NBA 2K is the game of choice for NBA simulation fans. Unfortunately for those fans, there may not be enough in the 2K9 version to make it feel like a major advancement in the franchise.

The 'meat and potatoes' of this game is "The Association". It is a dynasty mode that can be played in single player or multi-player modes. (same machine) During the season, there are many ways to shape a franchise. Scouting players, training mini-games, setting player roles, hiring staff, and budget dealing are just some of the choices available to the owner. While the copious amounts of details available to manage are welcome, the 2K Sports navigation menu system continues to be a source of frustration. Often, a menu or option will be closed or incorrectly selected due to confusion over the navigation options. A more uniform and simplified navigation method would remove some frustration.

Another negative is the heavy reliance of mini-games to increase player ratings. Each week, owners can run their players through the paces of a mini-game to increase their overall ratings. The problems with this method of development are two-fold: First, the controls for some of the mini-games are way too complicated. Second, the constant repetition of the mini-games becomes tedious and even boring after doing them over and over again. 2K Sports needs to place more emphasis on development based within the game rather than gimmicking mini-games that get old quickly for those playing multiple seasons.

On the positive side, "The Association" has a great system that increases a player's overall ratings from game to game based on things like performance and morale. It creates a more realistic world experience. The drafting process is also well done. Scouting the college players is done with relative ease. There is a simulated lottery draw to add drama and the draft itself has a time clock that ticks down, giving a limited amount of time to decide which player the owner will select with the draft pick.

Online play offers two major methods of play. The ladder mode offers a great outlet for those that are looking for games against other random players. The player cards of each person online offer winning statistics as well as intentional disconnect/quit statistics for those who are looking for an honest game. Leader boards show who the top players are and those rankings constantly evolve as game results are recorded. Game speed is solid with little lag even during evening play when the load on the server runs higher.