I’ve never been into sports console games, but my one exception to the rule is basketball. Old skool favorites include Fast Break, Jordan vs. Bird, NBA Live, and of course Double Dribble. So when I had a chance to check out NBA 2K8 for the Xbox360, I happily jumped at the chance! Having not played last year’s game, I can’t comment on how it compares, but most people seem to agree that it’s MUCH better than it’s predecessor in almost every way.

If you’re not familiar with the game, here’s the “official” description of the game: The king of the hard court is back and better than ever with the all-new Sprite Slam Dunk Contest. NBA 2K8 continues a five year legacy of amazing NBA simulation with in-game features that bring basketball to life like never before. 2K Online - Now with tons of new features including a news ticker that updates you with sports headlines across the country, a user customizable Front Page display, and a Co-op mode that allows 2 users to play on the same team against the AI.

That said, here’s my take on it. The graphics are just insane in every respect, and the attention to detail is bar-none. The slam dunk contest is tons of fun, and there’s even a dunk school to teach you how to dunk like the pros! There’s a street ball component to the game, called NBA Blacktop. You can participate in a three-point shootout or play street ball using real NBA players. You can even play on Xbox Live with 8 people! If you’re a hardcore basketball fanatic, there’s just no comparison - NBA 2K8 has EVERYTHING you’re looking for, and then some. It’s by far the most impressive basketball sim I’ve ever encountered, and it’s been monopolizing my time ever since I picked it up.

Make no mistake, if you love basketball, you need to purchase NBA 2K8 now!

Ballhype: hype it up! Stumble it! AddThis Social Bookmark Button