NLSC Your source for basketball video games.
From courtside of the virtual hardwood, it’s Episode #572 of the NLSC Podcast!
The seventh generation saw NBA 2K pull ahead of NBA Live – and for good reason – but which 2K titles stand out as the best releases during that run? This week, we join the community in ranking NBA 2K6 through NBA 2K13 on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 – as well as the PC ports from NBA 2K9 onwards – discussing the key strengths and weaknesses of each game, while also sharing some of our personal memories and experiences with them. We also discuss some of the factors that make games stand out as classic and nostalgic releases, such as the season they’re set in, and the presence of fun teams to put on the virtual hardwood years and indeed decades later.
Download or play on your mobile device/tablet: CLICK HERE (Running time: 1:01:30 — 42.6MB)
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Brilliant episode as always guys, also listened to the best sim episode on baskeball games a few days back.
I was late to the 2k party, and never played Live really, unless you count NBA live -97 on the playstation and then a long jump to NBA Live 19
Pretty much the same story with 2k, had the NBA 2k for the Dreamcast, but other sports games took up all my time until 2013 when i bought NBA 2K13 for the XBOX 360.
Man that game really blew me away, the gameplay, the story/soundtrack/presentation, absolutely blew me away, remember i came from PES and FIFA, but this was something else, a whole new standard:
So 2k13 will always have a special place in my heart for sure, i have now bought both 2k11 and 12, very solid games for sure, but i still hold it above those two for sure.
and for the sim episode and those games mentioned there, i kinda go back and forth between 2k14/15/16/17/19 and also 20 at times.
Been playing 2k19 a lot lately which i think is the last really good sim game, but returned to 2k17 the other day for a fresh Myleague (the only mode i play except Mycareer on 14-15) and i gotta say its the game for me, yes 16 is brilliant, but 17 just nails it.
I can set advanced rotations for the first time, i can player lock (not position lock only like on pre 16) and its just a fantastic game.
Very noticable after playing 19 for a while just how good 17 is.
so my ranking of sim games will be this
17 perfect (though mentor system lacking)
16 perfect but still not as good as 16 (no advanced rotations)
14 though its a bit stripped down plus no player lock
15 brilliant game, lacking player lock makes it inferior to 17+16
19 great game, a sticky and very aggressive cpu on def makes it less enjoyable
20 is the downfall of 2k imo, a quick comeback from horrible but very good looking 18
Looking forward to more best of lists in the future, or you (just like me) shitting on todays NBA, not much fun there anymore.
Have a good one guys and thank you
Thanks, glad you’re enjoying the show! We’ll definitely do some more rankings, and I’m sure we’ll have something to say about NBA past (positive) and present (not so much) too!
Excellent rankings of the sim games. I liked MyCAREER in 2K20 well enough, but it was a turning point, and I haven’t loved any 2K games since then. 2K25 is probably the strongest, but yeah, I’ve still soured on it. 2K17, 2K19, and 2K14 have been among my most-played, still happy to have them in the rotation, too.
Really solid games, for me being a -16 guy for a long time, 17 really surprised me when returning back to it, i knew it was great since I’ve had tons of careers on it but returning back it felt incredible, everything you do on the sticks gets done by your player.
One downside that I always forget to edit to make it more tolerable is the fact that my player in my player locked Myleague always gets a serious injury within 10-15games and I forget to edit his injury resistance, so today that happened and I was gone for 20 games.
And a shout-out to my team mate being from your neck of the woods, Andrew Bogut, solid up front.
NBA2K17 really felt like the peak of that engine, I agree. NBA 2K18 felt like a huge step backwards for me, and apart from NBA 2K19, nothing since then has hit quite the same as 2K14-2K17.
Very true Andrew, Kinda .oss the good 2ks, 22 was my last bought 2k.
Once again, great podcast guys, trying to keep up with it (and not fall asleep since i listen to it when going to bed)
Thanks again, we really appreciate the support!