Continuing a long practice as far fetch back as the original version of NBA Jam, which included political figures like Bill Clinton and Prince Charles, EA’s latest game in the franchise will feature some more present-day characters, like President Barack Obama and Sarah Palin.

They’re just the start, though; the American political spectrum is being represented in force with actual teams based on the Republican and Democratic parties, the former starring George W Bush, John McCain, Dick Cheney and Sarah Palin, the latter both Clintons, Al Gore, Joe Biden and President Obama.

These characters aren’t there to make up the numbers, either; they’re as fully-realised as the actual NBA players in the game, both teams with their own uniforms and home courts, each player packing distinctive facial expressions based on real photographs. Dick Cheney, for example, has a “Darth Vader snarl”.

Reports so far indicate that these characters will only be available with the Wii version of the game. Hopefully the Xbox 360 and PS3 will have their fair share soon.

SOURCE : Palin, Obama star in ‘NBA Jam’ [ESPN]