#6 of 2008: NBA 2K9

by pastapadre
Posted December 13th, 2008 at 1:31 pm

This was the year, as we’ve seen with the sales numbers, that consumers overwhelmingly identified the NBA 2K series as the definitive choice for basketball gamers. Being #1 sometimes brings side effects and that has been seen through some dissatisfaction and growing pains. Outside of that though what NBA 2K9 offers is a familiar enjoyable gameplay experience.

With all three basketball games this year offering something different, what 2K9 stood out in was the gameplay. That includes being the best in terms of animations, presentation, and arena atmosphere. Essentially the on-the-court experience was the best.

What NBA 2K9 didn’t do is innovate. There really weren’t any new and exciting modes or features this year. Sooner or later that is going to have to change and 2K will need to provide something fresh and innovative. 2K9 also had severe problems with online play performance and design decisions which has caused a great deal of frustration and disappointment.

In terms of basketball gaming this was an exceptional year. All three titles could be enjoyed for what they offered as they all had unique strengths. Despite not really advancing the series NBA 2K9 lands at #6 in the Top 10 due to its widely recognized superior gameplay experience.

#6 NBA 2K9
#7 Madden 09
#8 Blitz: The League II
#9 NFL Tour
#10 Tiger Woods 09

Tags: top 10, year in review

Kevin

i have officially lost interest… i hate people who are all high on online, see the game for what it is not how bad your internet connection is… wait… nevermind but like Josh, i cant wait to see NBA Live at number one for being "innovative with good online"

swizzy

dats rite

LIVE iz gittin dat #1 SPOT

HOLLA HOLLA HOLLA

YA DIG???
http://intensedebate.com/people/cabrillo24 cabrillo24

Offline Pasta hasn't mentioned any gripes and gives them the nod; however, online play has become a must have feature as playing offline against the CPU becomes rather simple after a while and to justify Xbox 360 users who pay $50 to play multi-player online, and PS3 users who paid a premium price for that system. The numbers are high for people who play online.

Kevin

i have officially lost interest… i hate people who are all high on online, see the game for what it is not how bad your internet connection is… wait… nevermind but like Josh, i cant wait to see NBA Live at number one for being "innovative with good online"

swizzy

dats rite

LIVE iz gittin dat #1 SPOT

HOLLA HOLLA HOLLA

YA DIG???
http://intensedebate.com/people/cabrillo24 cabrillo24

Offline Pasta hasn't mentioned any gripes and gives them the nod; however, online play has become a must have feature as playing offline against the CPU becomes rather simple after a while and to justify Xbox 360 users who pay $50 to play multi-player online, and PS3 users who paid a premium price for that system. The numbers are high for people who play online.

Patrick Oak

Yo Pasta if you have nba live rated ahead of 2k9 I will be offficially done reading this website nd greta information you give us!!!! Basketball should be more than online play and dna updates!!! there is actually a game that sould be involved to make it a good game!!!

http://intensedebate.com/people/cabrillo24 cabrillo24

Patrick, this shouldn't have came as a surprise as Pasta has pointed his views on both games. The gripes he has with 2K is the promising of a mode that is completely unplayable. He specifically states many times that the atmosphere, animations and arena experience is better than Live; however, Live does have a solid engine but great innovations and enjoyable online experience. He's looking at the overrall picture, vice on specific aspect of the game.

http://intensedebate.com/people/DrLogic DrLogic

Pasta Pal

Patrick Oak

Yo Pasta if you have nba live rated ahead of 2k9 I will be offficially done reading this website nd greta information you give us!!!! Basketball should be more than online play and dna updates!!! there is actually a game that sould be involved to make it a good game!!!

http://intensedebate.com/people/cabrillo24 cabrillo24

Patrick, this shouldn't have came as a surprise as Pasta has pointed his views on both games. The gripes he has with 2K is the promising of a mode that is completely unplayable. He specifically states many times that the atmosphere, animations and arena experience is better than Live; however, Live does have a solid engine but great innovations and enjoyable online experience. He's looking at the overrall picture, vice on specific aspect of the game.

http://intensedebate.com/people/DrLogic DrLogic

Pasta Pal

sdot

DAMN PASTA how could U MAKE SUCH a GRAVE MISTAKE I HOPE da BASKETBALL GODS can 4GIVE U
sdot

DAMN PASTA how could U MAKE SUCH a GRAVE MISTAKE I HOPE da BASKETBALL GODS can 4GIVE U
http://intensedebate.com/people/johnshaft23 johnshaft23

isn't this his damn site? It's his damn list……WTF..stop whining, guys!
http://intensedebate.com/people/johnshaft23 johnshaft23

isn't this his damn site? It's his damn list……WTF..stop whining, guys!
'Dayz

You don't seem to like the 'hood' games. what are you looking to innovate in basketball? In live, the player models look silly, the moves are strange looking. I hope you have live No. 5 to save face. No way because of all that synergy information crap, useless in multiplayer, are you gonna make LIVE a better product this year. Live finally plays right. How does that make it better than NBA 2K9?

swizzy

B CUZ LIVE iz 4 da GANGSTAZ an knot da BITTIES

dere aint no odda way 2 explane it

it IZ wut it IZ

'Dayz

You don't seem to like the 'hood' games. what are you looking to innovate in basketball? In live, the player models look silly, the moves are strange looking. I hope you have live No. 5 to save face. No way because of all that synergy information crap, useless in multiplayer, are you gonna make LIVE a better product this year. Live finally plays right. How does that make it better than NBA 2K9?

swizzy

B CUZ LIVE iz 4 da GANGSTAZ an knot da BITTIES

dere aint no odda way 2 explane it

it IZ wut it IZ

chris

how is Live innovative?All they have is the DNA thing n if you say that's innovative but not the living rosters then idk. . After that Live has nothing else. the franchise is pretty much the same as last year.

http://intensedebate.com/people/cabrillo24 cabrillo24

DNA, Live 365, NBA Rewind, Clubs and Leagues, Team Practice Modes, Be a Pro (even though needing some more fine tuning), EASW integration to name a few.
Dee

exactly!! the living rosters is the most innovative feature in a video game every!! I mean anyone can do what EA did and have auto updates based on stats!! But when you have a real person actually discussing it with you like the 2k insider, its just great!!

chris

how is Live innovative?All they have is the DNA thing n if you say that's innovative but not the living rosters then idk. . After that Live has nothing else. the franchise is pretty much the same as last year.

http://intensedebate.com/people/cabrillo24 cabrillo24

DNA, Live 365, NBA Rewind, Clubs and Leagues, Team Practice Modes, Be a Pro (even though needing some more fine tuning), EASW integration to name a few.
Dee

exactly!! the living rosters is the most innovative feature in a video game every!! I mean anyone can do what EA did and have auto updates based on stats!! But when you have a real person actually discussing it with you like the 2k insider, its just great!!

chris

i forgot that Live has that superstar mode thingy but that crap is bare bones. it seems like they tack that on there to show you that next year it will be a bigger feature.
chris

i forgot that Live has that superstar mode thingy but that crap is bare bones. it seems like they tack that on there to show you that next year it will be a bigger feature.
James

If you havent noticed pasta's more of an online sports gamer with all his clubs and tournements… im not surprised to see this at the bottom of pasta's list because quite frankly 2k9's online isn't even close to Lives (which is what pasta's looking for)… all in all its just a list that HE MADE based on his own preffernces… so what if he doesnt enjoy a more realistic game and likes the game with superior online play, thats his opinion… no need to bash him just make ur own list on what you feel are the top 10 titles and leave it at that
James

If you havent noticed pasta's more of an online sports gamer with all his clubs and tournements… im not surprised to see this at the bottom of pasta's list because quite frankly 2k9's online isn't even close to Lives (which is what pasta's looking for)… all in all its just a list that HE MADE based on his own preffernces… so what if he doesnt enjoy a more realistic game and likes the game with superior online play, thats his opinion… no need to bash him just make ur own list on what you feel are the top 10 titles and leave it at that
http://intensedebate.com/people/DrLogic DrLogic

hahahahahahahahahahahhahahahahahhahahahahhahahahahahhahaahahah. ridiculous.
http://intensedebate.com/people/DrLogic DrLogic

hahahahahahahahahahahhahahahahahhahahahahhahahahahahhahaahahah. ridiculous.
http://intensedebate.com/people/DrLogic DrLogic

what a funny guy you are Pasta…

Your Pasta Pals can defend you all they want but you've just drawn a line in the sand that will haunt you for the rest of your sports video game blogging life.

tisk tisk tisk….
http://intensedebate.com/people/DrLogic DrLogic

what a funny guy you are Pasta…

Your Pasta Pals can defend you all they want but you've just drawn a line in the sand that will haunt you for the rest of your sports video game blogging life.

tisk tisk tisk….
zack

Live is a good game but 2k9 is wayy better. NBA live is for the casuals and 2k9 is for the hardcore. when i rented Live it felt really simple and easy n not as realistic and sim compare to 2k9 which i like. The one thing i like about Live is that the online is lag free unlike 2k9 at times.
zack

Live is a good game but 2k9 is wayy better. NBA live is for the casuals and 2k9 is for the hardcore. when i rented Live it felt really simple and easy n not as realistic and sim compare to 2k9 which i like. The one thing i like about Live is that the online is lag free unlike 2k9 at times.
swizzy

I just want to tell everybody DAT da BIGG SWIZZ DOGG is a fool !!!
I B Trippin Man
FO REal

swizzy

yo dis mad HO MO need 2 B BANNED 4 LYFE

YA DIGG???

2 many IMPERSONATERS of da OG

HOLLA HOLLA HOLLA

swizzy

I just want to tell everybody DAT da BIGG SWIZZ DOGG is a fool !!!
I B Trippin Man
FO REal

swizzy

yo dis mad HO MO need 2 B BANNED 4 LYFE

YA DIGG???

2 many IMPERSONATERS of da OG

HOLLA HOLLA HOLLA

Smokez4Dayz

Makes no sense to repond to you on this. this game is very enjoyable. high replay value. Don't quite know what qualifies you to be making lists…when live was a no.1 seller, no way did you ever admit how bad the game played, how much it didn't represent the NBA product, no way would you ever rate it anything under top 3. Madden at 7 and NBA 2K9 at 6…You're a girlie man. I see why your gamertag has all those sucker ass games on it.You don't
Smokez4Dayz

Makes no sense to repond to you on this. this game is very enjoyable. high replay value. Don't quite know what qualifies you to be making lists…when live was a no.1 seller, no way did you ever admit how bad the game played, how much it didn't represent the NBA product, no way would you ever rate it anything under top 3. Madden at 7 and NBA 2K9 at 6…You're a girlie man. I see why your gamertag has all those sucker ass games on it.You don't
Dee

i don't know how you can say that 2k didn't innovate! the living roster feature is amazing!! I mean fan input and discussion of roster updates!! thats the best thing to happen to sports games ever! the 2k insider is actually doing and incredible job! Why would 2k change a game that was almost perfect for the last 3 years?? Online issues are no reason to criticize the game!
Dee

i don't know how you can say that 2k didn't innovate! the living roster feature is amazing!! I mean fan input and discussion of roster updates!! thats the best thing to happen to sports games ever! the 2k insider is actually doing and incredible job! Why would 2k change a game that was almost perfect for the last 3 years?? Online issues are no reason to criticize the game!