NHL 2K9Even though we deal in basketball down here at Dime, we do love our video games, especially the sports titles. Earlier today I went and checked out two titles dropping soon from 2K Sports; NHL 2K9 and the reigning king of basketball video games, NBA 2K9.
If you didn’t know already, hockey video games are really a bunch of fun. But recent titles have been a bit difficult to play in regards to the button functionality. NHL 2K9 goes back to the simplistic button control that got everyone hooked to hockey titles like Nintendo’s Blades of Steel. I don’t know if some of you guys remember that game but in my opinion it is one of the greatest sports video games ever.
NHL 2K9 takes the simplistic gameplay that made video games popular with new age graphics and combines the two for a good time. Complete with other cool key features like the Zamboni race and user-controlled Stanley Cup celebrations NHL 2K9 will have non-hockey fans playing.
NBA 2K9 has been the number one basketball video game for a while and it doesn’t seem like its going anywhere. The newest installment is crazy. The graphics alone are mind blowing. I sat and watched a simulation of the Lakers against the Celtics and it is as close to the real thing as you can get.
What makes NBA 2K9 better this year is the fact that the designers over at Visual Concepts made each of the gameplay features that made them number one even better.
NBA 2K9Features like the Shot Stick and the ball handling have been tweaked to make the game even more realistic. So now if you use Shot Stick Advanced and an opponent tries to block your shot, you can change the trajectory of your shot to avoid the defender. Just think of one of those Dwyane Wade/Vince Carter shots.
Both games will feature the same new presentation system that really makes the game like a broadcast. Complete with pregame analysis and highlight reels in between the quarters (or periods in the case of NHL 2K9), it seems like you are just catching a game on television.
NHL 2K9 drops September 9th, while NBA 2K9 hits stores October 7th.
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August 12th, 2008 at 4:19 pm
Kermit the Washington says:
I hope they fixed the messed up faces from NBA 2k8. They had that joint DOWN in 2k7, and then jacked it up! Phil Jackson looks like Captain Kangaroo. KG looks like Abe from Abe’s Odyssey. That’s unacceptible for today’s technology
August 12th, 2008 at 4:20 pm
Kermit the Washington says:
it’s also unacceptable to spell incorrectly, DAG!!
August 12th, 2008 at 4:24 pm
Celts Fan says:
@Christian, that’s not just an opinion, it’s a fact. Blades of Steel is one of the best sports games ever, along w/ Tecmo Bowl, NBA Jam, and Punch Out. Anyone 25 and older will not argue (and I feel old just typing that. ugh.)
August 12th, 2008 at 4:32 pm
Christian Grant-Fields says:
Blades of Steel was the sh*t. Tecmo Bowl too. Dang Celts Fan, you brought it back!
Does anyone remember Double Dribble?! Classic also.
August 12th, 2008 at 4:35 pm
Kermit the Washington says:
Tecmo Bowl was nasty…Jerry Rice and LT were unstoppable!
Double Dribble was the first basketball game I ever played…I’ve been hooked ever since!
August 12th, 2008 at 4:36 pm
Dennis Castro says:
Altered Beast was the ish. Although it’s not a sports game.
Alex Kidd was cool too and so was Bad Dudes.
August 12th, 2008 at 4:37 pm
sans says:
Tecmo Super Bowl was legit. I always loved the NHL games on Genesis. It’s all a bout the triple deke.
August 12th, 2008 at 4:38 pm
Kermit the Washington says:
For some reason I just thought of Arch Rivals…remember that mess? You would run around with your fist cocked, and punch the other player out and steal the basketball?! What was up with that?! Would’ve been better if it was 5-on-5, but 1-on-1 was funny as heck
August 12th, 2008 at 4:41 pm
IGP says:
I used to play Barkley Shut Up and Jam and, since I’m a huge David Robinson fan, David Robinson’s Supreme Court. But I gotta say NBA Jam was so nasty.
August 12th, 2008 at 4:47 pm
Celts Fan says:
Double Dribble was very fun, but I preferred Arch Rivals. As a kid, being able to run around and punch your opponents couldn’t be topped. To this day I wish I could just hit A and deliver a hook to the dome for a steal.
August 12th, 2008 at 4:54 pm
Big V says:
Jordan vs. Bird, son. Jordan vs. Bird. Genesis. Whatup.
August 12th, 2008 at 4:56 pm
Hugo says:
Anyone knows if we will have the option of playing a 29 games season on Franchise Mode again? It was out for the NBA 2K8. We could only play the whole 82 games season. That’s almost impossible for someone with work, life and all that …
Also, I hope they corrected some problems of the gameplay, like when you are going to get a rebound below the rim and press the jump key, the player flies almost to the 3 point line. That was something that made me crazy on the 2k8 version and I gave up playing it. For me, that was the worst of all, and I’m playing since the 2K1.
August 12th, 2008 at 4:59 pm
Kermit the Washington says:
HAHAH!! Did somebody just say DAVID ROBINSON’S SUPREME COURT?! OH SNAP I forgot all about that game! There was that era in the early 90s where players had their own game…glad THAT’S over!
August 12th, 2008 at 5:02 pm
Jay26th says:
who remembers Rambo on the sega master system?
August 12th, 2008 at 5:06 pm
E$ says:
2k Allday, EA get to the back of the bus!
August 12th, 2008 at 5:26 pm
Big Sia says:
NBA Jam >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
But 2K is the champ these days
August 12th, 2008 at 5:47 pm
IGP says:
yo Kermit, you know David Robinson’s Supreme Court was legit haha.
August 12th, 2008 at 5:49 pm
Jim says:
Don’t make me go and talk about Bill Laimbeer’s Combat Basketball
August 12th, 2008 at 5:51 pm
cello says:
I don’t understand it. I have been playing live since 95. Don’t really see the advantages of 2k versus live. enlighten me?
August 12th, 2008 at 6:17 pm
Ansonious says:
What about arch rivals? doesn’t anyone else think that strange cross of basketball and hockey was fun as hell back in the day?
August 12th, 2008 at 6:51 pm
doc says:
All these games was the shit.Dam I forgot about Altered beast.I used to play that all the time.I fucked with Mega Man,Rygar,and Double Dragon too.
August 12th, 2008 at 6:57 pm
Jim says:
Double Dragon at the roller rink. That’s where you proved your manhood in 3rd grade.
August 12th, 2008 at 7:42 pm
Brown says:
Harlem Globetrotters for SNES. You could jump on your teammate’s shoulders and walk in for a dunk. It might have been the first game where you could break the glass too.
NBA Showdown (the last EA ball game before Live) was the shit too with all the signature dunks/moves. And all the threes went in off the backbourt lol.
August 12th, 2008 at 10:35 pm
Simon says:
All this talk about these games is bringing me back! The best thing I remember about old school sports games was the wrap-around in NHL ‘94 for Super Nintendo. I just remember running up the score against the computer haha!
August 13th, 2008 at 9:42 am
mapletown says:
Anybody ever play Mutant League Football?? That was my game back in the day. Running around, getting blown to bits by the mines on the field. Sacking the QB so hard that you kill him. Gotdamn, so many memories…
August 13th, 2008 at 9:43 am
karizmatic says:
I saw a David Robinson’s supreme court mention! LOL. Remember the best player on that game? A white Jordan knockoff named Air Allnite. LOL. I still occasionally create a player named Air Allnite on some basketball games. lol.
August 13th, 2008 at 10:11 am
d says:
@ Kermit the Washington, yeah dude, Reggie Theus ended up looking like a zombie. it was bad news for all of the coaches I think
August 13th, 2008 at 11:04 am
Kermit The Washington says:
“Air Allnite”! Oh my gosh I forgot about all that…and someone mentioned playing Live since 95; I’m with you on that UNTIL 2006. For some reason, Live started looking less realistic but they focused on more of the intricacies of basketball…so you had to have MAD time on your hands IMO…but the 2K series stepped up and just made the game seem like you were watching an actual broadcast, so if you didn’t have that much time to play it was just fun from beginning to end. I think that’s what got me away from Live.