NBA 2K13 theoretically offers everything you'd possibly want in a basketball video game. You can play as today's best (or worst) teams, seeing what tried-and-true veterans and untested rookies alike will offer this coming season.

Hardcore hoops fans, lapsed b-ball followers, and anyone else who even casually picks up the odd sports game should play NBA 2K13. Developer Visual Concepts continues to keep the bar high, enhancing the realism of and adding a superb new control scheme to this excellent recreation of pro basketball.

Excellent game flow emulates the real thing; New right-stick controls make slick moves easy to pull off; Signature skills enhance player depth; TV-realistic graphics and animations; Lively; varied play-by-play

Confusing interface; Overblown Jay-Z production

NBA 2K13 scores big once again, although it fails to offer little in the way of sweeping changes or innovations. It's still the undisputed daddy of basketball games, but we'd have liked to have seen more ideas being brought to the hardwood.

NBA 2K13 is back, and is looking to dominate another season. This year it has a little less Michael Jordan..

Delivering year after year on expected greatness is no easy feat, but even harder is daring to gain new ground without losing the blueprint that originally paved a successful path.

Your career starts with a rookie game followed by a series of entertaining draft interviews, with questions covering everything from your ability to slot into a certain system, to how well you'd cope with a cold winter.

NBA 2K13 lacks the big, flashy hooks of its more recent predecessors, but it's still a pretty terrific basketball game all the same.

Featuring stunning presentation, a great soundtrack (unsurprising given that Jay-Z is credited as the title's executive producer) and gameplay that delivers the best virtual basketball experience to date, NBA 2K13 is one of the top sports games of 2012.

The best virtual basketball game yet; Stunning presentation; Improved controls and more fluid gameplay

Barrier to entry could be lessened; Navigation could be improved; If you don't like basketball..

what a cool basketball game 2ksports.thanks for all your hard work you put in 2k13 for use basketball fans,as great as this game is it had to be a basketball lover to make it and that's what 2ksports is.they put pride in giving the customers a great product.lets hope the nba see's how great this...

NBA 2K11 had Jordan, 2K12 had legendary NBA games, so how will NBA 2K13 be remembered? Surprisingly, for Jay-Z. If the NBA 2K series didn't already hold the title for slickest sportsgame presentation, it certainly owns it now with Jay-Z credited as Executive Producer.

+ Revamped controls make for a better and more accessible game; + Kinect controls let you call in plays or make substitutions

? What NBA GM would give into a rookie's trade demands