We are influencers and brand affiliates. This post contains affiliate links, most which go to Amazon and are Geo-Affiliate links to nearest Amazon store.
It’s tough to beat the competition and cruise your way up to the top, but staying there for consecutive years is even harder. 2K Sports did an excellent job by grabbing the first place with its NBA franchise, and as far as I’m concerned NBA 2K12 has all the needed traits to retain the crown as the best basketball simulator of 2011.
NBA 2K12 offers the same solid gameplay that made its predecessor a hit one year ago, while adding a couple of brand new exciting elements to preserve the gamers’ interest intact. Arguably the most significant progress has been made with My Player feature, which allows you to create an athlete and then gradually improve his attributes on road to NBA stardom. Fans know all too well how shallow this mode was back in 2010 and the addition of full presentations, witty commentaries and of course the vastly superior drafting process are all major improvements.
Be a team player
Leveling up your athlete requires good team play, as most points are awarded for accurate passes, good placement and effective blocking. Despite the visceral desire of being always in the spotlights and score points, basketball is first and foremost a game where the better team wins and the My Player mode states it crystal clear. On the bad side, this endeavor takes a lot of time to accomplish and even when you make it to the majors, your player will be terrible underrated and will struggle in his first games.
Perhaps most people will choose the mighty Celtics or the reigning champions Dallas Mavericks for the season simulation, but the best thing is definitely to take the championship with your favorite club. Grizzlies or Clippers fans have a unique opportunity to achieve what their team will never gain in the foreseeable future and win the title, which makes 2K12 even more exciting. The gameplay has evolved a lot and even though the defensive feels a bit overpowered, with athletes executing formidable plays, you have more freedom to perform shots and superior mobility.
As close as it gets
As in real life, some athletes can take advantage of their stature and dominate the paint while others are sharp shooters that can make the crowd stand up with an outstanding hit from downtown. Make the most of their skills, but don’t try to overpower the entire defensive system with a single player, because no matter of his class he’s got a snowflake’s chance in hell. Each time you make an impressive shot or even a turnover, the crowds will have a loud reaction depending if you play at home or away.
NBA 2K12 achieves something that few people considered to be possible, by outstripping the previous title in every imaginable way. Players resemble their real counterparts, commentators are downright brilliant and the gameplay itself has been perfected to the point where few complaints can be uttered. While we are waiting for the NBA lockout to end, there is no better way to enjoy basketball than by playing NBA2K12, because no sports simulator comes as close to the real thing as this title.
Without being perfect, NBA2K12 is still the best in its league and for this achievement, it deserves 4.5/5 stars.
If words are not enough, you will surely appreciate this:
[youtube width=”550″ height=”339″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rDEyePvEw0I[/youtube]
Also, NBA 2K18 has just been released, There are a few places online where you can find 2K18 locker codes.
We are influencers and brand affiliates. This post contains affiliate links, most which go to Amazon and are Geo-Affiliate links to nearest Amazon store.
I am an avid gamer and a passionate reviewer, with three years of experience in this line of work. I’ve worked for Games32 and during those three years, I’ve written hundreds of previews and reviews for both PC and console games. The website was unfortunately revamped and now offers casual games, but some of my articles still exist on the developers’ websites.
Before working as a game reviewer, I’ve played competitive Starcraft. I won the Romanian Championship 4 times in 8 editions and I won the Balkanic Cup with the national team. I know what gaming is and I can relate to both rookies and pros.