NBA 2K12

Review

Common Sense Media says

Stellar hoops sim honors league's legends.
greenON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
yellowPAUSE: Know your child; some content
may not be right for some kids.
redOFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
not for kidsNOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age.

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Quality
 
Sometimes media can be age appropriate but a real waste of time. Our star rating assesses the media's overall quality.

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Parents say

Not yet rated

Kids say

AGE
6
QUALITY
 

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that this is a straightforward simulation of the NBA. Players can either guide a team or individual to championship glory. There's also a mode devoted to some of the league's all-time best players and teams. The game offers an online mode where players have open, unmoderated chat, a feature Common Sense Media does not recommend for kids under age 12.

  • Positive messages1
    The game shows kids what the world of professional basketball is like.
  • Positive role models2
    In My Player mode, players can choose to perform tasks to bolster team chemistry, such as take them out for a bowling night, or contribute to a charity. The game also shows real athletes playing professional ball.
  • Ease of play3
    Longtime fans of the series will find this game easy to pick up. Newcomers may see the controls as complex, but a Practice can help ease rookies in.
  • Violence0
    Not applicable.
  • Sex0
    Not applicable.
  • Language0
    Not applicable.
  • Consumerism3
    Gatorade, Sprite, HP and basketball-related companies such as Spalding are among the sponsors. They usually appear in arenas and during broadcasts.
  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking0
    Not applicable.
  • Privacy & safety1
    Some privacy concerns. The game features online matches with open chat so kids playing with this feature on may hear bad language and could be asked personal questions.
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What's it about?

NBA 2K12 is a pro basketball simulation game where players can take one of the NBA's teams and lead them to a championship. In My Player mode, players can create their own character or use a current NBA star and mold them into a Hall of Famer. Finally, a NBA's Greatest mode explores the league's history, featuring stars such as Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, and Magic Johnson.

Is it any good?

 

Once again, 2K Play's NBA sim shines with polished, authentic gameplay. On the consoles with high-definition graphics, the game looks fabulous. The NBA's Greatest mode is wonderful at educating players about the history of the league, while the team owner and My Player modes offer players greater control. Overall, it's a great game for any NBA fan.

What families can talk about

  • Families can talk about how this game compares to real-world basketball. What's similar or different?

  • The game teaches a lot about NBA history. Do you think video games can be educational? How?

This review was written by Brett Molina
Teen, 16 years old
November 18, 2011
AGE
5
 
Best Basketball Game Ever
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Helped me decide (16) | Had useful details (13) | Read my mind (15)
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Kid, 12 years old
February 12, 2012
AGE
4
 
Great game
This is a great game! In the beginning it is hard to get used to the controls, but after a while it's really simple. There is really nothing bad about this game and can help you with basketball.
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Helped me decide (5) | Had useful details (4) | Read my mind (5)
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Kid, 6 years old
April 27, 2012
AGE
7
 
NBA 2K12 Review
This is a really good game nothing bad about if your kids like basketball they will really like this game because it is super fun and they will really enjoy the game and get some good role models from it as well
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Kid, 13 years old
March 30, 2012
AGE
6
 
NBA 2K12 is a masterpiece sport game
Really good game that is really educative, and with some positive messages. The New Player Mode is really good, the gameplay is fun etc...
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Parent
March 17, 2012
AGE
5
 
Great game
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See all user reviews
This review was written by Brett Molina
Topics:sports and martial arts
Platforms:Nintendo Wii, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 2, Windows, PSP
Available online?Not available online
Genre:Sports
Developer:2K Sports
Release date:October 4, 2011
Price:$29.99 to $59.99
ESRB rating:E
This review was written by Brett Molina
 

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About our rating system
ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids.
OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
Learning ratings
BEST: Really engaging, great learning approach.
GOOD: Pretty engaging, good learning approach.
FAIR: Somewhat engaging, OK learning approach.
NOT FOR LEARNING: Not recommended for learning.
Our child development rating guidelines

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