NBA 2K

"The best basketball game ever made so far."

As a basketball fan, I think an overall score of 8 is an accurate rating for this game. When comparing this game to others for the Dreamcast, I might give it a 10. I'm pretty picky when it comes to basketball, so it has to have all the bells and whistles. Despite this, NBA 2K will not disappoint.

Accessibility: 7/10

Different modes and options are pretty easy to find. However, when I would try to make changes to a certain roster, it would not save the changes after starting a new game. But overall the game is easy to navigate and you can play the game the way you want to.

Graphics: 10/10

The graphics are just awesome. The players look very real, and the create player mode shows just how much detail the creaters put into this game. The closeups and slow motion replays just blow away those of any other basketball game.

Realism: 7/10

This may sound like I am bashing the game, but let me explain. This game is about as real as any game can get...of course, nothing is perfect. On the more difficult levels, certain players like Ray Allen or Reggie Miller will light it up for a quarter or two, and then completely disappear, meaning they can't even hit wide open layups. Sometimes turnovers happen way too easily. Also, it would be better if defense and fouls were redone. It is too easy to get put-back dunks on missed shots and the alley oop is completely unstoppable. At certain times, players can just run over each other and no call is made either way, why? The last complaint is how the games end. When the Player of the Game is announced toward the end of a game, that player's team is basically guaranteed a victory. The score could be tied with 1:30 to go, but if your team doesn't have the player of the game, you can pretty much count on losing.
Ok, now the positives. Most teams really do play the way they do in real life. The first time my friend and I played the Jazz, we saw Stockton and Malone run the pick and roll on us about 20 times. Most matchups will go the way they are supposed to. When we play as the Grizzlies against the Knicks, we might jump out to an early lead, but the Knicks will come back and keep the game close and we might win. On higher difficulty, the Griz usually run out of gas at the end, which should not be a surprise. This is good for multi-player, because 3 people playing as the Bulls will have a very tough time playing 1 person as the Spurs. The one exception, for some reason, when the computer plays as the Warriors, they are a tough match even for the Western All-Stars...how? If I play as the Warriors, the Clippers can give me a run for my money.

Gameplay: 8/10

When you are playing single player all the time, I can see the game getting old pretty quick. I always play with at least two of my friends, and the game never gets old. If you have equally skilled players and equally matched teams, either team could win and the game will be close every time. The most fun is running the fastbreak when playing on the same team with a friend. At the appropriate time, you can get a rebound and hit your friend releasing down court for an easy score. You'll quickly see that if you utilize the strengths of certain teams, you will be very successful.

Intangibles: 9/10

If you want to see some cool stuff, play as the Raptors or Lakers and watch players like Vince Carter, Tracy McGrady, and Kobe Bryant dunk. They will pull some 360's, windmills, and tomahawk dunks. They will even pull these dunks over people like Duncan. Sometimes they might do some impossible stuff, but who cares? It's AWESOME!

Replay Value: 9/10

As a huge basketball fan, I have to put this game at the top of my list. The realism is pretty good. Multi-player will have you and your friends playing over and over. As stated earlier, playing with two evenly matched teams will keep the game exciting. That's the way it should be. The only reason why I took a point off is because single player can get pretty boring if you play it all the time. This game was MEANT to be played with at least 3 people.

Rent or Buy? If you like basketball games even just a little bit: BUY!

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 06/01/00, Updated 06/01/00