To borrow, and slightly alter, the NBA’s decades-old marketing slogan: “I like this game!”
STORY:
With the preseason well under way and opening night mere weeks away, now’s an excellent time for 2K Sports to tip off the 10th anniversary installment of its revered NBA video-game franchise.
GAME PLAY:
Bells and whistles ring and blow all over this new basketball challenger. As in year’s past, you are able to control your favorite players on your favorite teams. But what immediately strikes you is just how much fun you can have with “NBA 2K10” before you even launch a quick game or embark on a full season.
For starters, the game is a fantastic interactive portal into the league. Plug into the online realm and track daily NBA games, run stats, and even play actual contests in the virtual world before the actual players take the court. For NBA fans, “2K10” can keep you up-to-date on the league you love. This minute-by-minute upgrade system also allows you to play with the most recent rosters, reflecting off-season trades and roster moves. My favorite team, the Charlotte Bobcats, just unveiled their new uniforms, yet the players on 2K10 were sporting them. That’s amazing.
Ready to play? “NBA 2K10” lets you run practices in your favorite gym, perfect your dunk, and then enter an All-Star dunk contest. Same goes for the three-point shot. My favorite function has to be the blacktop challenge, where you can handpick Kobe Bryant and Lebron James to challenge Dwayne Wade and Kevin Garnett for a two-on-two playground battle.
And we haven’t even talked about the actual game yet, which boasts smooth game play and a complicated by rewarding in-game coaching system. As in the league, the game play is balanced in favor of the “have” teams over the “have nots.” Play as the Celtics or the Lakers and you’ll make shots, receive fouls and grab rebounds that wouldn’t necessarily go your way as a virtual Timberwolf or Clipper. Glitches in the game, where players will skip a beat across the screen and, in one game, a pass intended to go across the court rocketed toward the arena’s ceiling, with no one around to potentially tip it sky high. Um, what?
But for virtual ballers, “NBA 2K10” is the be all and end all in terms of basketball games. It is rumored that only some of the best gaming monitors will be able to do it justice. The online capabilities are unmatched, allowing you to create your own player, team or league. The soundtrack is stellar. And the ability to access the league’s rich history by playing as living legends like Dr. J or Michael Jordan make this game a must have.
Overall Grade – A-
EM Review by
Sean O’Connell
Originally Posted 10.15.09