NBA Showdown: NBA 07 vs. NBA 2k7

PS3 ballers have two next-gen choices: Sony's NBA 07 or 2K Sports' NBA 2K7. Which one reigns supreme? Read on!

Cleaning Up the Glass

Both games support "true HD" 1080p for almost frightening player detail. NBA 07 shoots for a simpler, cleaner look, and diehards will spot some familiar faces: Lamar looks long and lean, Boykin is smaller than a baby pigmy, and Scalabrine's soft and overpaid (as usual). NBA 2K7, meanwhile, looks darker and deeper, a visual style that meshes well with its more nuanced gameplay. Sadly, arena floors and players look like they've been dipped in motor oil, taking away from the flash of player moves and dunks. Both titles look sharp, but neither does much to advance a more realistic graphic representation of a true-life NBA game.

Shoot the J
Highlight reel dunks in NBA 07 are oh so rewarding. Someone get Stuart Scott on the phone: we need a 'booyah!'

Highlight reel dunks in NBA 07 are oh so rewarding. Someone get Stuart Scott on the phone: we need a 'booyah!'

The games vary greatly in their approach to player control. NBA 07 adopts a looser, arcade-y play style, but don't let that fool you- this is no animated circus of blocks, steals, and dunks. Alley-oops and no-looks depend on practiced timing, though the post offense/defense is still in the developmental league. The Showtime meter grants a speed bonus to on-fire players, but it's borderline gimmicky.

NBA 2K7, meanwhile, has a slower, more deliberate flow. The pace is dictated by a complex system of in-game play calling and a reliance on precision passing. 2K7's dunks and oops are tougher to master, but the in-game coaching is much more effective. Defensive shifts and assignments often make the difference in 2K7.

Alley-oop
We liked NBA 2k7's darker visual style. The 1080p support doesn't hurt, either.

We liked NBA 2k7's darker visual style. The 1080p support doesn't hurt, either.

The 2K series has long been the standard for virtual NBA GMs, and front office geeks will be jazzed to find that all of the familiar aspects of the series' franchise mode have made the jump, from draft development to salary cap management. Newbies might be overwhelmed by the franchise mode's detailed menu screens, but it's a mode well worth mastering.

NBA 07, meanwhile, is a stripped-down version of NBA 07 "The Life" on the PS2. But The Life, it seems, is dead. In its place are a handful of lame mini-games- as if three-point contests weren't boring enough in real life. However, NBA replay online content does have some interesting prospects, with the top five real-life NBA games from the past week set to be recreated in NBA 07 as part of an online multiplayer competition. Good hustle.

Fantasy B-Ball

Which game to choose? Though both games bring some of the most realistic gameplay of any NBA game to date, they're mostly just shinier, glossier versions of their prior releases. Still, we give the nod to NBA 2K7 for its superior in-game management and franchise development mode.

Oh Marbury, will you ever fully live up to your potential? At least his NBA 07 counterpart has some handles.

Oh Marbury, will you ever fully live up to your potential? At least his NBA 07 counterpart has some handles.

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