NBA 2K23

About the Game

Previous games received complaints that open shots tended to nearly always succeed, and the games developers have taken this to heart, with contested shots now more challenging to pull off. There are also 20 different shot metre options to use – although only five are unlocked when the game begins. The remaining fifteen will unlock as you level up and play your way through the game. Once unlocked they are available in all five game modes.

Other improvements focus on defence, with defensive AI dramatically improved on previous games. And responses to that defence is also more realistic: if you try to attack down a defender-heavy route to the basket, you might get cut off, have the ball taken off you or simply fumble the ball.

There are also improvements to attacking play: in particular, blocking and stealing the ball. This has meant that the impressive, but unrealistic, blocks from older games have been moderated to only allow suitable players to make them, but there is also improved ball protection for players who rate highly in that aspect of play. Dunks are also new and improved so be sure to check them out!

The Nitty Gritty

There are several different editions, each with different basketball stars on the cover. There is a Michael Jordan Edition, starring the man himself and he is also on the Championship edition. Female players have their moment in the spotlight too, with Diana Taurasi and Sue Bird on the WNBA edition.

The whole game is much like previous releases from the franchise, but made new and improved. Especially of note are the above-mentioned shot metres, and a new array of badges (see below) and there are also additions like, new defensive AI changes, polished dribbling, and a revamped and exciting My Career mode – The Michael Jordan edition seem especially enticing.

Adrenaline Boosts are shown three bars underneath the stamina bar. It resets each time you have possession. These boosts will be consumed if you go for an explosive sprint launch or a hard go. Once all of your three boosts are used up, speed and acceleration are drastically reduced for the rest of the possession, so you will need to learn to pace yourself in play.

Badges You Can Earn

Badges are a big part of the game, and there are plenty to earn – each badge is a representation of skills you have gained that will help your team to win!

• General Badges: Slithery (means you are great at making your way over the court); Masher (layups are your skill); Aerial Wizard (great in the air, as it sounds); Bully (not a bad thing, able to muscle your way through defenders)
• Shooting: Agent 3 (three-pointers your speciality); Middy Magician (you can intercept aerial moves); Amped (a boost when your stamina is low but you need to score); Claymore (stealth skills when shooters are lingering before taking the shot); Comeback Kid (swooping in from behind to boost the score); Limitless Range (ace three-pointers from far away from the basket)
• Playmaking: Killer Combos (effective dribbling combined with cool moves); Clamp Breaker (win more body contact moves); Vice Grip (don’t let the ball slip from your grasp); Mismatch Expert (be the David taking down the opposition’s Goliath)
• Defence: Anchor (be the wall your team needs to stop the opposition from getting through); Boxout Beast (rebound wins both offensive and defensive); Work Horse (defensively chase down fifty out of fifty balls without tiring); Glove (whisk the ball away from hapless ball handlers); Challenger (make perimeter shot contests more effectively)