"NBA 2K11 Review"

Remember Double Dribble on NES? 5 on 5 and automated dunk scenes? Simple fun. When NBA Live (Sega Genesis) hit, I can’t remember thinking about expectations beyond that. I recall spending most game time on NBA Live and EA Sports Coach K College Basketball. Classics.

Consoles have changed quick ever since. From the Genesis to Sega Saturn (for me), then PS1, PS2, PS3 and if you Google… coming soon PS4. Each upgrade distributing its own impressive titles. Since the era of Sega Genesis, I stayed a fan of EA Sports with a disappointing exception every now and then.

Fast forward to October 2010, three years after picking up NBA Live (PS3) titles like clockwork. October 5th was the release date, with a new name, NBA Elite and the addition of a new NBA Jam. NBA Jam was the first basketball game I owned when I first bought a Genesis, inspired by Arcade time. October 5th though, I discover NBA Elite gets pushed back to spring 2011! Half way into the NBA season?! A clerk confirmed today that the shelf life is April. Crazy.

Expecting the worst, I figured I’d do some searches online and go with basketball’s next best. Google directed all traffic to NBA 2K11, with much hype. Some reviewers considered it the best b-ball game ever. And with Air Jordan on the cover the press is a match made in NBA hell.

My review of NBA 2K11 starts now. And I’ll keep it short. I couldn’t bother playing past the opening, a Chicago Bulls throwback. Afterwards I tried a versus option (Boston & L.A.) against my brother that lasted 2 quarters. The game play doesn’t hold an X button to Live ’10. Each and every player is awkwardly blocked, reminiscent of NBA Konami before Y2K. The controls slide players up the court and during zoom-ins most player expressions are lifeless zombie stares into multiple dynasty modes.

EA Sports, what happened?