Top Four Basketball Games of This Generation - SteveM's Blog

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SteveM's Blog

Top Four Basketball Games of This Generation Stuck

Posted on February 21, 2013 at 10:30 AM.

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There�s little doubt that the leap from the last generation of consoles to this generation meant more to games like NBA 2K than the leap from this generation to the next will. I can still remember the first screenshots I saw of NBA 2K6 and how startlingly realistic they seemed at the time. The fabric of the jerseys moved, the eyes tracked the ball, the hair � well, OK, the hair still didn�t move.

And in a lot of ways, ranking this generation's best basketball video games is easier than for other sports because there hasn't been any other series than NBA 2K for the past four years now. If anyone is interested in trying to convince me that NBA Live 10 is better than any of the last four NBA 2K games, I'd love to hear your reasons.

While the graphics have come a long way since 2K6, what�s improved most noticeably over this console generation are two things: the feel of the game on the court and the depth and range of options and playmodes available. Sort of oddly, it�s this fact that makes it hard to rank the NBA 2K games of this console generation in anything other than reverse chronological order. Having gone back to play 2K10 through 2K13, I can say that whatever its faults, NBA 2K13 is manifestly the most complete realization of basketball on a virtual court yet. That doesn�t mean it doesn�t have flaws, but it�s simply very difficult to go back to world without the Control Stick, without jump shot feedback, without the manual bounce pass.

All that said, what I�m going to attempt to do here is rank the top four based on my sense of what came before, not what came after. That is, I�m basing these rankings as best I can on my impressions of the game before the next one came out.

4. NBA 2K12
2K12 was definitely the most disappointing version of NBA 2K that I can remember clearly from this console generation. I�m sure comparing it right now to NBA 2K6 or 2K7 would make it seem great, but when it was the newest version available, I had to keep myself from throwing it away several times. There was a huge disconnect between the shot feedback and the results you would get, and opposing teams� big men grew eyes in the back of their heads to jump passing lanes nearly every game. Of course, I still played it a ton. But it drove me crazy.

3. NBA 2K13
With perhaps the series� finest balance between offense and defense, NBA 2K13 stands a good chance of actually being better in every category than graphics than the first iteration of the series to come out on the next generation of consoles. I can quibble with the implementation of My Career this season (where it�s confusingly mashed with My Player in a way that�s oddly persistent and disconnected) and I�ve heard plenty of laments about Jay-Z�s involvement giving more flash than substance to the interface, but it�s hard to quibble with the game when you hit the court.

2. NBA 2K11
It�s pretty simple to explain 2K11�s place at number two on this list: Michael Jordan. In a year where Electronic Arts� complete absence from the basketball video game market could have led to 2K sitting on their laurels, they boldly created an entirely new concept in gameplay. In a genre where churning out roster updates every year with slight tweaks to controls is the norm, 2K stood at the vanguard of innovation, even as they took a page from history to do it.

1. NBA 2K10
In many ways, NBA 2K10 was the apex of guard-oriented basketball in the NBA 2K series. It was also the iteration of the series that introduced My Player mode, and while the mode had its share of problems in its first year (a slog of a beginning and too slow growth), its introduction�s concurrence with the perfection of pick-and-roll gameplay made it a joy to be a point guard in a way the series had never captured before. If anything, the PNR was overpowered, with opposing big men rarely jumping the passing lanes, but it was just so damn much FUN. Even popping it in today, when the animations look rather stilted and the defense is a joke, the action on the court feels rock solid and the pick-and-roll is just as deadly.

Comments

# 1 The_Wise_One @ Feb 21

I like 2K11 over 2K10. So are these only NBA games because College Hoops 2K8 was amazing

# 2 rangerrick012 @ Feb 21

For me it'd be.

1. 2K11 - easily the most enjoyable and complete 2K of this gen, and the Jordan inclusion took the game to another level

2. CH 2K8 - best CH game ever, deepest legacy mode, can still be played to this day.

3. 2K10 - My player was fun, gameplay, even though it had it's flaws pre patch, gameplay was good as well.
4. 2K13 - improved from 2K12 but still has hair pulling moments with lack of contact in paint.
5. 2K12 - Most disappointing of the bunch, just too many flaws to look at what it did well. OA was a catastrophe year 1.

# 3 HKPound @ Feb 21

4. NBA Jam On Fire- Sleeper, but I've found it to bring back some fun to NBA games again.
3. NBA 2k8 due to integration with CH 2k8 and Association Mode just seemed more enjoyable to me
2. CH 2k8, NCAA football series has tried to come close to it with the depth as far as recruiting and the association, but no game will ever close
1. NBA 2k11- Michael jordan, gameplay was amazing. Crew, pick up were addicting.

NBA 2k10 I personally thought was a big dissapointment. NBA 2k8 was great imo and I didn't think 2k9 and 2k10 followed up well at all.

# 4 TheBrothers24 @ Feb 21

4. NBA Live 10- I enjoyed Live that year more than 2k10
3. NBA 2k13
2. College Hoops 2k8- Gameplay may not hold up to what we have now but that game was the total package in terms of modes(Legacy mode is what we should have now for a certain other NCAA game of a different sport), online, 2kshare(being able to download playbooks, chants was huge for me) & just plain fun.
1. NBA 2k11- Felt like a brand new game compared to the previous year.

# 5 SteveM @ Feb 21

You know, I clearly should have called this top NBA games of this generation. I am woefully inadequate when it comes to college hoops—in the real world or in video games—but I've heard so much great stuff about College Hoops 2K8 that I think I have to check it out.

# 6 DirtyJerz32 @ Feb 21

How is CH2K8 not on this list? Also, Live was better than 2k10 IMO. But then again, this article is just one mans opinion.

I'm just shocked CH isn't on the list.

# 7 Gramps91 @ Feb 21

5. NCAA Basketball 10, while it had its glitches the presentation made me feel as if I was actually playing on CBS or ESPN, which was an amazing experience and the gameplay was good too.
4. NBA 2k11, was amazing the first time I popped it in. I've never seen a game improve more in 1 year than this one did from 2k10.
3. NBA 2k12. While this game was as amazing initially as 2k11, I do believe it was a satisfactory upgrade and I spent many hour with this game
2. CH2k8. Amazing depth. The weekly highlights show is STILL my favorite feature of any bball game EVER. Amazing gameplay as well and the recruiting is challenging but fun. Would give $100 right now for a CH 2k13. easily.

1 NBA 2k13. Once again a satisfactory improvement over 2k12 and I am currently having a blast with My Career. Truly Amazing

# 8 HustlinOwl @ Feb 21

CH2K8
NBA2K11
NCAA 10

# 9 BiggestKJ @ Feb 21

NBA or basketball in general?

A basketball list without CH2k8 loses all credibility.

# 10 scottyo60 @ Feb 21

College Hoops 2K8 might be one of the most iconic games in sports this generation. Still pick up and play to the day. 2K11 was far and above better that 2k10 and actually 2010 was the first year live got more play from me than a 2k series since 2004

# 11 SteveM @ Feb 21

Well, clearly I need to get up on CH 2K8. The people have spoken and I will invest.

# 12 LRBTODAY @ Feb 22

4.CH 2K8
3.NBA 2K12
2.NBA 2K11
1.NBA 2K13

# 13 tril @ Feb 22

agree with BiggestKJ. is this NBA or just basketball.

4. EA NCAA basketball 10. mainly because of the presentation package, and graphics. the game feels like college hoops, but the games get a bit repetitive. BUt I still play this game in short spurts. so IMO it has decent re-playability. In addition, 2k13 for some reason made me appreciate this game a bit more. Mainly because of the dribble stick. Its not as refined as 2k's but none the less its still good. This game had alot of potential, but lack of patches pretty much killed any potential.

3. NBA 2k12

2. NBA 2k13

1. CH2k8- by far the most complete basketball game to date. everything in this game was done right. game play, recruiting, passing, defense and defense adjustments, half time adjustments, presentation, create chants, and the customization. the amount of customization/sliders are deep. The ability to lower the foul outs the bonus, double bonus foul sliders were huge. This game to this day is in heavy rotation. Size and weight really mattered in this game also. Enough can not be said about this game. It's a pure classic. and in my opinion, the greatest basketball game of all time-so far.

# 14 convince @ Feb 22

3. NBA 2K11...A gigantic step up from 2K10 in my opinion.

2. NBA 2K13...finally got me to put down NBA 2k11.

1. CH2K8...The only hoops game to date that a true feeling of immersion. The Legacy with the 2k sports studios that showed highlights, and actual preview highlights of upcoming match ups, amazing. I would sometimes get from playing and wondered where the time has gone. It was that fun and immersion. Clearly the NFL 2K5 of hoops. If 2k would ever release a NBA game with the same kind depth of the legacy mode of CH2K8 with the game play of NBA2k13. That would be my greatest hoops game ever.

# 15 Lukin4 @ Feb 22

3. NBA 2K13... Great game, just wish they'd added more to association mode
2. NBA 2K11... Jordan!!!
1. CH 2K8... Epic game, still play this pretty much every day. Career legacy mode has the most replay value of any game I've ever owned, not just sports games.

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