Every 'NBA 2K' Game, Ranked Best To Worst

Cover athletes: Stephen Curry, James Harden, Anthony Davis (American versions) Known for being the fastest-selling game in the series at the time, NBA 2K16 was nominated for Best Sports/Racing game at the 2015 Game Awards. It lost to Rocket League. Did you know: Legendary film director Spike Lee wrote, directed, and co-produced NBA 2K16’s MyCareer mode. According to Lee, he wanted to "push the boundaries of innovative storytelling."

Cover athlete: Michael Jordan Among its many updates, NBA 2K11 featured a new Jordan Challenge mode where players relived 10 of the NBA great’s biggest career achievements, including, but not limited to, Jordan's Last Dance. Did you know: NBA 2K11 featured 18 classic NBA teams in addition to the regular roster, which included the '85-'86 Chicago Bulls, '90-'91 Lakers, and more. These teams were available in Quick Play matches.

Cover athlete: LeBron James In addition to the standard NBA teams, NBA 2K14 is notable for also including the EuroLeague teams, meaning gamers could play as FC Barcelona, Real Madrid, and more. Did you know: The game's soundtrack was hand-picked by LeBron James. Artists include Drake, Eminem, Kendrick Lamar, Imagine Dragons, Coldplay, and more.

Cover athletes: Blake Griffin, Kevin Durant, and Derrick Rose NBA 2K13's MyCareer mode greatly expanded on previous games, with new additions like new endorsement contracts and the option to customize a player's outfits both on and off the court. Did you know: Scottie Pippen was originally planned to be absent from this game, though he was eventually included after fans made their voices heard.

Cover athletes: Paul George, Kobe Bryant (Legend Edition), Danilo Gallinari (Italy), and Pau Gasol (Spain) Michael B Jordan makes an appearance in NBA 2K17’s MyCareer mode as Justice Young, your brash and talented teammate. Comedians Hannibal Buress and Matt Walsh also make appearances. Did you know: NBA 2K17 made significant changes when it came to the game's background noise, with developers traveling to various arenas in order to record real-time audio to use in the game. Everything down to the sound the ball makes when your player dribbles are incredibly authentic.

Cover athletes: Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, and Michael Jordan NBA 2K12's NBA's Greatest mode let players play as some of history's biggest and best teams as they recreate NBA history. NBA greats like Julius Erving, Magic Johnson, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar all make an appearance. Did you know: NBA 2K12 hosted a soundtrack contest where artists could submit their songs in order to be included in the soundtrack. Alex Kresovich and D.J.I.G. were both chosen as winners.

Cover athlete: Kevin Durant A new coaching advice feature helped provide in-game feedback based on a player's specific performance. Depending on how well (or bad) your performance was, you'd either be praised or criticized. Did you know: NBA 2K15's unique scanning feature let players scan and import their own faces on their custom players using either the PlayStation 4 camera or Xbox Kinect.

Cover athlete: Kobe Bryant NBA 2K10's Association Mode gave gamers the opportunity to take control of all 30 NBA teams at once. Managing personal and engaging in various on- and off-season activities were all included. Did you know: A limited edition of NBA 2K10 was also released and featured a handful of bonuses. Only 30,000 copies were made, making it extremely hard to find today.

Cover athlete: Giannis Antetokounmpo In addition to new and improved create-a-player features, NBA 2K19 also introduced a range of new taunts and risky streetball moves, which are only available in the park. Did you know: NBA 2K19's eclectic soundtrack was hand-picked by rapper Travis Scott. Coincidentally, the rapper has numerous songs in the game.

Cover athlete: Kevin Garnett NBA 2K9's living rosters meant that you could download updates throughout the NBA season to make sure your in-game rosters were always updated. Did you know: Clark Kellogg and Cheryl Miller joined Kevin Harlan as color commentators to help bring NBA 2K9's realism to the next level.

Cover athlete: Anthony Davis (Dwyane Wade is on the legend edition) NBA 2K20's microtransactions were widely criticized for resembling real-world gambling, with some comparing the in-game transactions to randomized slot games. Did you know: NBA 2K20 is the first NBA 2K game to include all 12 WNBA teams, though the teams are only available in exhibition and single-season modes.

Cover athlete: Shaquille O'Neal NBA 2K7's VIP System was designed to keep track of all player-related stats, including their defensive prowess, shot accuracy, and more. These stats could then be loaded onto an opposing team, making it possible for players to essentially play themselves. Did you know: Shaquille O'Neal also appeared as the cover athlete in NBA 2K6, making him and Allen Iverson the only two players to appear as the main athlete on more than one cover up until that point.

Cover athlete: Allen Iverson NBA 2K, released in 1999, was the inaugural title in the widely acclaimed sports video game series. It set a new standard in the genre with its innovative gameplay, realistic player models, and attention to detail, including commentary that added depth to the in-game experience. The success of NBA 2K laid the foundation for what would become one of the most popular and enduring franchises in sports gaming history. Did you know: The game's fictional announcer Bob Steele was voiced by Warriors play-by-play announcer Bob Fitzgerald and a reference to Bob Barker from The Price is Right.

Cover athlete: Ben Wallace ESPN NBA 2K5's responsive AI system was designed to help accentuate and anticipate your plays, but many reviewers complained that the system was inherently broken. Still, ESPN NBA 2K5 received fairly high marks across the board. Did you know: ESPN NBA 2K5 was the last game in the series to be published by Sega; moving forward the games would be published under the 2K Sports moniker.

Cover athlete: Allen Iverson Expanding on the success of the last game, NBA 2K1 introduced a series of new gameplay features, chief among them the new Street Mode, which would go on to become a series staple. Did you know: Praised for its gameplay, features, and true-to-life accuracy, NBA 2K1 was placed at number 95 on Game Informer's top 100 games of all time.

Cover athletes: Damian Lillard, Zion Williamson, and Kobe Bryant As the latest in the long-standing 2K franchise, NBA 2K21 features updated gameplay and graphics that are designed to look, feel, and sound like the real deal. The Career mode, while traditionally known as being one of the best and most detailed aspects of the series, is given even more attention here. That said, reviews have been mixed. Did you know: While Damian Lillard and Zion Williamson were originally planned as the two cover athletes (for the current consoles and next-gen system respectively), numerous petitions from fans around the world likely helped inspire the Mamba Forever Edition, which features Kobe on the cover and includes a host of in-game bonuses.

Cover athlete: Chris Paul NBA 2K8 expanding on the series' realism by adding new signature shots for a handful of the top NBA players. Additionally, free throws, dunks, and more were counted among the growing number of customizable gameplay options. Did you know: NBA 2K8 featured its own Sprite Slam Dunk contest (also available online), where players could show off their skills.

Cover athlete: Allen Iverson Released on various platforms, each version of NBA 2K2 featured small but interesting differences, including the release of different intros depending on the console. Did you know: NBA 2K2 is one of only a handful of games to be released on all the sixth-generation consoles (Sega Dreamcast, PlayStation 2, Xbox, and GameCube). Puyo Pop Fever and Capcom vs. SNK 2 are the other two.

Cover athlete: Allen Iverson Featuring all the series staples (and then some), NBA 2K3 was first released on the GameCube, though it was released a day later on both the PlayStation 2 and Xbox. Did you know: NBA 2K3 was actually the first NBA 2K to feature ESPN licensing, though the actual ESPN name wouldn't appear in the title until ESPN NBA Basketball (also known as NBA 2K4).

Cover athlete: Allen Iverson ESPN NBA Basketball is known as the first game in the 2K series to give players more detailed faces. Prior to this game's release, most players featured a similar facial design. Did you know: After appearing on the first five NBA 2K games, ESPN NBA Basketball signaled Allen Iverson's last cover appearance.

Cover athlete: Shaquille O'Neal While the NBA 2K series is often credited for the eclectic and diverse soundtracks, NBA 2K6 skipped including licensed songs in favor of original in-game music only. Did you know: Shaquille O'Neal would also appear as the cover athlete in NBA 2K7, making him and Allen Iverson the only two players to appear as the main athlete more than once up until that time. O'Neal is also credited for helping provide many of the game's motion-capture animations.

Cover athlete: Kyrie Irving A new Neighborhoods feature meant gamers could explore an open world and interact with various other players. While hanging out in "the neighborhood", players could boost their stats and purchase items. Did you know: In addition to the various all-time teams, NBA 2K18 also introduced 16 classic teams. Classics included the 07-08 Nuggets, 98-99 Knicks, and more.