Dime is the premier basketball magazine, covering the NBA, NCAA, High School, Playground and International basketball - as well as sneakers, fashion and music.
GAMES BUSINESS WORDS. Dylan Murphy NBA 2K12
Before NBA 2K11 hit stores nationwide last year, we didn't know what to expect. Te reviews were out of this world and word on the street was that 2K Sports had possibly created the greatest sports video game of all time. But seasoned gamers know never to buy into the hype. Sometimes "revolutionary" changes are merely slight modifications of a similar product. Ten the game hit stores, and the basketball gaming world blew up. Well, guess what boys and girls? Get ready to be blown away. Again.
Michael Jordan's back, along with Larry Bird and Magic Johnson as this year's cover boys. But the legends don't stop there. With the addition of "NBA's Greatest" mode, you'll have the chance to lace up the kicks and walk on the floor with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Wilt Chamberlain, Julius Erving, Patrick Ewing, Karl Malone, Hakeem Olajuwon, Scottie Pippen, Oscar Robertson, Bill Russell, John Stock- ton, Isiah Thomas, and Jerry West. Era-specific jerseys, crowds, fans, logos and television quality – that's right, Russell's Celtics are in black and white – all add up to make this new feature yet another reason why you'll be lining up to pick up NBA 2K12 on October 4th.
But don't worry, it gets better than simply being able to matchup the '80s Celtics with the 2011-12 squad to determine which Boston team is the best; you have the ability to unlock even more squads as well. Each legend and legendary team you play with allows you to unlock the opponent you play for exhibition play use. For instance, Ewing takes on the Magic featuring Shaq and Penny – take them down and you've got 'em.
For the real gamers, glitz and glamour aren't every- thing. If the gameplay can't deliver, everything else is worthless. There's no doubt that NBA 2K11 took massive strides in improving game physics and delv- ing even further into the signature styles of every NBA player. After only a few minutes of playing, it's obvious that there were some widespread changes once again. Although last year's game physics were pretty awesome, posting up was a little too difficult, speed dribbling was a little too effective, and crossovers were a little too devastating against other users. Not anymore. The post-up button has been switched to "Y" on the Xbox controller, so you don't have to worry about randomly jump- stopping or speed bursting by accident. Crossovers are a little less herky-jerky and one-on-one moves are even more varied, allowing for smooth transitions and changes of player direction. Even cooler is the speed dribble, which, when employed, makes the player push the ball out in front of him. Just as in real life, a guy dribbling at full speed has very little change of direction abilities. Even more, you can chase a ball out of bounds and dive into the crowd or over the scorer's table.
Smoother player movement isn't the only in-game upgrade – your teammates actually move without the ball. Even if you don't run a play, expect more screens, players demanding the ball in the post, etc. I've never been a guy to use organized plays, but sometimes I had to simply because going one-on-one on the higher difficulties is, well, difficult. Now you can have that true, innovative NBA feel where player creation and imagination fuels the action.
For the detail-orientated, you'll get your money's worth this year. Player faces are even better, tattoos are even more accurate, and signature playing styles are eerily similar. And I'm not just talking about the main guys – it's head coaches, 12th men, everyone. Want to put up Dirk's classic one-legged fadeaway? You can in 2K12. Want to barrel down the lane with LeBron like no other player in the NBA? Go for it. Attention to detail makes this game stand out over any other sports game franchise.
And that's just scratching the surface; you don't even want to know how much deeper "My Player" is. But know this: You can land yourself on the cover of Dime. I know it's difficult to believe that NBA 2K12 could be radically different from 2K11. You just don't radically top a game in one year. Well, I'm here to tell you that 2K12 has done just that. Easily.
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