The NFL avoided its Madden-only fate this season by ending its league lockout before any real-life games were lost. The NBA, however? Well, it’s not looking too good. Fortunately, if the basketball burden for 2012 is to be borne by NBA 2K12, the returning-champ hoopster is more than up to the task of providing your NBA entertainment.
Most notably, last year’s breakout Jordan Challenge mode returns in tweaked NBA Legends form. Fifteen all-time greats — from Jerry West to Patrick Ewing and, yes, Michael Jordan — are given one showcase game against another team of their era, and the added visuals here are astounding. A technicolor haze tints ’70s and ’80s games, while the Bill Russell contests are in black-and-white! Even the HUD fonts change to an era-appropriate size and look. While these touches are laudable, the meaninglessness of the actual games — you’re not re-creating Hakeem’s first title-clincher, for instance — takes away some of the impact Jordan Challenge had.
My Player sees the other biggest change. This time, you’ll play one pre-draft showcase, be interviewed by interested teams (where you can suck up to them or tell them off!), then hear David Stern call your name on draft day. Being rewarded for small tasks like setting a nice pick or moving the ball well is enticing, and post-game press conferences are another chance to humbly (or hilariously) run your mouth. Check off enough career goals and you’ll make the Hall of Fame. We couldn’t get enough.
Presentation-wise, Steve Kerr defects from the defunct NBA Live series to join the 2K booth led by the excitable Kevin Harlan, and the three-man commentary crew provides what is perhaps the best play-by-play in virtual-hoops history.* More subtle animations have joined the mix, making the visuals as TV-like as ever (except for the 3D support: it makes the players jaggy and the text fuzzy), and player faces are almost frighteningly real now. Also, we love the new post controls: simply tap Y to switch from facing the basket to posting up, allowing for easier execution of the exact move you want.
True, last year’s game was a perfect storm of success: Michael Jordan’s long-awaited return to videogames, the last-minute cancelation of EA’s competing title, and a damn fine hoops sim to boot. This season, it seems, is playing out under the same circumstances, yielding an identical result. NBA 2K12 is not to be missed, lockout or no.
+ Brilliant presentation and simulation gameplay.
+ So many old-school players in NBA Legends mode, both known and obscure...
– ...but still no Charles Barkley. We want the ’92–’93 Suns! Also, 3DTV mode sucks.
? Will EA ever catch up to this? It’ll be an uphill climb, for sure.
mistabb
October 05, 2011 at 4:16pm
Seriously, that's it? This review was like 200 words long. Why even bother?
jobadkins
October 04, 2011 at 9:28pm
This is ,no doubt,the finest creation of video game basketball ever.It is so awesome to see how much it has evolved over the years.The dreamcast began to show sports games life and wow how awesome nba 2k11 was but the passing was very messed up and aggrivating.They fixed it and now it's like real life,it still has were it will get picked off but realisticly now.This game is so amazing and packed to the brim with features.The best graphics,soung,game play and feeling of playing basketball i have felt since I quit playing 10 years ago.Pefect 10
