NBA 2K9

GamePro takes on Kevin Garnett, Andre Iguodala, and Nate Robinson in NBA 2K9.

NBA 2K9's coming out party certainly had the pomp and circumstance of a celebratory basketball franchise that has dominated review scoreboards for seven years running. Between the handful of NBA superstars on hand (including Kevin Garnett, Andre Iguodala, and Nate Robinson), top hip-hop acts (The Cool Kids, DJ Unk, and Bobbito Garcia), and the swanky SOHO venue The Space, there was plenty to capture the crowd's attention besides the 2K series' latest offering. Thankfully, as they have been doing almost every year this decade, the team at 2K Sports has been hammering out new features to fortify the faithful fanbase.

NBA 2K9

Championship Looks and Moves

I know it's something of a clich? to hear this from a game writer, but I really have to state the obvious extolment of the game's graphics. It's very rare that I mistake any sports game for "the real thing," but the first thing I noticed upon entering The Space was NBA 2K9 playing on various plasmas, which I initially mistook for actual NBA footage. Granted, my senses were dulled from a travel day from hell, but it's still a damn fine looking game.

2K Games' developers have worked harder at making the stars of the NBA just a little nicer looking than they did in the previous year's b-ball title. In particular, Erick Boenisch , the Lead Feature Designer for NBA 2K9 noted every tattoo from every player has been recreated, which is no small feat when you take into account how many players are inked. If there's any part of the game I'd say could use a bit of a sprucing, it would be the crowds, which have officially hit the uncanny valley--while there are dozens of crowd animations, seeing them done in synchronicity by a few handfuls of character models looks a little unnatural.

NBA 2K9

Play For KG

The gameplay has seen some minor tweaks--most notably smoother shot stick controls that allow you to mix up your moves in the middle of a shot--but the greatest innovations in the game are occurring in the online area. NBA 2K9 will be the first-ever basketball game to allow full 5-on-5 online play, which impresses me as much as it shocks me that it hasn't been achieved before. Additionally, the Living Roster will scale stats for NBA players in-game in real time, in accordance to how they're playing during the real season.

Another, more esoteric addition, though extremely interesting in concept is The Other Season. Billed as "fantasy sports in reverse," The Other Season will see well-known NBA personalities take ownership of online players. Somehow we doubt KG will be tracking the status of SexyBalla69 on Xbox Live to see how his teams are doing, but hopefully this is the sign of online gaming being respected by offline athletes.

NBA 2K9 is due out October 7. It looks good thus far, but as KG will soon learn, champions have the most to prove.

NBA 2K9

Comments [14]

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htown4life

I knew 2K Sports was better than EA Sports, but damn didn't know they was owning them for over 7 years

backboardshatterer

me 2 along with like 7 other games, this holiday will be miserable for my bank account

ChokaDaChicken

Yes sir, I'm sure to pick this one up since missing last years , which was a big mistake , and E.a's Live has sucked ballz for years , footbALL was on the same track , that's why E.a bought the contract.

ChokaDaChicken

Yes sir, I'm sure to pick this one up since missing last years , which was a big mistake , and E.a's Live has sucked ballz for years , footbALL was on the same track , that's why E.a bought the contract.

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