NBA Showdown

NBA 2K9

Publisher: 2K Sports

Platforms: Xbox 360, PS3, PS2, PC

Scouting Report

EA's Live might be the best-seller, but the 2K franchise is routinely the best-rated. With great graphics and more moves than Rafer Alston, it's widely-regarded as the definitive basketball simulation for purists.

Roll The Highlights...

The deepest Franchise mode in the business -- dubbed The Association 2.0 -- goes even deeper with player ambitions, customizable everything and more robust contract signing features, including the controversial 'Bird Rights' that nearly torpedoed last year's Kidd/Mavericks trade. A beefy control system offers matchless opportunities for callous shaking, baking and ankle-breaking, while the analog shot stick allows you to choose your layup hand. They've also sped things up a little, and again, the spectacularly realistic graphics are unrivaled.

That's A Foul!

They haven't sped things up THAT much; 2K9 is still a significantly slower game than Live 09. 2K's Living Roster feature is clearly a response to EA's Dynamic DNA, but where EA promises to update daily, 2K will not likely match that level of detail, instead mostly focusing on the major deals and major players. And while we appreciate the massive moves list, pulling off some of the cooler jukes requires impossibly dexterous digits.

Sign Or Trade?

If you're reading this, you like basketball a lot and therefore should probably sign 2K9 without hesitation. But newbies, know that a faster, easier game can be found in EA's baller.