Summary — Hidden Levels #1: “Mr. Boomshakalaka” (host: Roman Mars)

Overview

This episode tells the origin story and cultural impact of NBA Jam’s announcer voice — the high-energy, sample-friendly performance by Tim Kitzrow that includes the game’s most famous catchphrase, “Boom! Shaka-laka!” The episode traces the game’s development (Mark Turmell and Midway), the technical/audio constraints of arcade games in the early 1990s, how the voice was recorded, the game’s runaway arcade success, and how that vocal performance changed expectations for voice work in video games.

Key points & main takeaways

• NBA Jam was developed at Midway (early 1990s) by Mark Turmell and team as an over-the-top arcade basketball game (digitized players, exaggerated physics, “on fire” power-ups).
• Tim Kitzrow, a Midway pinball voice actor, recorded the game’s announcer lines in ~20 hours in a small studio nicknamed “the Meat Locker.”
• The announcer voice was modeled on Marv Albert but pushed to a higher-energy, ad-libbed level; short, punchy lines were necessary due to limited memory in arcade hardware.
• “Boom! Shaka-laka!” likely originated as a suggestion inspired by Sly & the Family Stone; whether Kitzrow or an artist coined it is unclear, but Kitzrow’s delivery made it iconic.
• NBA Jam tested strongly in arcades (chaotic engagement, quarters as a metric), and became massively successful—reportedly generating $1 billion in revenue in its first year from arcade play.
• Tim’s work on NBA Jam shifted him from side gigs to a career as a sought-after, eccentric voice in later Midway sports titles (NFL Blitz, MLB Slugfest).
• The game seeded phrases and attitudes into basketball culture and broadcasting; it helped normalize robust voice and personality in sports video games.
• NBA Jam included numerous Easter eggs and secret features (unlockable non-athlete players like political and music personalities, playable programmers, “Super Clean Floors” slippery court, and a hidden Battlezone-like tank mini-game accessed via a cheat).

Notable quotes / memorable lines

• “Boom! Shaka-laka!” — the defining catchphrase.
• “If you can get somebody to put quarters in… that’s like really telling.” — Mark Turmell on the arcade success metric.
• “Elf needs food badly.” — example of a memorable arcade voice sample (from Gauntlet), used earlier in the episode to show how game audio embeds in memory.

Topics discussed

• Development and design of NBA Jam (graphics, gameplay, licensing).
• Early 1990s arcade hardware and audio limitations (digitized voice vs. speech synthesis).
• Role of voice acting in arcade and console games.
• Recording process and creative improvisation in small in-house studios.
• Arcade culture and monetization (quarters as validator of success).
• Easter eggs, cheat codes, and hidden features as part of game design.
• Cultural feedback loop: how games influence sports commentary and vernacular.
• Career trajectory of voice actors in games and evolving production values.

Action items / recommendations

For game developers & designers:

• Prioritize distinctive audio/voice work early — memorable vocal hooks can become the centerpiece of user engagement.
• Work within technical constraints (short, punchy lines when memory is limited) but allow room for performer improvisation.
• Use real-world testing (arcade or live environments) to validate engagement and iterate design.

For audio/voice creatives:

• Embrace character and energy over realism when appropriate; bold deliveries can cut through noisy environments and define a brand.
• Keep lines concise and varied to avoid repetition fatigue in looped gameplay.

For listeners and fans:

• If you enjoyed the episode, check the source show “Gameplay” (episode referenced) and watch for the next Hidden Levels episode (joystick history).
• Revisit NBA Jam or later Midway titles to hear how voice work evolved across sports games.

Additional context

• The episode was produced by 99% Invisible (creator Roman Mars) and adapted from James Parkinson’s Gameplay podcast segment. It also highlights how small production choices (an ad-libbed shout, a borrowed lyric rhythm) can have outsized cultural impact.