, which tipped off in late December and will be celebrated around the world all year long.

From playground rivalries to cheat-code-style moves, Super Basketball Classics[,] featuring the World-Famous Harlem Globetrotters, reimagines basketball as both competitive arcade action and pure spectacle. Whether players are running a full season, challenging friends head-to-head, or dazzling the crowd with over-the-top Globetrotter performances, every match is designed to feel like a show.”

Typically, I’m not one for older arcadey games unless I’ve got some sense of nostalgia for them in the first place. However, with Super Basketball Classics, I’m at least slightly more interested, if not for the colorful nature, then for the historical aspect.

CEO of Acclaim, Alex Josef, said of the announcement: “The Harlem Globetrotters are synonymous with basketball and entertainment. This game celebrates that spirit while honoring the classic arcade basketball experiences fans grew up loving[,] while building a whole new generation of fans, for years to come. With tight controls, big personalities[,] and instant pick-up & play action, Super Basketball Classics brings the Harlem Globetrotters legacy to gamers and sports fans around the world.“

President of the Harlem Globetrotters and Herschend Entertainment Studios, Keith Dawkins, said: “As we celebrate our centennial season[,] the links that tie our vibrant past to popular culture of today continues to get stronger, and this partnership with Acclaim, literally brings this video game back to life for a new generation! It fits perfectly for what we are striving to achieve now and into the future, which is to create opportunities for fans of any age, anywhere in the world[,] and on any device to learn and enjoy all aspects of the Harlem Globetrotters in whatever manner they choose. We can’t wait to play!”

We don’t have a release date or many details on when we can expect to see Super Basketball Classics, but you can wishlist it on Steam right now. I’m excited for it. I’m a sucker for things that play on history, even sports history, where you get enough details drip-fed in with fun gameplay. By the looks of it, that’s all Super Basketball Classics aims to do – blend the retro with the modern while showcasing the GOATs.