Today sees the release of the rebooted NBA Jam, with EA going back to the roots of 2-on-2 basketball, bringing the fires and the boom-shakalaka to the Wii. All indications are that the game is a true return to the roots of the series, with the gameplay being instantly recognizable to anyone who has ever played one of the old versions. Another hallmark of the older Jams was the inclusion of hidden or unlockable characters. Who can forget playing as Bill Clinton, George Clinton, or the Charlotte Hornet? Apparently, when the team at EA found out that they would be bringing Jam back to life, they knew this meant that they'd have to put hidden players in as well.

In an interview with ESPN, creative director Trey Smith revealed that not only are there modern political figures in the game, they play on full teams with mascots, uniforms, and the whole nine yards. The Republicans and Democrats each get their own representation, with the GOP delegation consisting of George W. Bush, John McCain, Dick Cheney and Sarah Palin, and the Dems including Bill and Hillary Clinton, Al Gore, Joe Biden, and President Obama. Additionally, old school rap gets an appearance in the form of the Beastie Boys.

Smith also lamented some of the bigger names that he had hoped would be in the game, but for one reason or another could not reach an agreement. Gary Payton, Shawn Kemp, Charles Barkley and Kareem Abdul-Jabar had all been on the developers wish list, but did not make the finished product.