NBA 2k12

NBA 2K12 is a basketball video game developed by Visual Concepts and published by 2K Sports. It was released on October 4, 2011 for Xbox 360,PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, PSP, PC, Wii and for the first time on iOS iPhone and iPad. For the first time there will be three different covers to choose from when picking up the game, with Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, and Michael Jordan being the cover athletes of the game. Each will appear on a different version of the game. NBA 2K12 is the successor to NBA 2K11.

The first thing you are going to notice in NBA 2K12 is the the presentation. I must say, this is the most flawless presentation in a sports game I have ever seen. It captures the NBA feel perfectly. Other sports games should take out a pen and paper and jot down some notes on how to add a little passion to their game. As soon as you hear “We're playin' bas-ket-baaaall,” from Space Jam in the opening video, you're going to be like, “Oh heck yea!” As a matter of fact, the game bleeds Jordan. He's on the cover, you can wear his shoes, and in My Player he sends you letters about how the Jordan brand is keeping an eye on you. Maybe if Lebron went and played baseball for a year then he could finally get some attention—am I right, Heat fans that are reading this and getting so mad?

Continuing, before every game there is a little montage of the two teams, their players, and some cool highlights set to one of the game's songs. It looks just like something that would play on ABC or TNT before a real basketball game. Even player introductions are handled with care. It just seems like 2K has a robust library of dialogue that will always be in the middle of the action.

Gameplay

§  NBA's Greatest mode: For the first time, gamers will be able to take control of some of the most iconic players in NBA history, such as Hakeem Olajuwon and Michael Jordan and put them against other classic and modern-day teams to create NBA dream matchups. Each of these 15 basketball legends has been meticulously recreated with an uncanny level of detail, including period-specific depictions of their arenas, team uniforms, signature moves, and historically accurate broadcast presentation styles in NBA 2K12. Gamers will now tap into the legacy of these legendary athletes by utilizing their signature moves, such as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's unstoppable sky-hook and Hakeem Olajuwon's Dream Shake, to rule the virtual hardwood. These 15 legendary athletes, plus more that appear on the team that each one plays (ex. in the Jerry West game, you play against Pete Maravich's Hawks, and after you win you unlock both teams), will allow sports fanatics to create the NBA's most storied matchups - and lock in bragging rights for their favorite teams in NBA 2K12. "NBA's Greatest" legends in NBA 2K12 include^:

§  Kareem Abdul-Jabbar §  (86-87 Los Angeles Lakers) §  Larry Bird §  (85-86 Boston Celtics) §  Wilt Chamberlain §  (71-72 Los Angeles Lakers) §  Julius Erving §  (84-85 Philadelphia 76ers) §  Patrick Ewing §  (94-95 New York Knicks) §  Magic Johnson §  (90-91 Los Angeles Lakers) §  Michael Jordan §  (92-93 Chicago Bulls) §  Karl Malone §  (97-98 Utah Jazz)

§  Hakeem Olajuwon §  (93-94 Houston Rockets) §  Scottie Pippen §  (95-96 Chicago Bulls) §  Oscar Robertson §  (70-71 Milwaukee Bucks) §  Bill Russell §  (64-65 Boston Celtics) §  John Stockton §  (97-98 Utah Jazz) §  Isiah Thomas §  (88-89 Detroit Pistons) §  Jerry West §  (70-71 Los Angeles Lakers)

 
Gameplay is only as 2K Sports can deliver it. You can control all of your shots with the right stick, but I found myself going back to buttons to deliver my sweet jump shots. It's almost like you can do too much with the shot stick, if that makes any sense. I still find it a little difficult to pull off a crossover or drive past an opponent to the paint, but that's probably more of my lack of skill and improved defense than it is the controls. The defense is much improved this year, so you'll have to work to get open shots. However, I shouldn't have to be on a fastbreak with no one around me in order to dunk it. Players do a jump shot three feet away from the basket or go for a layup instead of just slammin' it down a little too often for me.

Also, while the AI defense is sharper than ever, it is tough to hang with your opponent when you're on defense. They consistently put up a 63% or better shooting percentage against me—and I'm pretty damn competitive at sports games. The offense consistently gets open and drops in shots from behind the arc with ease. Then again, it's the NBA, which doesn't really like playing D that much anyways... Knicks. What's good about the defense being tougher for you and against you is that every game is a potential nail-biter.

§  My Player mode: Returns from NBA 2K10 and NBA 2K11. There is no more Draft Combine or Summer Circuit, but instead they are replaced by the Rookie Showcase. Hire your very own agent. After that, 3 G.M.s interview a basketball player before the draft and good conversations can increase his Draft stock. Another new feature added to My Player and The Association is that NBA Commissioner David Stern will read all the 1st round picks^[4] and Deputy Commissioner Adam Silver will read the 2nd round picks. Other improvements are more endorsements where a player can be on billboards be on magazine covers, create shoes and even an NBA "Where Amazing Happens" commercial. Players receive paychecks to use on skill points or new things like a basketball clinic to raise their local fan popularity. Instead of playing every game of the season, users can choose to only play Key Games, instead of the 82-game grind. The point of this is so players can make it through their career. Press conferences are upgraded and now you can see your players status on League Popularity, Team Chemistry and Fan Support. Players can now get inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame as well.

§  Creating a Legend mode: also returns from NBA 2K11 with improvements of its own. Now instead of taking a rookie Michael Jordan onto any team, players take control of any current NBA player and play out the rest of his career. It has all the same features as "My Player mode" except the fact that players use a current NBA player rather then a custom player. Players may be able to have press conferences in this mode.

The Association is back, and while it remains unchanged, it has an enormous amount of depth. It would be silly to mess with an amazing mode. What's new is that online, you and 29 other people can form your own NBA league and play through a season. All the bells and whistles are still there. Nothing is dumbed down. So this addition to the game is much appreciated.

NBA Legends join Michael Jordan as you play as 15 of the NBA's best players ever. You take their teams and go up against other talented teams in epic match-ups. Some of these players are Karl Malone, John Stockton, Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, and Magic Johnson. I took Jordan and his Bulls against the '91 Hornets and got schooled by MuggsyBogues, Alonzo Mourning, and company.

Development

2K Sports had a gameplay presentation with Kobe Bryant at E3 2011. The game will be released on October 4, 2011. The first official teaser commercial for NBA 2K12 debuted on May 31, 2011 onABC at the beginning of Game 1 of the NBA Finals between the Miami Heat and Dallas Mavericks. The demo for the game was released on September 20, 2011 on Xbox Live and PlayStation Network, featuring a rematch of the 2011 NBA Finals between the Dallas Mavericks and Miami Heat.

The best part of the game is My Player. I could, and did, spend hours creating my player, taking him through a rookie game, pre-draft interviews, the NBA Draft, and finally into real games. Unfortunately, it was with the Milwaukee Bucks. They asked if it was a city that I could see me spending my whole career in, never leaving for the big markets. Are you kidding? Milwaukee? Anyways, if you’ve never played the mode or a game in the NBA 2Kseries, then consider it the RPG of basketball games.

Your player is assigned goals every game. You’ll start off as a role player off the bench, but if you continue to meet your goals and be a good teammate (the teammate rating is a lot more forgiving this year), then you’ll get skill points to level up numerous ratings, such as ball handling, three-point shooting, and rebounding. You can also spend this points to level up abilities, like fade-away shots and crossovers. Not only do you manage skill points, but you manage your money too. You get paid every two weeks (they’re people just like us!), and you have the ability to donate your money to charity and take your team out to dinner or bowling. You also get drills to perform; one of my personal favorites is the schoolyard game of knockout.

Your ultimate goal in My Player mode is to become a hall of fame player, which you can accomplish by scoring 20,000 points, among other difficult goals. However, I played for the endorsements. When I got drafted, Milwaukee put me on a billboard with the phrase “The future has arrived.” After my first game, Air Jordan sent me a letter saying that they are keeping an eye on me. Forget the hall of fame, get me the shoe deal!

Minus a few annoyances with handling the player on offense and defense, NBA 2K12 is a blast and a must-have for any NBA fan. Heck, it’s probably the closest you’re going to get to an NBA game this year. If 2K keeps this up, they’re going to have to insert their own game into their NBA Legends mode next year. A NBA 2K game inside an NBA 2K game—2K-ception!

Watch NBA 2k12 trailer for more details.