The best addition has to be the new challenge modes. Whereas in NBA 2K11, we only had challenge modes for Michael Jordan, this time around, we have them for fifteen legendary players, having us play out classic scenarios from some memorable matches. The presentation in these matches is awesome. If we’re replaying a match from the olden times, the game will appear in black and white, with contemporary commentary and some awesome player likenesses for the players. These modes provide a great deal of value to the game, especially if you’re a basketball fan of long times.

What addicted me long time to the game, though, was the My Player mode, which was way better than last year. I had incredible amounts of fun with the realistic presentation, the post match conferences, and how I had to concentrate on the growth of just my player. Not even FIFA’s Be A Pro can rank amongst My Player, despite being one of my favourite modes in the FIFA series. My Player is just too comprehensive, detailed and addictive to be inferior to any similar mode in sports games.

The Association mode hasn’t changed much from last year, though that isn’t really a bad thing. I would have liked to see some more changes, but Association mode was fun as it was. Managing my team throughout the seasons was a hell lot of fun, especially since a lot of attention has been [aid to tiny little things, all of which come together to make the experience feel more authentic, and thus, realistic. Much better than that, though, is the Online Association mode. It gives us a lot of freedom designing our team to our own will, and customizing it as per our needs. While it’s a tone both online and off, I personally preferred the online mode.

There were some negative aspects to the game as well, most of which were purely technical. The player likenesses, for one, are highly inconsistent, being highly similar to the real thing sometimes, and downright ugly others. It could do with a lot of improvements, as could the jerky player animations and the somewhat rough textures of the game, which mar the visual fidelity. Then, there’s the AI. It’s not always bad, but sometimes, it can be really cheap and unrealistic, which goes against the overall purpose and spirit of the game- to provide a realistic and enjoyable experience.

Overall, NBA 2K12 is one hell of a game. Yes, it has some technical problems, and the Association Mode hasn’t changed much, but when you take into account the extra player challenges, the excellent My Player mode, the addictive online gameplay and the super-realistic presentational aspects of the game, you’d be more than willing to overlook the minor niggles of the game.

This game was reviewed on the Xbox 360.

Check out this new video from NBA 2K 12 and let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

NBA 2K12 pays tribute to the teams and heroes that defined them – in doing so, players will be able to unlock these legendary athletes and teams to create matchups against any current NBA franchise.

Stay tuned to GamingBolt.com for the full review of the game soon. For our continued coverage of the game please click here.

2K Sports have announced that NBA 2K12 is now available for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii, PlayStation 2, PSP and Windows PC.

“Hoops fans have long argued about the hypothetical outcomes among basketball’s most legendary players and storied teams,” said Greg Thomas, president of product development for 2K Sports. “We took that passion to heart in creating NBA 2K12, giving gamers the opportunity to end the debate once and for all with 15 electrifying basketball icons inNBA’s Greatest mode.”

Fans can now take control of 15 hoops icons, including Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, and Julius Erving in NBA 2K12’s all new NBA’s Greatest mode. Each of these 15 basketball legends were meticulously recreated with an uncanny level of detail, including period-specific depictions of their arenas, team uniforms, signature moves, and even historically accurate broadcast presentation styles. NBA 2K12 also features a revamped shooting mechanic with Total Shot Stick Control and an all-new post-play system, which allow fans to experience an unprecedented basketball simulation.

“It’s amazing to see the attention to detail that 2K Sports captured in creating me and these great NBA players,” said six-time NBA champion Michael Jordan. “I’m honored to be part of a game that gives millions of fans a look into our careers, especially with the level of authenticity and detail that NBA 2K12 has.”

This month there have been a huge amount of additions to the Xbox Live Avatar Marketplace.  You can now purchase newly added items that have been made available from September 22nd to the 29th.

You can check out all the new items from your Xbox 360 or right on the Avatar Marketplace section of Xbox.com.  This month also brought us new Avatar Marketplace items for Modern Warfare 3, Crimson Alliance, Renegade Ops and Gears of War 3.

For the first time, gamers will be able to take control of some of the most iconic players in NBA history, such as Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, and Julius Irving, and pit them against other classic and modern-day teams to create NBA dream matchups.

For more on NBA 2K12 please click here.