NBA 2K11 (Xbox 360, 2010)

This is one of the best improvements 2K has made in the basketball series. It's inclusion of the basketball legend Michael Jordan has brought a lot more star-power to the series and already has eclipsed the revamped NBA Elite series.

The gameplay is a lot more realistic than 2K10 with the plays running a lot smoother and shot selection being more important. No longer are superstars able to hit any shot (except for like Michael Jordan), and have to find better shots than a contested 3 pointer.

The Michael Jordan mode also allows to to relive through the world's best ever basketball player's moments on the court. They also point out how good his competition was in creating good replication of other superstar teams. If this mode is completed, the players have the option of placing Michael Jordan and playing his career through any modern-day NBA squad.

In all, the game takes a big step up from NBA 2K10 and allows players to get more involved in the sport through the ability to play as Michael Jordan.

NBA 2K11 is a love letter to basketball fans. If you don't follow hoops, a lot of the subtleties will be lost on you. And if you are looking for a loose, fun, crazy dunkfest experience like NBA Jam, you're going to get hosed. But if you are serious about basketball, this will fill a long-standing void in your hoops-loving heart. This is the NBA. No one else has come close to representing it in such great and accurate detail as this.

Honestly, the stuff with Michael Jordan is reason enough to pick up NBA 2K11. The fact that 2K Sports did so much more with this game and improved it so greatly over last year's title is stunning. This isn't just the best basketball game ever; it's the best sports game of this generation.

10 Presentation
Unparalleled recreation of the NBA. The Jordan Challenges bring historic moments to life with incredible detail. Pure awesome.
8.5 Graphics
Great animations, it runs smoothly in every mode, and many of the player faces look solid. A definite ding for botching Kobe and a few other stars.
9.0 Sound
The custom commentary for the Jordan games is fantastic. Even regular season games are solid, though there's some repetitive dialogue. The soundtrack is sweet.
9.0 Gameplay
Just about nailed it perfectly. A few bugs and AI blips, plus an overly aggressive defense are the only issues.
10 Lasting Appeal
The Jordan stuff could be a game in itself. Then you get an awesome franchise mode, the slow, but rewarding My Player mode and solid online play.
9.5
OVERALL Incredible

I played this game with a family member for a few weeks while they were in for Christmas. I have to say playing it was like watching a real game.

This game is awesome! The players are very realistic with their own specialty plays that are adaptable to their NBA character.

Even though, I played only in quick game mode, I was very impressed. The graphics were great. Each game, player, and stadium, along with game extras were very detailed.

The game takes a little time to load but was worth the wait. I love having the choice to play with the past rosters such as the 1998 Chicago Bulls. I played with this time and love playing with Michael Jordan. It seemed as if he was unstoppable, just like his day and time. This is a great game for Bulls fans and NBA fans alike.

If you have an Xbox, this is a must game! Probably the best sports game out there!

Why upgrade to 2K11? 2K10's modern game was already really good. In addition to the smoother controls, a comprehensive upgrade makes this the preferred title. Association Mode now gets draft-day trades, one highlight of a fine-tuned management sim. The games feature more responsive crowds that add payoff to your exploits. Playcalling is vastly streamlined, much better than last year's dizzying menu setup. Opposing teams run the offenses they run in real life - and that's true of the historical teams as well.

First off I wanted to say I like the fact that 2k Sports tried to be creative with the game by bringing in Michael Jordan and other classic basketball teams. The graphics are far from great if you have played other NBA 2k game. At times I cannot tell the players apart unless I see their numbers. Also the gameplay does not seem realistic at all. When you get blocked, all the opponent does is jump with his arm in the air, there is no motion or anything so you really dont know if your being blocked or fouled or anything until you see your play dramatically over-react by dropping to the floor. Passing by far is the worst, where 90% of your passes get tipped or stolen by the opposing players and its really annoying. Overall if you tweak the game sliders to your favor slightly the game becomes a little more realistic, but by far this is not one of my favorite NBA2k games.