Good
Since graphics are essentially the only change, let's riff on that first. Look at the game's box, and you'll see what looks like high-quality CG cutscenes. Nope, that's how the game looks. NBA 2K6 on the 360 no longer has players that merely look like real NBA stars. Instead, these players are the NBA stars. The faces look unbelievable, and run the gamut of emotions. Likewise, as games continue, sweat builds up both on skin and on jerseys. The uniforms themselves are separate entities, which is really cool to see. Admittedly, sometimes you'll see some tearing in the jerseys, but that's the only real graphical flaw I noticed. Animation-wise, everything flows smoothly, and each play is almost as seamless as the real thing.
The crowd is extremely diverse, and you're hard-pressed to find duplicates -- even if they have super-similar faces. Each arena is individually modeled, right down to the degradation of the wood on the court. Still, after a dozen games or so, NBA 2K6 may cease to blow you away with its graphics. It's scary how quickly your mind accepts the 360 graphics as "the standard," and you forget what a leap this is. My suggestion is this: Put in your PS2 or Xbox version of the game to jog your memory real quick. That should carry you for the rest of the season with a smile on your face.
As for the gameplay, there's no change. This is still the tightest-playing hoops game available, with the shot stick, excellent defensive options, and well-implemented AI. It's just that everything looks a bunch better now. While it's true that I would've liked to have seen a few advancements, this doesn't bug me too much. However, it also makes it impossible to give the game another 5-star score -- even if it's the same game with a makeover.
