Spades variation

Thursday at lunch, the four who work in our rehab department were playing Spades, three teaching the fourth how to play. I entered midway into the instructions, and they were talking about trump cards and listed them this way: Big Joker, Little Joker, 2D, AS, KS, QS, JS, 10S ... this variation was one I'd never seen, but obviously exists since all three knew it. I'd never seen Spades played this way, although I've seen the trumps done this way in another game (my OCD has taken over at this point as I'm searching my Official Rules of Card Games book for the specific game with no luck, and also found the Spades variation online just to frustrate me that someone would play it this way ... earning Jeni's nickname for me, OCDean.) Anyway, I don't know why I should let this befuddle me except that maybe I'm a purist with some things, and they all insisted "this is the way Spades is played ... I've never heard of not adding the jokers" like I'm the nutbag here. What bothers me, I guess is that there are 13 tricks to be won, so why would there be 16 trump cards? That devalues the face cards, adds too much strength to trump cards and essentially negates the other suits. OK, got that off my chest ... no wait ... WHY WHY WHY? OK, now I'm fine.