Save for gratitiuous ranting of how fantastic the graphics are and how you'll be hard pressed to find these graphics on any current console are well founded. If not for the very nature of the television broadcast format, it's the realistic renders of every individual NBA player alone that will make you blink twice to confirm, it's only a video game. The development team spent well over a year to fine tune gameplay, speed, and the most important element - graphics, clearly where NBA 2K will shine brightly as one of the best basketball games for 1999.

To elaborate specifically on what features have reinvigorated the sports aura within this diehard fighting fanatic, take a gander the game's introduction. No need to capture full motion video segments of NBA action when the Dreamcast is perfectly capable of delivering a surreal sequence of various NBA players modeled in gorgeous 3D fashion. Want to see more? It'll only take a tap of the Start button to get underway. Keeping within the "brand" of Sega Sports new GUI layout, select your favorite team and then sit back and prepare to be dazzled. While other sports games up until now have given you a exceptional pre-introduction summary, NBA 2K will absorb you into the telecast fashion, quite similar to that seen in NFL 2K. Of course, basketball stadiums tend to have more bounce to the ounce before the games get underway and this game abundantly captures that atmosphere down to the tee. Complete with two sportcasters, the PA system and a very highly animated audience, the cameras head down to the courts to display more DC prowess at work. Each player model is accurately drawn proportionate and accurately to depict their real-life counterparts. Additional details worthy of mention include tatooes, arm/leg bands and sneakers signature to players; heck...they've even captured Ewing's widow's peak and that snakey look on Latrell Spreewell. Unlike the character models used in NFL 2K, NBA 2K's players will smile, yell within slam dunks, and throw tandrums when they've been called for fouls. These aspects alone brings it one step closer to playing a highly realistic sports game.

Visual Concepts chose not to stop there as using their previous sports endeavor as a template to improve on some technical modifications. One highly noticeable feature is the newfound life given to the crowd assembled in the stadium. Yes, they move...and not just when you score baskets. Take a minute to analyze each player and you'll find that they're in full awarness of the game taking place. Watch them take a sip of their beverage, talk to a fellow sports fan, adjust in their seats; in essence, they're alive. They'll do everything but actually get up from their seats, and unfortunately, you won't find any vendors walking up and down the aisles, but this is a far cry from what we've become normally accustomed to. The point is, the standard has been set again, and I wouldn't settle for any 'dead' audiences form this point, on any platform.

Graphics, bells and whistles are a great variable that makes for the driving force to any sports title convincing the edified gamer for a warranted purchase. Of course, when the gameplay falls short, games have the tendency to end up on a bargin bin at your local pawn shop (I am kidding, does that really happen?) I've played the lot of basketball titles in my heyday, from the exceptionally entertaining Slam N' Jam, to the acclaimed Live franchise developed by EA. Each year, we find companies throw in more and more features (usually just more stats, the omission of some key basketball players due to those tight contractural agreements, and then some). NBA 2K stays clear to the rim (pun intended) to ensure that casual and hardcore basketball players alike should come away impressed. On offense, you're enabled with crossovers, pump fakes, set picks and even call for Alley-Oops by tapping on the D-Pad in conjunction with the right shift button. Defensive controls include rebounding the ball, initiating defensive sets, setting up for intentional fouls or even double team a player.

The control movement is defaulted to analog, which allows for some solid movement throughout the court. Tap the stick slightly, and you'll pace along slowly with the ball, while furhter extension on the stick will result in a jog onto a swift run down the line. By experience, some I have found will initially opt for the digital configuration until they can become adjusted to the new precision administered. This in no way diminishes the gameplay level until you begin to utilize the playcalling feature. To illustrate, if you're using the analog, then you'll make your plays for offensive/defensive sets respectively with the D-Pad. By theory, this sounds simple enough until you're on a fast break and find that you need to let go of either the analog, or the right side of the pad to complete your plays. Thankfully, you can alter your configuration schemes in the Options screen to your liking. Perhaps in NBA 2K though, they'll add a Customize feature to set up your buttons exactly to your personal preference.

Intricate elements such as the styles of passing makes for a truly strategic game, effective when your friend down the street sits at home all day to catch Inside Stuff each weekend (hmm, is that show still on?) It has only occurred as of recent in which basketball sims have expanded on the precision of passing. Thankfully, NBA 2K introduces Icon Passing, which is activated by the Y button. This will display a menu above your team players allowing you to accuately establish an intended receiver instead of using the default, and highly awkward directional passing - not recommended.

Additonal features to enhance your gaming experience include Touch Passing, which is activated by the A button to pass the ball to your teammate, then before the intended receiver gets the ball, tap the button again in order to establish a touch pass. This will allow you to to decide quickly on where you'd like the ball to go next. Clearing out is activated by repeately pressing the B button before you land. By doing so, you'll be able to protect the ball from defenders attempting to get the ball in their possession. Finally, pass out shot, a highly effective offensive move requires you to press the shoot button (defaulted to X), and then switching to A. By rolling your fingers from the shoot button over to the pass button allows you to successfully complete this move. Other special moves can be move and are well documented in the player manual. Finally, the Free Throw feature in this game is quite innovative in the manner in which it functions accordingly to the spring pressure from the left and right shift buttons. Initially, you may find this to be cumbersome, but with some time and patience, you'll adjust rather than writing this game off with some lavish insult denoting 'this game sucks!'

Other features of mention are what's available from the Main Menu. Naturally, you couldn't have a basketball game without a fair measure of options and this game is packed aplenty. Choose from Exhibition, Quick Start (computer randomly selects two teams, if you are playing solo, keep in mind that the team you control will always be the home team), Season (allows you to take a team through an entire 82 game season, or customize to 56, 28, or 15 and yes, you'll find that the game courtesy of a VMU will track your player and team stats), Playoffs (self explanatory, play out the NBA structure repsectively to a 7, 5, 3 or 1 game setup), Practice (a very welcome feature, albeit somewhat limited, but allows for you to time your jump shots, 3pt. shots, and gain a better understanding of your favorite team). What's really great about the Practice option is for the fact that since the game supports up to 4 players, your friends can come in and you can work on icon passing and the other special features found in the game. Options contain subdirectories toggle arcade/simulation play, presentation, controller setup, anc codes. One of the most important parameters here to take note of is the NBA Rules, which by the way are based upon the 1999-2000 rules; so penalties like 3 seconds in the key are in effect...be alert Showtime players! Finally, you can create players and/or teams, using the attributes based on a 100 point system and and adjusting the scale of each individual body part including face, mouth, and hair (they've thrown in the afro, highly hilarious!) Many more features are included, and it's more than enough in my opinion for the casual gamer who just wants to hoop it up.

In conclusion, this game has made a benchmark by which all future basketball games should be based upon. Coupled with the sharp broadcast quality that highlights the Player of the Game and the sarcastic nuances from Rod West's witty remarks such as "The receiver gets a big "No" from the defense..." give the essence that you're actually in the game itself. The graphics alone would've had me rate this game fairly high, but naturally I'd be disappointed if the gameplay came up short, and in my opinion, it doesn't. There will be times though, even with Icon passing, or just the sudden impluse takes over that you'll find you'll make a blind pass or post a grunt at the seemingly unfair degree of foul calling made by the referrees. All of this is considerably inconsequential when you stop to think...this is first generation. That assurance alone should bode well with any player who's looking to acquire an total virtual experience. NBA 2K comes pretty darn close to it in VC's second sports endeavor...in which new elements will surely be evident when NHL 2K and the baseball titles roll around; (hopefully, the new development teams which have been assigned such as Black Box for NHL 2K will do the same justice as VC established for the initial two sports titles on DC). If that isn't enough to get you going...stop and think as to the talent demonstrated on a system that's only been out in the market for three months now and will only get better from this point. I personally look forward to to the next basketball installment. As for now, there's enough packed in this edition to come away and say "I love this game!"

· · · Bahn