NBA 2K6: Hoops for the Hardcore
At A Glance
As the 2005/06 NBA season tips off, many of you are probably getting a "basketball jones." I know I am … if you're like me, then you love the NBA—you marvel at the high-flying dunks and big plays, but you save a little love for defense, post play, and the intricacies of the triangle offense. You know the game. Then you should get to know NBA 2K6. 2K Sports has created the best basketball simulation Xbox® has ever seen, and if you miss it, then you'll be missing out on digital hoops heaven on a platter … well, a DVD, at least. First and foremost, the game is drop-dead gorgeous, with stunningly realistic player models. I've played every major sports game that's ever been released for Xbox, and you won't find players that look more life-like—or have such uncanny resemblances to their real-life counterparts—anywhere.
Can the Heat prevail against the high-flying Suns? The arenas are lovingly rendered and most venues are instantly recognizable. The presentation value of the game hasn't suffered a bit—2K Sports and ESPN went their separate ways earlier this year—but surprisingly, the game looks and sounds like a television broadcast more than ever before. Pre-game match-up stats, halftime shows, in-game stat displays and cut-scenes, excellent replays and quality commentating by TNT's team of Kevin Harlan, Kenny Smith, and Craig Sager (including Sager's outrageous wardrobe) give the gamer the sensation that they're part of a national broadcast. Put it all together and your friends can be forgiven for passing by the television and asking, "Which game's on tonight?" The rest of the NBA 2K6 experience includes nearly everything but the kitchen sink:
"Re-jected!" Set up a Situation and see how you can do in the clutch, or refine your smooth court moves in Practice mode. Tournaments are great for parties—you can even have a "fantasy draft" to fill out your rosters beforehand. Four different Street modes are available, from half-court to one-on-one. You can take your favorite team through the 2005-06 schedule in Season mode, or take full command of the Franchise in "The Association." The Association NBA 2K6 is a special treat—and nothing less than the finest As a coach, you do more than just play the games—you get your team ready for them first. Schedule your practices and what they focus on. Does your center need a little work on his rebounding? Then schedule a practice that concentrates on him in particular, and watch his attributes improve for your next game. Set each practice's intensity; work 'em hard in practice, and they'll get better faster—but more tired as well. Spend time developing individual players by assigning them drills that you'll play yourself in mini-games.
The arenas are authentic, down to the last detail. Select your favorite plays and all your coaching preferences. Do you have a deep bench? Then move the slider over in Coaching/Strategy and the auto-substitution setting will take advantage of that. Do you prefer to use a speedy lineup when you're trying to catch up, a defensive-oriented one when holding the lead, or even a lineup of bench players during garbage time? Go into Coaching/Lineup and set up to seven different situational lineups to suit your needs. In "The Association", the dyed-in-the-wool hoops fan has all the control they've ever wanted. Road to the EBC These friends will run with you in select games, so having LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony on your speed dial sure can't hurt. Some of the most famous courts in the land are included. Ball at legendary hoops shrines like Rucker Park in NYC, or enjoy some of the fictional courts that capture the local flavor. Deck your "baller" out with any gear you choose and have unlocked throughout the game, grab him the latest Nike shoes … or even design your own!
Take your game to the streets. Once you've got your completely unique alter ego reaching the heights of the street ball scene, you may be lucky enough to participate in the EBC—the "Entertainer's Basketball Classic." Win there, and maybe they'll call you the "GOAT"—the greatest of all-time! On top of that, NBA 2K6 offers an unparalleled experience on Xbox Live®. Lobbies are available to hook up with other gamers for standard and street games, tournaments can be easily set up, and sponsored online events are available to play in. Best of all, players are required to take a moment and offer feedback after each game. This helps build the Xbox Live community in a positive fashion, and helps separate the quality players from the "griefers" and other malcontents that try to ruin everyone's fun. It makes finding a good opponent easy—and isn't that really the point? Online Leagues
"From downtown …" VIP Profile You can view the VIP profile of any player whose record is saved on your Xbox, or of anybody who's played on Xbox Live. Check out anyone's last game—the box score, the stat leaders, even where they shot from. Find out who their favorite teams are, what they average statistically and what difficulty level they prefer to play at. Record highs are listed both by team and by NBA player they used to set them. You can easily find out that a given player takes eight three-pointers a game and shoots 38% in the process. It's a remarkable scouting tool that only gets deeper and more valuable the more you look at it. In the offensive summary, you'll see a scouting report, listing favorite plays and notes about the way a gamer plays in plain English. The defensive summary will do the same. The Shooting Breakdown will grade shot selection, and shot release—even showing the percentage of the time that you release your shot early or late. You'll be able to see where a player takes their most shots, and the kind of shots they're likely to take. The Offensive Tendencies charts display game tempo and your most common moves with the ball. Defensive Skills grade the player in regard to their stealing and blocking skills. You can even download any player's VIP profile and play a game against it to see how someone plays, up close and personal. It's almost overwhelming to take in all at once, but once you see the wealth of information at your fingertips, you'll become a better player. The Play is the Thing "Dual Player Control" allows you to run the show like Jason Kidd and Steve Nash as you quickly command a teammate to move to a spot on the floor and be ready for your pass. Want to send Vince Carter to the hole at will for the devastating alley-oop? With "Dual Player Control", you can. The right stick is used as the "Shot Stick", and it quickly allows you to not only shoot, but how to shoot. Drive the lane with the left hand or drop the fade-away jumper with merely a flick of the same stick. It's odd at first, but within minutes, you'll wonder how you ever got along without it.
Use the intuitive Shot Stick to control your shot. Everything else on the court just oozes NBA authenticity. Play against the Pistons or Spurs and be ready for a physical, defensive game. Play against the Suns or Nuggets and make sure you brought your oxygen tank. The A.I. is whip-smart and will make you pay for your mistakes; on the highest difficulty setting, only hard-core hoopsters with serious knowledge of the game need apply. You need to do what real teams do—box out on rebounds, challenge shots, and move the ball around on offense to find the open man. The control scheme is deep yet intuitive, and you'll find yourself calling the 2-3 zone on the fly in no time. This is a game that will actually make you a more knowledge basketball fan … and you won't mind taking this class in "Hoops 101." NBA 2K6 is without doubt a serious simulation, but that doesn't make it any less fun. In fact, when you realize that you're using your brain as much as your fingers, you'll know that NBA 2K6 is a special treat—and nothing less than the finest and most complete NBA basketball game to ever grace your Xbox console. |
