Playstation 3
Released in 2009 by 2K Sports
Grade: B
In the game of basketball, sometimes you need to do so many things right just to put up a good shot. But if that shot is just an inch or two off, it’s worth nothing. That’s the case with this game. It does so many things really, really well, but it doesn’t tickle the twine.
Where it falls in the series
It’s the 11th overall, the 4th on PS3. Just goes to show how tough it is to make a simulation basketball game. If this were the last basketball game ever made, it would be must-own material. Lucky for us, NBA 2K11 is a sizable step up and just as cheap to buy, so 2K10 is almost pointless to purchase today.
Praises
The offensive gameplay is damn good. 2K was getting and closer and closer to conquering the challenge of recreating the intricate movements of basketball.
You have a lot of control handling the ball, and it’s clear how the defender is guarding you, which are great ingredients. If your senses tell you to move the ball to your right hand, you can do it. If your senses tell you to run to open space, you can do it. Shooting smoothly fits into the scene, and it’s intuitive to control.
Playcalling is easy to do (although 2K11 made it easier), and your players actually run plays that work like pro basketball plays. There are so many different ways to play offense, and you’ll learn to mix them up to your advantage.
The sound is superb. 2K really had a knack for quality commentary, and the roar of the crowd injects a lot of energy into the game.
Gripes
Fast breaks seem unnaturally toned down. You can’t seem to get out on the break easily when it sure looks like you should be able to.
Passing is mostly done well — you can switch from directional to icon passing easily — but it falters often enough to be frustrating. (That’s the norm for basketball games.)
Okay, here’s a big one: On defense, your player swivels around and snaps from animation to animation in really irritating ways. It makes interior defense an especially unneeded struggle. One-on-one defense feels intuitive enough, but in a crowd, it gets messy. 2K was a year away from smoothing defense out.
The graphics are good, but also a year away from excellence. They are rich with technology — players can do so many different motions, and the arena environment is full of life — but something looks odd about the players.
A few of the finer features are awkward or useless. For instance, during timeouts you dole out “points of emphasis” based on a confusing point system. Who needs that?
Top teams
This game came out after the L.A. Lakers beat the Orlando Magic in a 5-game Finals. So, as they often are, the Lakers are the top team in 2K10. The Magic, Celtics, Cavaliers, Mavericks, and Spurs are also strong teams. In the 2010 Finals, it was a Lakers repeat as they topped the Celtics in 7.