Top Features we'd LOVE to see in 2K13

Yes, his 72-75 rating is accurate

We've finally finished our list of the elements we think need the most focus on in NBA 2K13. While the NBA 2K series is probably the best in sports gaming, it is not without flaws and issues that need addressing. The team over at 2K Sports would do a good job to rectify all of the following:



1. Starting Lineup - The one non-gameplay related issue on our list, forgive us. We absolutely love the varied intros. They add variety to the games and help with immersion, but do you know what we'd like to see return? Starting Lineups. While they wouldn't be part of the regular rotation, their overuse is what caused them to be removed in the first place. It will be nice to see player introductions from time to time.

2. Post Windows - All post players aren't created equally. We frown every time we see Jameer Nelson or Derek Fisher setup in the post, back down and manage to throw up a shot that goes in. One of the things we've noticed is that when a player gets post position he usually KEEPS it. Why? Shouldn't we see defenders take away good post position based on a players skill in the post and windows of opportunity based on skill in the post? This would give the less skilled players less chances to receive the ball and would do a great job showing the difference between Poor, Average and Elite post defenders. Seeing a guy like Dwight Howard consistently hold good post position (or quickly take it away from an average post player on defense) would be a great element to add to the post game.

3. More Fouls - NBA 2K does so well in so many SIM areas that this is puzzling to us. Realistic shooting percentages, realistic scores in 12 min quarters, the list goes on and on. We just don't understand why the game is afraid to call fouls? Are they afraid we'll complain it slows gameplay down? There simply aren't enough fouls called in NBA 2K and its hurting gameplay. When we put the game on a simulation setting, we want all aspects of this. Gameplay is made worse by the fact that foul-worthy behavior isn't whistled and it allows violations and out-of-position defensive plays that would be regularly whistled in reality, to make up for a lack of offensive and defensive balance. The lack of fouls is glaring and there are a number of players whose effectiveness is lessened due to the fact they score a bulk of points at the line (Dwight Howard) but officiating limits their opportunities. Let's see steals attempts called more regularly, more blocking and loose ball fouls, and most of all non-shot blockers whistled regularly when they try to block shots. The "hands up" option was put into the game to give non-shot-blockers the ability to stay relevant on defense, they should be punished for ignoring it.

4. Mismatches - Related to lack of fouls above, there are too many instances where our post players are matched up with a perimeter player guarding them in the post and fail to convert. On the flip-side, its odd to see players like Brandon Jennings unable to break down Dwight Howard on the perimeter. We're not saying matchups like these should be 100% successful but certainly higher than they are now. In addition, these are perfect opportunities for fouls to play a much bigger role. Gameplay should allow us to take advantage of mismatched defenders more often than not.

5. Accurate Player Limitations - The copious amounts of blocks by guards and other players w/o the skillset, PFs that have little trouble staying with the league's quickest players and CPU players that have the ability to summon whatever basket they need regardless of ability makes the people that like SIM basketball frown. And rather than the psychic defenders with the ability to steal/deflect every pass, shouldn't we see poor passers punished for lacking the ability to find passing angles? What we'd like to see are players limited by their real-life limitations. Less than 5 guards in the entire league are relevant shot-blockers, so lets see them poke-away and strip the ball rather than go all Dwight Howard on us. We're not saying that they should never block shots, but we're all for stat minimums when it comes to this, players with less than a 50 rating in a certain attribute should fail/be whistled for it 19 times in 20. The list of big men with the ability to semi-consistently move their feet with quicker players is a short one indeed (Chandler, Noah and Varejao) yet our guards struggle to take advantage of matchups like these. While this is certainly tied to the Speed Issue its another issue that could be resolved by using blocking and contact fouls, and let's face it the lack of fouls is a big issue, when's the last time you saw a player in 2K foul trouble or foul out?

6. Speed Issue - For years we've watched the slowest CPU players run down our fastest on fastbreaks and our guards struggle to beat PFs and Cs to the basket. After playing on bedwardsroy19's speed-adjusted roster we simply won't put up with this anymore. It need fixing.

7. Defensive Balance - More defensive options are a necessity, Dwight Howard and other big men aren't the only ones who get stops. Presently playing defense is an exercise in futility with defenders sliding all over the court among other things. We're essentially reduced to button-mashing for steals and blocks. We mentioned the Defense Stick previously and we think the incorporation of a defensive square up would do a great job to eliminate all the sliding and inability to get into good defensive position. The ability to shade ball-handlers left/right is also critical. In addition, the return of Ball Denial (with realistic limitations and consequences) and the ability to use the right stick to challenge shots (based on the defenders ability, of course) by pointing it in the direction of the offensive player would be a Godsend. It would be a nice alternative to users being reduced to trying to block everything. The hands-up animation used in 2K12 was a start, but with the virtual library 2K has available, we should see a plethora of challenge shot animations. In addition, the ability to get physical and "body up" a ball-handler by pushing the D Stick towards them (provided its balanced with contact fouls, holding calls and other consequences) play the passing lanes and draw charges (getting set by pushing the right stick away from the ball-handler) are elements that are sorely needed. Lastly, 2K12 should be the last year our players don't automatically match the speed of the players they're assigned to and finally providing us with an Auto Defense option might be paramount as well. A Defensive Stick could be just the user-friendly and intuitive tool to make defense fun again.

8. Fastbreak - Directly related to the excessive amounts of steals, the fastbreak has been neutered to no end. We're the constant victims of psychic defenders who either steal or deflect an obscene amount of passes. This needs fixing ASAP.

9. Chemistry/Intangibles - With 2K's history of adding the little things, they are quite simply the only sports developer we even feel comfortable suggesting the following to: Let's see Bad, Average, Good and Elite teams separated not only by talent level, but also by execution and the ability to avoid making mistakes. We love the unforced turnovers we see in 2K12 this year, we're big fans of seeing off-target and bobbled passes that result in turnovers. We constantly hear about discipline and heady play in basketball as well. Could there be a better way to display this than by seeing some teams avoid mistakes while others constantly make errors like three second violations, loose ball fouls, illegal screens and even fouls for contact, going over-the-back or grabbing jerseys? It'd be nice to see a Chemistry rating that combines all of these aspects and watch as the more disciplined teams avoid the mistakes that lose basketball games while other teams fall victim to it.

10. Offensive Fouls - Where has the offensive foul gone?  We realize cheesers abused this for years but its a necessary element of balanced gameplay. Another reason its near-impossible to stay in front of offensive players is that they have no fear of an offensive foul. FACT: An offensive player who has no fear of being called for a charge has zero conscience driving to the basket. If we beat an offensive player to a spot outside of the restricted area and get set? Let's see more calls against the offensive player when they initiate or refuse to avoid contact.

11. Accurate Passing - We're still having an issue with our passers being clueless in regards to angles and the defense, passes still going to unintended targets and skipping "over" players involved in animations, hopefully its a priority to fix this all of these next year. This is a critical issue because the passes that go where we don't intend or right to the defender usually result in turnovers and can be beyond frustrating.

12. Intuitive Shot-Stick - While the shot-stick is one of the best features in all of gaming, it still has periods where we don't have enough control. We'd like to always be able to choose what side of the rim we shoot on. The infamous "2-foot jumpshot" still happens from time to time and there are times when we want to continue to the basket but instead we pull up. We think consistent shot-stick "rules" where pulling the shot-stick away from the basket ALWAYS results in a jump-shot and TOWARDS the basket ALWAYS results in an animation where the player continues to the basket. Previously this could have been a disaster, but with the painted area and defense being displayed so well, you gain no advantage from bad shots just because you're closer to the basket.

13. Out-of-bounds Deflections - Three years ago we mentioned how sloppy gameplay could become if there were too many steals. One look at the state of fastbreak basketball and we understand how bad its gotten. We hate to say WE TOLD YOU SO, but we did. Less steals and more deflections out of bounds would reward the defense by forcing offenses to operate late in the shot-clock without making the game excessively sloppy. PROBLEM SOLVED.

14. Revamp Online - While adding Lobbies, features, and online profiles is certainly important here, it has to begin with making offline and online seamless. For years players have gotten used to great offline play and then ventured into an online arena where very few of the things that make the game wonderful still exist. Lag is the variable that 2K can't be responsible for, but passing, pump fakes, defense overall, 3pt %, and possibly worst of all, steals are represented horribly. Fans of the 2K series are enamored with the true-to-life version of basketball it represents, the state of online play is quite simply an insult to this.There's no excuse for going online and having to relearn the ability to shoot FTs, jumpshot release points and what constitutes a foul, its simply too much. If we have to go through all of that we just won't play. 2K Online shouldn't be a completely different game.