We’re at midcourt, and the ball is about to go up…it’s Monday Tip-Off! Join me as I begin the week here at the NLSC with my opinions and commentary on basketball gaming topics, as well as tales of the fun I’ve been having on the virtual hardwood. This week, I’m tipping things off with some thoughts on how “realism” is rapidly becoming a dirty word among basketball gamers.
We all have our own ideas of what makes for a fun basketball video game. Beyond a preference between the sim and arcade styles, we each have a vision of what games in those subgenres should be like. Obviously, sim gamers have traditionally preferred a realistic approach to the virtual hardwood, though opinions will vary as to what that realism should entail. However, when the sim titles were primarily aimed at hardcore basketball fans, there was usually more unity in calls for the games to be as realistic as possible. The notion that realism didn’t matter was certainly an unpopular view.
It’s why Da_Czar’s catchphrase of “don’t play video games; play basketball!” became a creed that resonated with so many simheads, and why there was excitement when he joined the development team at Visual Concepts. After all, if Take-Two was going to hire anyone to help in the continued efforts to strive for realism in their NBA series, Da_Czar was an ideal choice! As NBA 2K’s popularity has grown however, there’s been a noticeable shift in attitude. More and more people are saying “who cares about real basketball, it’s just a game!” Sim gamers are suddenly the ones being labelled as “casuals”, and realism is being treated as a dirty word when talking about sim titles.
We’re at midcourt, and the ball is about to go up…it’s Monday Tip-Off! Join me as I begin the week here at the NLSC with my opinions and commentary on basketball gaming topics, as well as tales of the fun I’ve been having on the virtual hardwood. This week, I’m tipping things off with some reflections on MyCAREER stories that have gone untold…at least from my perspective.
Not to sound like a broken record, but I’m glad to have escaped the basketball gaming habits that had me in a rut. Although I can still have fun with MyCAREER – as my ongoing game in NBA 2K14 clearly demonstrates – I don’t miss the annual ritual of starting over from scratch with a ridiculously low-rated MyPLAYER. I don’t miss diligently doing every extracurricular activity to maximise my VC earnings so that I don’t have to spend money to speed up the process. I don’t miss weathering an awful grind until MyCAREER is fun, knowing that I’ll have to do it all over again next year.
With that being said, I would’ve liked to have spent a bit more time in MyCAREER in recent years, if only so that I could comment on their stories like I have for previous games. Although I’ve been quite critical of some of the MyCAREER stories, I’ve also greatly enjoyed others, and come to appreciate the concept in general. Of course, what I really miss is the ability to go back and experience the MyCAREER stories in recent NBA 2K games. Now that the mode is no longer available in any form offline, a big chunk of eighth and ninth gen NBA 2K releases isn’t available for retro/throwback gaming. And so for me, these MyCAREER stories will sadly remain untold What Ifs.
From courtside of the virtual hardwood, it’s Episode #589 of the NLSC Podcast!
In the wake of EA Sports announcing a new college basketball game, Take-Two is reportedly planning to develop a competing title. This decision follows a particularly insulting proposal to the CLC regarding the use of collegiate content, and an attempt to hamstring the development of EA’s announced game that involves a broken NDA. We definitely have some thoughts about the situation, and as you can probably guess, they aren’t exactly positive! We also join the community in discussing whether or not we’d like to see a new college game based on the NBA 2K engine and if we’d prefer that 2K beat EA to the punch, and touch on 2K’s new NBA deal which apparently includes initiatives that go beyond the virtual hardwood.
Download or play on your mobile device/tablet: CLICK HERE (Running time: 54:36 — 37.9MB)
To get involved with the mailbag or to provide any feedback on the show, hit us up in the comments, reach out on social media, or post here in the NLSC Forum! For more information on the NLSC Podcast including episode guides, check out this page in our Wiki. You can also find the show on our YouTube channel, along with the rest of our video content. As always, thanks for tuning in, and go get buckets!
We’re at midcourt, and the ball is about to go up…it’s Monday Tip-Off! Join me as I begin the week here at the NLSC with my opinions and commentary on basketball gaming topics, as well as tales of the fun I’ve been having on the virtual hardwood. This week, I’m tipping things off with some thoughts on how important it is to support your fellow basketball gamers.
In many ways, gamers don’t have a lot of power or leverage as consumers. We can choose not to buy games – and I’d certainly advise that if you’re not sold on a new release – but generally speaking, widespread boycotts are ineffective. The same goes for abstaining from pumping extra money into games via their recurrent revenue mechanics. Whales will still spend, apologists will bleat “it’s optional”, and the gaming experience will remain weaker for anyone who doesn’t want to pay. Even constructive criticism gets shouted down as “complaining“.
Obviously this frequently happens on most any platform where basketball games (or titles from other genres) are discussed. However, it’s particularly disheartening when content creators with significant influence jump on that bandwagon. I’ve seen some creators with large audiences share some truly terrible takes that throw their fellow basketball gamers under the bus, yet somehow they don’t seem to lose any credibility when they do so. Along with so much zero-sum thinking in the wider community, it underscores a lack of willingness for basketball gamers to support each other. That only plays into the hands of the suits, making it high time that we change this attitude.
Get ready for more fantastic highlights from the basketball gaming community in the NLSC Top 10 Plays of the Week, curated by Dee! New and old games alike are featured in this celebration of spectacular moments on the virtual hardwood. To submit your clips, post them in this topic, send Dee a message, or hit him up on X.
Another offseason is here and we’re most likely at least a few weeks away from getting our first look at NBA 2K26, but that won’t stop us from hitting the virtual hardwood in a variety of favourites; especially when we have mods to keep them fresh! This week’s NLSC Top 10 Plays is another countdown jam-packed with aerial wizardry, in some fantastic scenarios facilitated by retro season rosters and other projects. With highlights from NBA 2K14, NBA 2K19, NBA 2K20, and NBA 2K25, it’s the best basketball gaming reel you’ll see all week. Let’s get to the action!
What was your favourite highlight this week? Sound off in the comments below, and once again, get in on the fun by sending us your best plays! Remember, as long as it’s a basketball game, it’s eligible for the countdown. Also, don’t forget to subscribe to us on YouTube for more basketball gaming videos.
Get ready for more fantastic highlights from the basketball gaming community in the NLSC Top 10 Plays of the Week, curated by Dee! New and old games alike are featured in this celebration of spectacular moments on the virtual hardwood. To submit your clips, post them in this topic, send Dee a message, or hit him up on X.
This week’s NLSC Top 10 Plays is serving up some of the absolute best posters you’ll see on the virtual hardwood! Superstars past and present are rocking the rim and punishing defenders – as well as finishing some spectacular alley-oops – in six different games from NBA Live 2004 through to NBA 2K25. As always it’s not just about the dunks though, as crafty moves and great defensive plays set up those fantastic finishes. Our countdown is still the best way to get pumped up for a weekend of basketball gaming, so let’s get to the action!
What was your favourite highlight this week? Sound off in the comments below, and once again, get in on the fun by sending us your best plays! Remember, as long as it’s a basketball game, it’s eligible for the countdown. Also, don’t forget to subscribe to us on YouTube for more basketball gaming videos.
Get ready for more fantastic highlights from the basketball gaming community in the NLSC Top 10 Plays of the Week, curated by Dee! New and old games alike are featured in this celebration of spectacular moments on the virtual hardwood. To submit your clips, post them in this topic, send Dee a message, or hit him up on X.
Earlier this week in Episode #582 of the NLSC Podcast, we joined the community in discussing our offseason basketball gaming plans. To that point, it’s clear that the 2025 season drawing to a close isn’t dampening everyone’s enthusiasm for the virtual hardwood! This week’s NLSC Top 10 Plays once again delivers the goods with ferocious dunks, nifty layups, beautiful passes, and other spectacular moves by the stars of yesterday and today. Six different games are featured in this week’s countdown, from NBA 07 through to NBA 2K25. Let’s get to the action!
What was your favourite highlight this week? Sound off in the comments below, and once again, get in on the fun by sending us your best plays! Remember, as long as it’s a basketball game, it’s eligible for the countdown. Also, don’t forget to subscribe to us on YouTube for more basketball gaming videos.
Get ready for more fantastic highlights from the basketball gaming community in the NLSC Top 10 Plays of the Week, curated by Dee! New and old games alike are featured in this celebration of spectacular moments on the virtual hardwood. To submit your clips, post them in this topic, send Dee a message, or hit him up on X.
This week’s NLSC Top 10 Plays is further proof that dunks are exciting no matter who’s throwing them down! Big men, guards, and wing players are crossing up, slipping by, and overpowering defenders to rock the rim. As always though, there is one play that stands a chance of topping a spectacular dunk, and that’s a clutch shot in the waning seconds. This week’s countdown has you covered there, too! Six different games are featured this week, from NBA ShootOut 2004 right through to NBA 2K25. Let’s get to the action!
What was your favourite highlight this week? Sound off in the comments below, and once again, get in on the fun by sending us your best plays! Remember, as long as it’s a basketball game, it’s eligible for the countdown. Also, don’t forget to subscribe to us on YouTube for more basketball gaming videos.
We’re at midcourt, and the ball is about to go up…it’s Monday Tip-Off! Join me as I begin the week here at the NLSC with my opinions and commentary on basketball gaming topics, as well as tales of the fun I’ve been having on the virtual hardwood. This week, I’m tipping things off with some thoughts on why I find it distasteful when video game companies join in with memes and jokes, especially about themselves.
Like any joke or popular fad, online memes eventually run their course. To that end, the general lifecycle of a meme has been astutely lampooned by several people. Last year, Man Carrying Thing posted a sketch that summed up the rapid rise and fall of many an absurd meme that achieves inexplicable popularity. While “OK Boomer” lives on as a common retort, cartoonist Kasia Babis aptly used it as an example of a meme’s lifecycle. Another cartoonist, Alex Krokus, perfectly captured the general response to brands jumping on memes and online trends.
Alex’s comic in particular resonates with me, because we’ve seen more and more brands attempt to join in on viral trends as a marketing strategy. Naturally, this also includes video game developers and publishers. On paper, it makes sense for these companies to angle for some viral positive publicity by attempting to cultivate a fun and relatable image, though this can easily backfire. This is especially true whenever a company tries to lean into jokes and memes about itself. Although it can be a very effective strategy if they end up pulling it off, it can easily fail to achieve the playful vibe that they’re aiming for. All too often, it instead comes across as condescending.
Welcome to another edition of The Friday Five! Every Friday I cover a topic related to basketball gaming, either as a list of five items, or a Top 5 countdown. The topics for these lists and countdowns include everything from fun facts and recollections to commentary and critique. This week’s Five is a list of five major problems with open worlds in sports video games.
Since the introduction of The Neighborhood in NBA 2K18, open worlds have been a core part of the MyCAREER experience. Whether an urban complex, a cruise ship, or a beachfront town, they’ve taken MyCAREER and its connected modes from menus to an environment that can be explored. The Neighborhood has since given way to the much larger open world of The City in the flagship version of NBA 2K, although it was condensed slightly in NBA 2K25. Elsewhere, WWE 2K25 now features The Island, and EA Sports are reportedly also looking to bring open worlds to their games.
Now, I have nothing against open worlds in video games. I’m a fan of both the Grand Theft Auto and Fallout series, so I know how much fun the concept can be. However, I don’t believe open worlds belong in sports video games like NBA 2K or WWE 2K. Sure, they can be made to work, facilitating the MMORPG aspects of career modes nowadays. To that point though, I don’t think that it results in a better experience for gamers, particularly anyone who prefers traditional career mode gameplay. With that in mind, here are five big problems that are created when open worlds are forced into sports games, and therefore five reasons why they shouldn’t be a part of those titles!
Get ready for more fantastic highlights from the basketball gaming community in the NLSC Top 10 Plays of the Week, curated by Dee! New and old games alike are featured in this celebration of spectacular moments on the virtual hardwood. To submit your clips, post them in this topic, send Dee a message, or hit him up on X.
This week’s NLSC Top 10 Plays is definitely one for fans of Michael Jordan, as His Airness shows up three times to do what he does best! MJ isn’t the only player strutting his stuff in the latest countdown however, as a mix of past greats and current stars are throwing down jaw-dropping dunks, pulling off slick moves, and getting the job done in the clutch. Six different games are featured this week, from NBA Live 2000 all the way up to NBA 2K25. Let’s get to the action!
What was your favourite highlight this week? Sound off in the comments below, and once again, get in on the fun by sending us your best plays! Remember, as long as it’s a basketball game, it’s eligible for the countdown. Also, don’t forget to subscribe to us on YouTube for more basketball gaming videos.
Get ready for more fantastic highlights from the basketball gaming community in the NLSC Top 10 Plays of the Week, curated by Dee! New and old games alike are featured in this celebration of spectacular moments on the virtual hardwood. To submit your clips, post them in this topic, send Dee a message, or hit him up on X.
Dunks have taken a backseat the past couple of weeks, but the slam is definitely in vogue in the latest NLSC Top 10 Plays! As in real life, there are many spectacular ways to throw it down on the virtual hardwood, and the community has clearly been having a ton of fun taking it to the rim as of late. With that being said, you’ll also find another great clutch moment from the NBA Live 2001 Legends, whose competitive showdowns continue to be inspiring. Eight different games are featured this week, including an overlooked Genesis release, so let’s get to the action!
What was your favourite highlight this week? Sound off in the comments below, and once again, get in on the fun by sending us your best plays! Remember, as long as it’s a basketball game, it’s eligible for the countdown. Also, don’t forget to subscribe to us on YouTube for more basketball gaming videos.
We’re at midcourt, and the ball is about to go up…it’s Monday Tip-Off! Join me as I begin the week here at the NLSC with my opinions and commentary on basketball gaming topics, as well as tales of the fun I’ve been having on the virtual hardwood. This week, I’m tipping things off with some reflections on developing more of an appreciation for MyCAREER stories over the years.
I’ll admit that as a creature of habit, I can be resistant to change. I’d like to think that I’ve grown in that regard. For example, I’m no longer the really picky eater I was as a kid! When it comes to basketball video games, I’ve come to enjoy a number of titles that left a poor first impression, and modes that I never thought I’d be interested in. What still bothers me though is change for change’s sake, or any changes where the drawbacks outweigh the benefits. I think we can all relate to the frustration of having something we really like being drastically changed in a way we didn’t want or ask for.
That brings me to MyCAREER, and the stories that the mode has featured since 2013. Originally, I had no interest in the mode. I was a franchise gamer, after all! However, just as I overcame picky eating habits by deciding to try new cuisine, I came to enjoy MyCAREER after giving it a proper shot in NBA 2K13. A year and a new generation of consoles later, the mode introduced a narrative-driven approach, and I felt that it took away from an experience that I was now enthusiastic about. As such, I’ve been critical of MyCAREER stories, yet also fascinated by them. Now that I’ve finished all of the stories up to NBA 2K20, I now appreciate what they’ve meant for the mode.
Get ready for more fantastic highlights from the basketball gaming community in the NLSC Top 10 Plays of the Week, curated by Dee! New and old games alike are featured in this celebration of spectacular moments on the virtual hardwood. To submit your clips, post them in this topic, send Dee a message, or hit him up on X.
When it comes to the NLSC Top 10 Plays, the Ides of March is nothing to fear; not if you’re after incredible basketball gaming highlights, anyway! Wild buzzer-beaters, cold-blooded game-winners, jaw-dropping poster dunks, and timely defensive stops make up this week’s spectacular countdown. Not only that, but ten different games are on display from NBA Live 95 through to NBA 2K25, once again demonstrating how much our community loves to mix the classics in with more recent releases. But that’s enough talk: let’s get to the action!
What was your favourite highlight this week? Sound off in the comments below, and once again, get in on the fun by sending us your best plays! Remember, as long as it’s a basketball game, it’s eligible for the countdown. Also, don’t forget to subscribe to us on YouTube for more basketball gaming videos.
In addition to new mod releases, we’re always looking to track down and preserve older mods and modding tools alike. To that end, Looyh’s fantastic NBA 2K20 Tools has been re-uploaded to our Downloads database for safekeeping. If you need it, you can find it at the link below!
Thanks to everyone who continues to contribute to our Downloads database! If you need help uploading files, be sure to check out this video tutorial. For more information about downloads, the modding community, and Mod Releases bulletins, please see this FAQ in our Wiki.
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