NBA 2K23 - 16 Things You Need To Know Before You Buy
A new NBA 2K game is on the horizon courtesy of 2K Games and visual concepts, and while the series's penchant for excessive monetization will remain, several new features and improvements are worth highlighting. Let's take a look at 16 things you should know before picking up NBA 2K 23, which releases on September 9th for Xbox One, Xbox Series, XNS, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, PC, and Nintendo Switch. Cover athletes.
Cover athletes
This year's iteration boasts not one, not two, but four cover athletes. Michael Jordan graces the championship edition along with his very own Michael Jordan edition. The standard edition and digital deluxe editions feature three-time NBA all-star Devin Booker. Finally, there's the WNBA edition with Diana Taurasi and Sue Bird, though it's only exclusive to Gamestop in the US and Canada.
Jordan challenges Jordan to return to.
Jordan challenges return
Michael Jordan's return as a cover athlete, the Jordan Challenges from NBA 2K11 returns. All 10 original challenges, which cover legendary moments from his time in college and the NBA, have been rebuilt, and five new challenges have been added.
Mycareer - the city and cruise return
Another mode that requires more details is My Career.
Long story short, the city returns for the Xbox series, Xns, and PS5 versions, providing a brand new city to explore with new arenas and courts. You can also choose a crew and compete against my players for supremacy. Previous gen versions and PC unfortunately will receive the cruise yet again, competing on a cruise liner's courts and reaping rewards while also embarking on shore excursions. It's described as a swashbuckling basketball journey, which implies pirates, but it's better to wait for more information before getting your hopes up, New pro stick combos .
New pro stick combos
For as much controversy as the NBA 2K series has received for its microtransactions, the gameplay has usually been pretty solid.
This year looks to revamp things significantly, starting with the new pro stick combos. Flicking the stick allows for double throws and switchbacks, along with new commands for metered skill dunks. Current-gen players also benefit from physics-based rim hangs, letting you control when and how long a player hangs from the rim following a dunk.
Adrenaline boosts
Adrenaline Boosts Another new feature is the adrenaline boost, presented as three bars under a player's stamina meter. When going for an explosive sprint, a boost is consumed, and a player's speed and acceleration go down when they're all used up. Only three boosts are available for each player per possession, so knowing the right time to use them is important.
Shooting attributes
Shooting attributes along with double the number of shot animations from previous games. NBA 2K23 also adds new shooting attributes. These include shot speed and shot height; how quickly a shot reaches the release point; the shot's height when released; defensive immunity; how well a shot performs in contests against defenders; and timing impact, where shot windows are adjusted, providing a bigger penalty for badly timed shots but greater rewards for good timing.
Each signature jump has unique shooting stats, adding more strategy to shooting situations.
New shot meters
The new shot meters, last year's revamped shot meters, received some mixed reactions from fans. As a result, NBA 2K 23 offers 5 shot meters, with 15 more unlockable in post-launch seasons over the coming year. Visual concept notes: each meter fills to the end, which is your ideal release point, then empties on the late side, a la 2k17 to 2k20.
Shot arcs are also used to indicate when a player is too early, too late, or on point with their timing. There's also shot feedback, which when enabled, delays the timing or coverage overlay and green release animations from coming up until the ball hits the basket, as per the developer, which is meant to encourage playing through possessions.
This year's improvements have also been made, from a better understanding of defender positions to mixing up drive attempts. There's also a new signature AI attack system where every star has a package of four signature attack combinations, whether it's four single move sets or two combo movesets.
If that weren't enough, AI coaches are also smarter now, tracking efficiency across many metrics, doing pregame match-up evaluations and more. They may even take out a top scorer who isn't doing so well and rotate other options in. Revamp team takeover.
Revamped team takeover
Team takeovers have been revamped and now function as a cooperative effort among all team members. Primary and second takeovers remain unchanged, but team takeovers now feel more like a team effort as opposed to arbitrarily filling up each takeover meter. Offensive and defensive improvements.
Offensive and defensive improvements
Overall, there are tons of new options for both offensive and defensive plays. Whether it's the new quick scoop layups for slashers and contact layups for the bigger players or the new defensive shading mechanic which provides an indicator for guarding, accurately predicting which zone the ball handler attacks now allows for cutting them off or causing a fumble, my team has been a staple of the past many titles.
My team returns in NBA 2K 23 and features a larger set of customization tools for creating one's ideal squad. This time around, one can recruit across any era, adding some legendary players to the roster, including Devin Booker and Michael Jordan.
Player builder improvements
Along with a 5v5 environment for testing builds, you can now go with a 3v3 environment. A welcome change is that the animations purchased now apply to your entire account instead of a save file, so if the build meets the requirements, then they can equip that animation without any issues.
New badge system
New badge system, current gen players can also use an overhauled badge system.
Each attribute category now has 16 badges, with tier 1 having 8 and tiers 2 and 3 having 4. The higher tier badges cost more badge points but are much more impactful. Conversely, tier 1 badges are the least strong but are also very cheap. Each attribute category also gets a core badge, which won't count towards the badge point total.
You'll need to meet challenge requirements for each badge, but if successful, it can be used in the core badge. Slot badges have also seen several changes from slithery, now making it easier to avoid collisions and gather in traffic, to the removal of some, like limitless spot up hook specialist and more.
