It’s that time again. Time for me to lace up my Air Jordan’s and head out to the court to relive my hoop dreams. Yes, I’m an old school b-ball fan at heart but I still get the thrills from the new generation which always set up the questions of “what if” games that we all would love to see.

Every year we are given the choice mainly between two basketball games. Each with big names when it comes to sports video gaming but only one excels in the game on the hardwoods. 2K Sports slam dunks the competition when it comes to the most realistic experience of basketball that you’ll find on any system. “NBA 2K10” shows its true colors as the “dream team” and the crown jewel in the 2K Sports catalog.

For those of you who have been away from basketball video gaming for a while, it’s time to jump back into the game. Maybe you’re a diehard fan or a casual TV fan; either way anyone can appreciate the sheer quality 2K puts behind their game. Right off the bat you’ll notice that every player looks like their real-world counterpart. The graphics are outstanding, from the character models to the fantastic stadiums, crowds that look alive and engulf the arena, mascots that entertain with crazy dances and broadcasters that deliver fluid and natural commentary.

As for game play, you will not find a more accurate basketball game. When you first pick up the game it’s straightforward. Pass, shoot, block. Pretty easy, right? What you’ll find out is that you won’t be running and gunning towards your opponent’s hoop that easily. You have to master the use of the control stick and a little ball handling if you expect to make it to the hole.

Holding down the turbo button and performing a crossover isn’t going to guarantee you an easy two points. You’ll shortly realize that these are real digital athletes out there. Each player has motions, centers of gravity and their own limitations on how fast they can move and perform, but once you realize that you will be rewarded with a truly remarkable basketball game. The quality and depth that 2K put into each player is amazing. If you know your players in real life then you’ll know how to use them. Will Shaq ever hit a free throw? Maybe with a little help from you.

If you have a buddy, you’ll probably find yourself spending most of your time playing exhibition matches with your favorite team and showing him just how good you really are after the 108-50 beating you just laid down on him.

It has even happened to me by my 7-year-old buddy, Ryan Kramer, who has spent many hours honing his skills and showing off his highlight replays at the end of each game. It really goes to show that 2K can appease anyone no matter what age. Ryan is a huge basketball fan and has made the jump to 2K10 this year in hopes to take his Cavaliers to the championship. The time I have spent playing with Ryan really helps me convey to all the parents out there what a great family game “NBA 2K10” can actually be for everyone and not just another case of mom and dad throwing away another $60 on a poor quality game.

“2K10” is an absolute safe purchase for the younger crowd that may be begging their parents to pick up a copy for them. But it’s packed with plenty of modes to satisfy even the craziest basketball fan of any age. Think you have what it takes to bring your team to the finals? Then dive into season mode and battle your way to the championship with all the bells and whistles from injuries to trades. You’ll have to manage and play your way to the top in order to become the best around.

Of course you’ll always have online modes and practice if you need it but another place “NBA 2K10” excels is in My Player Mode where you create your own basketball superstar and bring him from rookie to legend. There is nothing more satisfying then seeing your create-a-player grow into a seasoned veteran on his way to the Hall of Fame.

With everything you can expect from a basketball game one of my favorite additions is NBA Today. This really brings the realism and value of 2K to life. By hooking up to a network connection, “NBA 2K10” will update itself with actual NBA statistics. This is important because it constantly changes how the commentators deliver the play-by-play. Forget about the canned commentary, NBA Today will actual import real-life news, scores and play-by-play that will be reported by the in-game commentators. In my opinion this is a huge step forward to a truly authentic NBA experience.

We are playing next generation games and this is the type of creativity and innovation that we need in our games. Not only is it great to see something new in a game that comes out every year, but something with such potential is a breath of fresh air. Great job, 2K.

The bottom line

“NBA 2K10” is a great game. With its vast game modes and stunning visuals, it continues to be the sports franchise to own. Every time you pick up your controller you are guaranteed to see some new animation or graphical goodness that will draw you back for more. The NBA Today feature makes this a game that won’t go stale at the end of the NBA season, which happens with so many other sports titles.

If you are an NBA fan and have followed the 2K franchise then I urge you to pick this game up. It doesn’t get any better.