NBA JAM Countercade – a tiny arcade cabinet that's on fire
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There was a time when every arcade had an NBA JAM machine, and every NBA JAM machine had a crowd around it. Two-on-two, dunks from the free-throw line, and a guy on the speakers yelling “Boomshakalaka!” at full volume.
The Arcade1Up NBA JAM Countercade is a mini arcade cabinet with that game inside, plus NBA JAM Tournament Edition and NBA Hang Time. It’s about 13 inches tall, has a 7-inch screen and a light-up marquee, and it sits on a desk, a bar or a kitchen counter.
I don’t need it. I want it. He’s heating up.
What is the NBA JAM Countercade?
Arcade1Up is the company that makes those 3/4-size home arcade cabinets. The Countercade line is their small version: a cabinet you put on a table instead of the floor. This one showed up in Arcade1Up’s shop in August 2026.
The games inside are a big deal. Midway released NBA JAM in arcades in April 1993, and according to Wikipedia it was the highest-earning US arcade game that year. Tournament Edition followed in 1994 and NBA Hang Time in 1996. All three are on this machine.
What the maker lists:
- A 7-inch color LCD screen
- Full-size joystick and arcade buttons
- A light-up marquee and licensed NBA artwork
- Built-in dual speakers (the Amazon listing also mentions a headphone jack)
- Power from 4 AA batteries or micro-USB
- A carrying handle and a non-slip base
- 9.45 x 8.74 x 13.19 inches, about 6.75 pounds
How do you play it?
Turn it on, pick a game, play. There’s no setup and no TV involved. The control panel in Arcade1Up’s photos has one joystick, buttons for shoot/block, pass/steal and turbo, plus an on/off switch and a volume switch.
That’s my one big question mark. The arcade original was a four-player machine. Here, the maker’s photos show controls for one player. The Amazon listing says “2 players”, which doesn’t match the photos. So, plan on you against the computer, and treat any couch co-op as a bonus.
The good and the not-so-good
What I like:
- Three NBA JAM-era games in one box.
- No cables needed. Batteries and a handle mean you can carry it to the garage or the office.
- It looks great. The basketball-leather side panels are a nice touch.
- 4.3 stars on Amazon at the time of writing, though from only 25 ratings.
What could be better:
- One joystick in the photos, for a game famous for crowds.
- 7 inches is small for a game this fast, with tiny players flying all over the court.
- No AA batteries in the box.
- A 90-day warranty from the maker. That’s short.
Who is the NBA JAM Countercade for?
The friend who still says “He’s on fire!” when he makes a paper ball into the trash can. Basketball fans, 90s kids, and anyone who wants a game room feeling without a game room.
Skip it if you want proper four-player NBA JAM nights. Then you need a bigger cabinet. If you just want a tiny cabinet for your desk, the TMNT Turtles in Time Quarter Arcade is another fun one. Or go full table with the Infinity Game Table.
Where can I buy the NBA JAM Countercade?
Arcade1Up sells it through its Amazon store. It was about 130 bucks on Amazon US at the time of writing (October 2026), down from a list price of 150. Arcade1Up’s own shop showed it as sold out.
Boomshakalaka. Take my money.