▁first ▁entry ▁in ▁the ▁B ark ley ▁Sh ut ▁Up ▁and ▁Jam ▁series , ▁featuring ▁former ▁NBA ▁M VP ▁Charles ▁B ark ley ▁prom in ently ▁and ▁as ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁play able ▁characters . ▁ ▁Fe aturing ▁ar cade - style ▁game play ▁similar ▁to ▁Mid way ' s ▁NBA ▁Jam ▁but ▁closely ▁following ▁the ▁rules ▁seen ▁in ▁street ▁basketball , ▁players ▁comp ete ▁with ▁either ▁CPU - control led ▁oppon ents ▁or ▁against ▁other ▁players ▁in ▁matches ▁across ▁various ▁cities ▁of ▁the ▁United ▁States . ▁Origin ally ▁known ▁as ▁Charles ▁B ark ley ▁Basketball ▁during ▁development ▁and ▁initially ▁released ▁on ▁the ▁Gen esis , ▁it ▁was ▁later ▁port ed ▁to ▁the ▁Super ▁N intendo ▁Entertainment ▁System ▁and ▁first ▁released ▁on ▁North ▁America ▁on ▁June ▁ 1 9 9 4 ▁and ▁this ▁version ▁was ▁released ▁months ▁later ▁in ▁both ▁Japan ▁and ▁Europe ▁on ▁the ▁same ▁year ▁by ▁Den ' Z ▁and ▁Sony ▁Electron ic ▁Publishing ▁respectively . ▁ ▁B ark ley ▁Sh ut ▁Up ▁and ▁Jam ! ▁received ▁mixed ▁but ▁positive ▁reception ▁when ▁it ▁was ▁released ▁on ▁both ▁platforms , ▁with ▁review ers ▁pra ising ▁the ▁graphics , ▁sound ▁and ▁multi player , ▁while ▁others ▁critic ized ▁the ▁controls , ▁lack l uster ▁anim ations ▁and ▁game play , ▁with ▁critics ▁also ▁comparing ▁the ▁game ▁with ▁NBA ▁Jam . ▁Port s ▁for ▁the ▁PC ▁and ▁At ari ▁J agu ar ▁were ▁in ▁development ▁but ▁never ▁released . ▁A ▁sequ el , ▁B ark ley ▁Sh ut ▁Up ▁and ▁Jam ▁ 2 ,