That’s really the thing – it’s the best basketball game “on the 360.” If you strip away the fancy graphics from the 360 version of NBA 2K6, you are left with exactly the same game that is available on the PlayStation 2 and original Xbox. It’s not necessarily a bad thing, as NBA 2K6 is a big improvement over NBA 2K5, regardless of the format. You could also add in the fact that all versions released on the same day as each other in PAL regions – only six months after the 360 version launched in America (and we get no enhancements for the delay). Visual Concepts has made big strides forward in the graphics and presentation side of things, even though they lost the ESPN license to EA, but the most significant improvements come under the hood, where the gameplay has been considerably tightened up over previous years, undoing a lot of the damage that was done to the defensive play in ESPN NBA Basketball (aka NBA 2K4) that hadn’t yet been repaired. Serious basketball fans have a lot to be excited about.
Shaq-Fu 360; make it happen!
The most noticeable gameplay change in NBA 2K6 is that the Isomotion system has been completely overhauled. All Isomotion functions have been moved over to the left stick, which seems rather silly, but Visual Concepts has managed to make it work. Rather than having a turbo button per se, the triggers now server as aggressive modifiers. Hold in your desired play-style button, and move around with the left stick – the method in which you move towards the hoop will decide which fancy moves you will pull off on the way. It takes quite a bit of getting used to, but it gives the game a more realistic edge. Once you become more attuned to the system, you’ll have no trouble linking moves together and dominating the key.
The right stick now houses your shooting functions (although there’s also a general shot button for those who don’t wish to use the stick); moving the stick forward will release a standard jump shot, while moving it back will unleash a fade away shot. The modifier also applies to doing dunks, layups, hook shots and the like. Again, it takes a lot to get used to, but there’s no going back once you do. The shot stick also replaced the horrendous free throw system from NBA 2K5, with shots from the line now executed with a smooth movement of your right stick. Moving a lot of the action away from the face buttons frees some of them up to allow for more advanced moves – players now have a standard pass button as well as a lead pass button, which should stop some of those silly pass errors which were frequent in NBA 2K5.
The cloth movement is incredible
NBA 2K6’s defensive play has also been toned up considerably. Visual Concepts has added a defensive crouch button, not unlike the defensive stance which was removed in NBA 2K3. This will assist you in blocking the offence’s path to the key, and can be used in conjunction with the new stealing system to turn things around. Rather than being bound to a single button, swats at the ball are now executed by the right stick. Moving up on the stick will make your player go for a high swat, which is good for intercepting or blocking passes, while left or right on the stick will go for a side swipe. Finally, a downward motion will make your player attempt to slam the ball downwards out of a player’s hands. Rebounding has become much more natural, with players losing the ability to seemingly guide a rebound into their hands via some sort of telekinetic power. The AI has also been tightened up, and is much more player-specific, so players will act more like their real life counterparts, whether alone, or with one of their regular team-mates.
Not all of NBA 2K6’s notable improvements are on the court; the Association (franchise) and 24/7 modes have been given much needed overhauls. In the Association, a lot of the fluff with regards to player happiness and those silly card games have been removed. New additions include year-round scouting of prospects, and training points which will allow you to boost player attributes – so now you can make Shaq into a free-throwing machine. Team practice will no longer be detrimental to team chemistry, but will still affect player fatigue. Associations now have to be run to a set of objectives which are entirely dependent on the team, like making the playoffs, or winning x number of games.
Reach for the sky
24/7 mode is much the same in concept, but now revolves around the Entertainer’s Basketball Challenge, a real life street basketball tournament. Build a player, increase his stats through a series of mini games and work your way up the ladder. Street basketball can also be played outside of this mode, as in previous years. VIP mode from NFL 2K5 has made its way into NBA 2K6, meaning you can essentially record the play statistics of your friends and the AI can be set to adjust its play style to reflect that of your buddy. Lastly, online play has not been omitted from the PAL version this time, so players should be able to compete in the online leagues that the game offers.
NBA 2K6 is one of those games that look truly “next-gen,” but there are a few stipulations – a) this only applies if you have a HDTV and b) it only applies to the play happening on the court. The players themselves look amazing; the big names look very close to their real live selves, but the sheer detail in the models is what really takes the game. Muscles bulge and contract with every motion, players get drenched in sweat as they play and the natural movement of the clothing really has to be seen to be believed. The animation is greatly improved, with the players no longer appearing as though they’re sliding around on an ice rink – the concept of transitional animation is something that many next generation developers need to get a grasp of to make their games look much more natural. The game’s off court action is a bit uglier, especially the crowd, cheerleaders and coaches who all have quite low polygon counts – but at least they’re a bit varied in their appearance.
The commentary team has been changed to the duo of Kevin Harlan and Kenny Smith, who are real announcers, unlike long-time series mainstay Bill Fitzgerald, who was actually an actor hired by Sega. The improved commentary goes a long way to improve the TV-style presentation of the game, although the lack of the ESPN partnership does do a little damage, even if it was not as well implemented in the NBA 2K series as it was in the NFL 2K series.
NBA 2K6 on the Xbox 360 retains everything that made the previous versions of the game good, but also addresses some of the areas that held NBA 2K5 back. The game looks phenomenal when played on a HDTV, but Visual Concepts will need to address the vast contrast between on court play and the surrounding parts of the stadium in the next version of the game. NBA 2K6 is an absolute must-buy for all serious basketball fans.
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