Sega Game Review - Barkley Shut Up and Jam 2

Barkley Shut Up and Jam! 2 was released by the developer Accolade in the U.S. for the Sega Genesis (Mega Drive) in 1995. It is a sequel to its predecessor Barkley Shut Up and Jam which was released for the SNES, Sega Mega Drive and the Atari Jaguar. An unofficial sequel follows it, released for the PC, unlike its predecessors, Barkley Shut Up and Jam! Gaiden. It is a traditional sports game based on basket ball and the sports character, you got it Charles Barkley.
There are 10 different characters available; oddly enough Charles doesn't seem to be available. There are several play choices which increases its replay value and even a multiple player option, but almost all sports games have this option. This game is based on the idea of street basketball and offers two on two play. There's no clock to regulate time, (also no fouls), when the game length depends on the option of game play chosen, either 21 or 50 points. The goal of this game is relatively simple, beat the competing team(s).
The graphics in Barkley Shut Up and Jam! 2 are rather good for the time period. The sprites are fully developed and easily recognizable as people and even as players for a basketball team. The background looks like a simple setup. The game features two hoops on a lot in the ghetto with the background being a graphitized wall covered with moss or some other vegetation. There are eight different settings to choose from. The game play is smooth and seems uninterrupted. It seems like there's a leap forwards from the first game and is well approved of.
The background music for Barkley Shut Up and Jam! 2 is amazing for the time. The tune is techno like but fits the scene of being set in the 'ghetto'. I myself find it quite catchy and seem to have a hard time not swaying to it. There are even inserts of Charles' voice that sounds amazingly like him that either encourage you or 'smack-talk' you. The voice integration seems rather advanced for the time and I whole-heartily give it two thumbs up.
The controls are simple and well managed for this sequel. I must say the amount of different kinds of shots including the alley-oops, up to 25 different kinds of dunks and a few other moves is an amazing amount of programming for an 1995 release. It certainly adds to the replay value of Barkley Shut Up and Jam! 2 in my opinion. The system responds smoothly to the taps of buttons and the D-pad, and the character responds quickly to whatever you command.
The Game seems to go up in difficulty (naturally) as you progress in the tournament standards. The battery pack for Barkley Shut Up and Jam! 2 enables you to save tournament standings, wins and losses which makes it easy to pick back up and play whenever you wish and I'm sure once you get your hands on this game to you'll want to.
This game is a pretty good one, especially for the early time period in gaming. I'm not into sports but I'd be more than willing to play Barkley Shut Up and Jam! 2. Out of a rating of 10 I easily give this game a 7. I recommend you try to get your hands on a copy and try to get your hands on it, even though it seems to be rather obscure.