NBA 2K12

NBA 2K12
Michael Jordan version of NBA 2K12's cover
Developer(s)	Visual Concepts Virtuos(PS2)
Publisher(s)	2K Sports
Series	NBA 2K
Platform(s)	Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable, Wii, Microsoft Windows, iOS
Release date(s)	NA October 4, 2011 PAL October 7, 2011
Genre(s)	Traditional basketball simulation
Mode(s)	Single-player, multiplayer
Rating(s)	ESRB: E PEGI: 3
Media/distribution	Blu-ray Disc (PS3), Steam (PC), DVD (360/PS2), Wii Optical Disc (Wii), Universal Media Disc (PSP), Digital Distribution (iOS)

NBA 2K12 is a basketball video game developed by Visual Concepts and published by 2K Sports. It was released on October 4, 2011 for Xbox 360, PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, PlayStation Portable, Microsoft Windows, Wii and for the first time on iOS iPhone and iPad. For the first time there will be three different covers to choose from when picking up the game, with Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, and Michael Jordan being the cover athletes of the game.^[1] Each will appear on a different version of the game.^[2] It is the thirteenth installment in the NBA 2K series, the first game in the series to have "built-in" support of 3D for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions, and the first to include motion controls using the PlayStation Move. NBA 2K12 is the successor to NBA 2K11.

Gameplay

• NBA's Greatest mode: For the first time, gamers will be able to take control of some of the most iconic players in NBA history, such as Michael Jordan and put them against other classic and modern-day teams to create NBA dream matchups. Each of these 15 basketball legends has been meticulously recreated with an uncanny level of detail, including period-specific depictions of their arenas, team uniforms, signature moves, and historically accurate broadcast presentation styles in NBA 2K12. Gamers will now tap into the legacy of these legendary athletes by utilizing their signature moves, such as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's unstoppable sky-hook and Hakeem Olajuwon's Dream Shake, to rule the virtual hardwood. These 15 legendary athletes, plus more that appear on the team that each one plays (ex. in the Jerry West game, you play against Pete Maravich's Hawks, and after you win you unlock both teams), will allow sports fanatics to create the NBA's most storied matchups - and lock in bragging rights for their favorite teams in NBA 2K12. "NBA's Greatest" legends in NBA 2K12 include:^[3]

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (86-87 Los Angeles Lakers) Larry Bird (85-86 Boston Celtics) Wilt Chamberlain (71-72 Los Angeles Lakers) Julius Erving (84-85 Philadelphia 76ers) Patrick Ewing (94-95 New York Knicks) Magic Johnson (90-91 Los Angeles Lakers) Michael Jordan (92-93 Chicago Bulls) Karl Malone (97-98 Utah Jazz)

Hakeem Olajuwon (93-94 Houston Rockets) Scottie Pippen (95-96 Chicago Bulls) Oscar Robertson (70-71 Milwaukee Bucks) Bill Russell (64-65 Boston Celtics) John Stockton (97-98 Utah Jazz) Isiah Thomas (88-89 Detroit Pistons) Jerry West (70-71 Los Angeles Lakers)

• My Player mode returns from NBA 2K10 and NBA 2K11. There is no more Draft Combine or Summer Circuit, but instead they are replaced by the Rookie Showcase. Hire your very own agent. After that, 3 G.M.s interview a basketball player before the draft and good conversations can increase his Draft stock. Another new feature added to My Player and The Association is that NBA Commissioner David Stern will read all the 1st round picks^[4] and Deputy Commissioner Adam Silver will read the 2nd round picks. Other improvements are more endorsements where a player can be on billboards, be on magazine covers, create shoes and even an NBA "Where Amazing Happens" commercial. Players receive paychecks to use on skill points or new things like a basketball clinic to raise their local fan popularity. Instead of playing every game of the season, users can choose to only play Key Games, instead of the 82-game grind. The point of this is so players can make it through their career. Press conferences are upgraded and now you can see your players status on League Popularity, Team Chemistry and Fan Support. Players can now get inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame as well.

• Creating a Legend mode also returns from NBA 2K11 with improvements of its own. Now instead of taking a rookie Michael Jordan onto any team, players take control of any current NBA player and play out the rest of his career. It has most of the same features as "My Player mode" except the fact that players use a current NBA player rather then a custom player. Players are not able to have press conferences in this mode. There are only two rookies and they're both in the Western Conference.

• Steve Kerr, formerly of the NBA Live/Elite series, joins the returning broadcasting team of Kevin Harlan, Clark Kellogg and Doris Burke.

Development

The Larry Bird version of NBA 2K12's cover.

The Magic Johnson version of NBA 2K12's cover.

2K Sports had a gameplay presentation with Kobe Bryant at E3 2011. The game was released on October 4, 2011. The first official teaser commercial for NBA 2K12 debuted on May 31, 2011 on ABC at the beginning of Game 1 of the NBA Finals between the Miami Heat and Dallas Mavericks. The demo for the game was released on September 20, 2011 on Xbox Live and PlayStation Network, featuring a rematch of the 2011 NBA Finals between the Dallas Mavericks and Miami Heat.^[5]

Lockout effect

Due to the 2011 NBA lockout, 2K Sports didn't use rookies of the 2011 NBA Draft class in the game.^[6]

Soundtrack

Duck Down Records and 2K Sports hosted a competition for a song placement on the official game soundtrack. After parsing thousands of entries down to 10, by popular vote the producer Alex Kresovich (Ithaca, NY) and the rap group D.J.I.G. (Glassboro, NJ) were named the winners. The song by D.J.I.G. "Now's My Time" and Kresovich's "The Return" will appear on the official soundtrack.^[7]

The winning instrumental from the Duck Down contest, "The Return" by music producer/composer Alex Kresovich, was also featured in the debut commercial which aired on ABC on May 31, 2011 during Game 1 of the NBA Finals between the Dallas Mavericks and Miami Heat.^[8][9]

The complete NBA 2K12 soundtrack was announced on August 11, 2011^[10] and mostly consists of hip hop and indie rock songs.

Bad Meets Evil - Fast Lane Travis Barker featuring Yelawolf, Twista, Busta Rhymes and Lil Jon - Let's Go Cyhi Da Prynce - Sideways (2K Remix) Kurtis Blow - Basketball Friendly Fires - Skeleton Boy Machinedrum - Let It (edIT Remix) Aceyalone featuring Cee Lo Green - Workin' Man's Blues Freddie Gibbs - Look Easy (2K Original) Chiddy Bang featuring Q-Tip - Here We Go Zion I featuring Rebelution - Many Stylez Duck Down All-Stars 2 - Shout The Winners Out (2K Original) Middle Class Rut - New Low Bassnectar - Cozza Frenzy Ancient Astronauts - Still a Soldier

Alex Kresovich and D.J.I.G. - Now's My Time (2K Original) See-I - Haterz James Pants - We're Through Shinobi Ninja - Rock Hood Dels - Shapeshift Hudson Mohawke - Thunder Bay (instrumental) Mr. Chop - Intermezzo 2 (instrumental) Kid Mac featuring Mat McHugh - Hear You Calling Thunderball - Make Your Move The Freeze Tag - The Shuffle (instrumental) The Death Set - It's Another Day Project Lionheart - They Come Back Jamaica - By The Numbers XV - Awesome

Reception

NBA 2K12 has received critical acclaim, with a current Metascore rating of 91 of 100 on Metacritic. IGN gave the Xbox 360 version a 9.5 out of 10, claiming that everything that it has to offer makes "for a game that any basketball fan has to pick up".^[11] GameSpot gave it an 8.5/10 for PC, PlayStation3, and Xbox 360 versions.^[12][13][14] GamesRadar gave both PlayStation3 and Xbox 360 versions a perfect 10 out of 10.^[15]

See also

• NBA Elite series

References

1. ^ Bertz, Matt (July 21, 2011). Magic And Bird Join Jordan As NBA 2K12 Cover Athletes. http://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2011/07/21/magic-and-bird-join-jordan-as-nba-2k12-cover-athletes.aspx. Retrieved July 20, 2011. 
2. ^ "NBA 2K12 game plans three covers". ESPN. Associated Press (Bristol, Connecticut). July 21, 2011. http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/6790595/michael-jordan-magic-johnson-larry-bird-featured-nba-2k12-game-cover. Retrieved July 21, 2011. 
3. ^ News Release (19 August 2011). "2K Sports Announces Full Roster for "NBA's Greatest" in NBA(R) 2K12". phx.corporate-ir.net. Take-Two Interactive. http://phx.corporate-ir.net/preview/phoenix.zhtml?c=86428&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=1598236. Retrieved 11 September 2011. 
4. ^ http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/blog/ball_dont_lie/post/Important-milestones-David-Stern-8217-s-speaki?urn=nba-wp8486
5. ^ Phillips, Aaron. "NBA 2K12 – 2011 NBA Finals Commercial". Dime Magazine. http://dimemag.com/2011/06/nba-2k12-2011-nba-finals-commercial/. Retrieved 24 July 2011. 
6. ^ http://kotaku.com/5838278/rookies-wont-appear-in-nba-2k12-until-the-lockout-is-over
7. ^ http://www.operationsports.com/forums/nba-2k/486925-2k-sports-announces-winners-nba-2k12-soundtrack-contest.html
8. ^ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5l9hDreQfow
9. ^ http://twitter.com/#!/druha/status/75731308495646720
10. ^ Press Release (11 August 2011). "2K Sports Unveils NBA 2K12 Soundtrack". IGN. IGN Entertainment, Inc.. http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/118/1187480p1.html. Retrieved 11 September 2011. 
11. ^ DeVries, Jack (2011-09-30). "NBA 2K12 Review". IGN. http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/119/1197538p1.html. Retrieved 2011-10-01. 
12. ^ Tom Mc Shea (8 October 2011). "NBA 2K12 PC Review". GameSpot. CBS Interactive. http://www.gamespot.com/pc/sports/nba-2k12/review.html. 
13. ^ Tom Mc Shea (6 October 2011). "NBA 2K12 PS3 Review". GameSpot. CBS Interactive. http://www.gamespot.com/ps3/sports/nba-2k12/review.html. 
14. ^ Tom Mc Shea (6 October 2011). "NBA 2K12 Xbox 360 Review". GameSpot. CBS Interactive. http://www.gamespot.com/xbox360/sports/nba-2k12/review.html. 
15. ^ Richard Grisham (4 October 2011). "NBA 2K12 review". GamesRadar. Future plc. http://www.gamesradar.com/nba-2k12-review/. 

External links

• Official website
• NBA 2K Debate