Last Generation Gamer: The New "NBA 2K17" Brings Back a lot of the Great Oldies
/For my birthday this year, my wife and kids got me "NBA 2K17" for the Xbox. I do not play a lot of video games, but the ones I play are primarily sports related. I have ventured out with games like "Crash Bandicoot", "Sonic", "Mario Bros" and "Smash Brothers", but my video game life consists of "Madden", "NCAA Football"(when they still made it) and now the "NBA 2K" series. And, to even further the point home that I don't play video games much anymore, I have 2 young children, and I just do not have time. I'm too busy with them, coaching, taking one to school, changing diapers, writing for SeedSing, podcasting for SeedSing, I have a lot on my plate.
So, when I opened the game, I was kind of excited. I thought that I could try it out when my kids went to bed. They both go to their rooms around 8pm, so that leaves me, at least a couple hours, before I go to bed. Sometimes I work out during that time, but lately, I have been playing "2K17", and I have to say, I think it is the best basketball video game since "NBA Jam".
This game is really, really cool, and very well made. First off, the graphics are incredible. When I first played the game, I chose to be the West All Stars, and all the players looked almost too real. Russell Westbrook had his Mohawk, and his speed, KD looked just as long on the game as he does in real life, Steph Curry was short, had his short hair, and could bomb from three. I mean, even Boogie Cousins, who had a great game, but an even better rant last night, seriously, go check it out, looked real. He was big, had all his cool tattoos, his headband and mouth guard were prevalent, and he even had his trademark scour. The same thing can be said for all the other players. They all look real. It looks like I'm watching a game on TNT, but I'm controlling what the players do. It is truly astonishing.
Then, as I got more and more into the game, I realized all the extra teams that they already have built into the AI. I was scrolling through, trying to decide which team I wanted to be, and I happened upon the 95-96 Seattle Super Sonics, my all time favorite team. I chose them to be my team, and there was Gary Payton, Sam Perkins, Nate McMillan, Detlef Schrempf, and, of course, Shawn Kemp. It was totally awesome. I literally felt like a kid again. I wanted so bad to beat the team the computer chose for me to play, and I wanted Kemp to be the man, all of which was accomplished. But, "2K17" also has the "Bad Boy" Pistons team, the 95-96 72 win Bulls team, the great Celtics teams from the 60's and 70's and 80's, the "Showtime Lakers", I mean, any famous team you can think of past 1960, they have. I love that this game has put this in there for anyone to play. You don't have to win a certain amount of games, make a certain amount of shots, or do anything special to get these teams, they are just provided for you the moment you turn the game on. They also have all the other countries national teams, like Spain, France, Brazil and so on and so forth, and they even have the most recent Team USA. Again, all these teams are readily available, all you have to do is turn the game on. It's wonderful.
They still have the "My Career" and "My Team" modes on the game. I'm more of a "My Career" kind of guy, but it is pretty cool that you can take a team, say the 76ers, and build them into a powerhouse through the "My Team" mode. What I like about the "My Career" mode more though, you get to create yourself, or any iteration of a basketball player of your choosing, you go through a pre draft game with the other college stars in the most recent draft, and then, you have pre draft interviews. I love, love, love this type of stuff. After all this, you take your created player and you wait to be drafted. From there on out, the whole point is to build the player into a star. You start as a lowly rookie. But, if you put in the necessary work, that player becomes a sixth man, then a starter, then an all star, then a MVP candidate, and if you are lucky enough, you are the best player on a championship team. It's really cool to watch your player grow into a full-fledged NBA star.
"NBA 2K17" is a must for basketball fans, but I also think people that like sports video games would enjoy it. This is a whole new era of graphics and what you can do in the video game world. Hell, "2K17" even gives you rewards if you reach your step goal, if you own a Fitbit, which I do. This is an incredible game, and I cannot recommend it enough. Go check it out.
Ty
Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast. The head editor is ready to challenge Ty on NBA Jam. Bill Clinton has been unlocked. Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.
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