NBA 2K10 X360, PS3, Wii, PC, PS2/$19.99-$59.99/Available Now

If you're over the age of 30, you might remember the basketball of video games' archaic past. Two stick figures would hop about the screen hoping to gain possession of a tiny orange square. Once the "ball" fell into your player's overly pixelated hands, you would press the controller's only button to score a basket. Thankfully, those days are only a fading memory, and nothing has helped us forget our Neanderthal past more than 2K Sports' phenomenal B-ball series.

"NBA 2K10" is basketball. Each and every aspect of professional basketball has been loving re-created to offer the maximum amount of immersion possible, aside from actually taking to the court yourself. Crowds come to life with every play, players react with frightening realism, and the presentation will have you doubting whether it's a game or the real thing.

Unfortunately, vast amounts of realism force you to realize just how complicated the sport of basketball can be. Gameplay offers a system of controls that should seem very familiar to basketball sim veterans, but those same controls may take some time for the novice to pick up. Luckily, the game offers extensive teaching tools that will help you learn each and every move and will remove your rookie status in no time.

The standout feature of this year's incarnation has to be the My Player mode. Here, you'll build a baller with an in-depth creation tool that allows you to select height, weight, play preferences and facial structure. After you've designed your player, it's off to the Summer Circuit, where you'll either play well enough to be drafted into the NBA or flop, resulting in a quick trip to the D-Leagues. Either way, the mode offers more than just creative gameplay; it gives a sense of investment where you actually start to care about what happens to your virtual counterpart.

Multiplayer gameplay is still a big part of the 2K universe, creating local and online play in just about every aspect of the game. If facing an opponent alone isn't quite your thing, just form a crew of created or actual NBA players and challenge the world as a team. This ultra-accurate representation of the sport of basketball has far surpassed the games of yesteryear. "NBA 2K10" offers everything virtual basketball fans have been patiently waiting for all year.

Media Link: The Cleveland Cavaliers take on the Washington Wizards, and the San Antonio Spurs play the Dallas Mavericks Wednesday, Nov. 18, on ESPN.