[Joeiss]

The Newness
Sure there are up-to-date rosters (Vin Baker is already on the Celtics) and rookies like Jay Williams and Mike Dunleavy, Jr., but it's the new gameplay additions that may push NBA 2K3past its predecessors. Visual Concepts had a good thing last year, but wanted to add more realism to the game and give fans some of what they had always been craving in a basketball game.

The post-up game has been greatly improved over last year with the addition of dekes and positioning. There's much greater control offered in the post both for defenders and ball- handlers. Ball handlers can back down a defender, or turn, face, and fire or back out of the post- up, or dribble step, or pass out of the post. The biggest improvement, however, might come from the new positioning abilities. Defenders can try fronting in the post (gaining position in front of an offensive player to deny him the pass) or can stay back and defend against the shot. Last year you could only post-up on offense if you had the ball. This year offensive players can fight for position without the ball simply by posting up (left trigger) and moving the thumbstick to try and maneuver around a defender.

You can face up a player just like last year. Jab step, pull off a sweet crossover, or even shoot a fade away jumper. This year defenders react more realistically to jab steps and fakes. A bad defender will often bite on a jab step, taking a step back and giving the shooter space. The face- up and post games often blend together to help the game flow better than in past years.

The passing game has also seen improvement with the ability to choose between lob passes and faster, chest-high passes. A tap of the pass button performs and lob and holding down the pass button will cause lower passes and even bounce passes. This should help provide smoother fast breaks. And just to throw in even more NBA flare, players will now step out and pass around defenders. And should you make a pass you're not supposed to, you may get to see one of the nice new bobble animations, where the recipient tips the ball to himself several times before gaining possession.

Though the standard crossover moves return from last year, there are some new touches, including the ability to perform a double crossover. Basically, if you do a crossover to get around an opponent and they step to block you off, you can tap the crossover button again to perform a second crossover and blow past them the other way. This, of course, will vary on the player. You'll see Vlade bouncing that second crossover off his calf and into the opponent's mitts, but Allen Iverson will make the same move seem easy like a Sunday morning.

Not enough for you? Sega has finally bit the bullet and added what was always lacking from their game -- diving for balls. When a ball hits the floor players can dive for it. Want to keep a ball from going out of bounds? Just press the jump button and you will dive and try to swat it back inbounds. There are a bunch of animation variations and all of them let you feel the fervor of NBA play.

Okay, so diving for balls, more crossover choices, and some cool new post-up moves are great, but isn't it really all about the dunks? Sega knows that's where it's at and has included well over 200 dunk animations. NBA dunk champ Jason Richardson was motion-captured for many of the dunks and every one of them looks deliciously sweet. But that's not where NBA 2K3 will dazzle you. Added this year is the ability to change your shot in midair. Let's say you go up for a lay-up and Mutumbo steps in front to swat your upcoming shot away. Just tap the shooting button again and you will adjust your shot. This could mean you pull back the shot a moment and then put it up again or you could wind up switching hands a la Jordan.

There are new shooting factors in NBA 2K3 that take into account not only skill, fatigue, the defender, and the shot angle, but also what you do with the shot. So if you get open on the fast break and try and change your dunk midair for something truly dazzling, you run a slightly higher risk of bricking the dunk. On the other hand, adjusting the shot when a defender comes at you may increase your chances of making the shot.

Franchise
Like Sega's other recent sports titles, NBA 2K3 features a new ESPN presentation style. The Franchise Mode looks similar to NFL 2K3 with an actual office for your Coach/GM to operate in. The office is not the same one used in NFL 2K3 but will feel familiar to those who've played that title.

You can keep your franchise around for up to 30 years, building them into a powerhouse dynasty or totally ruining them. Your choice. Like World Series Baseball, you hire your coach. Each coach has different abilities in the following categories: Offense, defense, and teaching. The type of coach you hire will affect player performance and development. Coaches can be fired and their contracts do run out.

Visual Concepts was not content to just take last year's solid franchise mode and replay it this year. The NBA will be dynamic and will change over time. European players will become more dominant over the years and you'll see an even heavier presence in the later years of your franchise.

Currently classic players available in Street Mode are not available in Franchise Mode. Hopefully Sega will allow classic players to be imported into a franchise as rookies much like ballers are imported from NCAA College Basketball 2K3.

Even if this awesome feature is not implemented, NBA 2K3 looks to be dunking along nicely. NBA 2K3 ships in October to GameCube, Xbox, and PS2.

-From IGN

Ever since I purchased NBA 2K2 last year, I realized that Sega Sports makes the best basketball simulation games on these next generation platforms. I never really enjoyed EA's Live series ever since it started on the Super Nintendo, I still do not like it. NBA 2K3 will be great, trust me. If you are already a fan of the series, I suggest you mark this date on your calendar. I am looking forward to this game very much, and I will most definitely be purchasing this game in October.

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