NBA 2K12

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 in the series, buyers choose among three covers, featuring Larry Bird, Magic Johnson and Michael Jordan.^[1][2] It is the thirteenth installment in the NBA 2K series, the first 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 video game NBA 2K11, and the predecessor to NBA 2K13 in the NBA 2K series.

Gameplay

• NBA's Greatest mode: For the first time in the series, players are able to take control of iconic players in NBA history and match them up against other classic or modern-day teams. Each of 15 basketball legends has been recreated along with period-specific depictions of their arenas, uniforms, signature moves and historically accurate broadcast presentation styles. Gamers are now able to utilize signature moves, such as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's sky-hook and Hakeem Olajuwon's Dream Shake. Other legends featured include Karl Malone, Bill Russell, and Julius Erving.^[3]
• My Player mode returns from NBA 2K10 and NBA 2K11. The Draft Combine and Summer Circuit have been replaced by the "Rookie Showcase". After that, three general managers interview a basketball player before the draft. Good conversations can increase draft stock. Another new feature added to My Player mode and The Association mode is that NBA Commissioner David Stern reads all the 1st round picks.^[4] Other additions include endorsements where a player can appear on billboards and magazine covers, create shoes and even be featured in an NBA "Where Amazing Happens" commercial. Players receive paychecks to use on skill points or new things like a basketball clinic to raise their fan popularity. Instead of playing every game of the season, gamers 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 entire career. Press conferences are upgraded and now player statuses on league popularity, team chemistry and fan support can be seen. Players can now get inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame as well. The PlayStation Portable version of this game does not include the endorsements, general manager interviews, paychecks, Hall of Fame induction, or the draft presentation.
• Creating a Legend mode returns from NBA 2K11 with improvements. Now instead of taking a rookie Michael Jordan onto any team, players control any current NBA player and play out the rest of his career. Players are not able to have press conferences in this mode.
• Steve Kerr, formerly of the EA Sports NBA Live/Elite series, joins the returning broadcasting team of Kevin Harlan, Clark Kellogg and Doris Burke.
• Association mode turns the player into the General Manager of the team selected. Gameplay continues through multiple seasons. The player can control staff, roster and scouting if desired. In the off season and before the Trade Deadline, the player can sign free agents and trade draft picks and players for other players and picks within the given cap space.

Development and marketing

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]

Because of the 2011 NBA lockout, rookies taken in the 2011 NBA draft were not originally in the video game.^[6] But after the lockout was resolved they appeared in downloadable rosters, which also featured recent transactions. Ron Artest's name change to "Metta World Peace" was included in the update. Minnesota Timberwolves head coach Rick Adelman, not included in the retail release, was later added through a patch.^[7] This was excluded in the Wii version.

Duck Down Music and 2K Sports hosted a competition for a song placement on the official game soundtrack. After filtering 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" appeared on the official soundtrack. The complete NBA 2K12 soundtrack was announced on August 11, 2011.^[8]

Reception

NBA 2K12 received positive reviews from critics, with a current Metascore rating of 90 of 100 on Metacritic.^[9] IGN gave the PlayStation 3 version a 9.5 out of 10, claiming that it makes "for a game that any basketball fan has to pick up".^[10] GameSpot gave it an 8.5/10 for PC, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360 versions.^[11][12][13] GamesRadar gave both PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions a perfect 10 out of 10.^[14]

Sales

As of April 2012, sales had reached 4 million units.^[15]

References

External links

• Official website