NBA 2K13

Common Sense Media says

Excellent pro basketball sim now with 1992 Dream Team.

Age(i)

2
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17

Quality(i)

 

Learning(i)

(i)
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What parents need to know

Positive messages

As with most sports games, they give a positive message to players because it's a virtual reenactment of a team-based sport. Players learn about playing within the rules, teamwork, healthy competition, and city pride.

Positive role models

If the basketball players are good role models in real life then it would be fair to suggest their digital recreation would be, too. That said, the game doesn't delve into their character, morals, or ethics.

Ease of play

The game starts off easy with some tutorials and drills, if players like; plus the game is overall fairly simple to control. On some consoles such as the X360 and PS3, the game is easier to play than ever before as dribbling and shooting is on the right analog stick, while player control remains on the left stick.

Violence & scariness
Not applicable
Language
Not applicable
Consumerism

The game has a lot of product placement from familiar brands like Sprint, Spalding, Facebook, American Airlines, and more. It can be seen on billboards, written on the court, or worn on the players.

Privacy & safety

Creates privacy and safety concerns. Both the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 versions of the game support online multiplayer -- with the ability to talk with strangers via headset microphone. As a result, kids can have unmonitored and unfiltered voice chat where they can potentially be exposed to bad language and unwanted questions.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that NBA 2K13 is appropriate for all members of the family as it doesn't contain any questionable material. Just be aware that those who play online can talk with one another (and strangers) over the Internet -- something parents might not like with younger players.

What kids can learn

Subjects

Language & Reading

  • following directions
  • reading

Math

  • addition
  • patterns

Hobbies

  • sports

Skills

Thinking & Reasoning

  • applying information
  • decision-making
  • thinking critically

Self-Direction

  • motivation
  • work to achieve goals

Collaboration

  • teamwork
  • meeting challenges together

Health & Fitness

  • fine motor skills

Engagement, Approach, Support

What kids can learn

Subjects

Language & Reading

  • following directions
  • reading

Math

  • addition
  • patterns

Hobbies

  • sports

Skills

Thinking & Reasoning

  • applying information
  • decision-making
  • thinking critically

Self-Direction

  • motivation
  • work to achieve goals

Collaboration

  • teamwork
  • meeting challenges together

Health & Fitness

  • fine motor skills

Kids can learn about the rules of the professional basketball, notice cultural diversity on the court, and experience teamwork. The game puts kids into the action of playing a game either by themselves or with others. Since NBA 2K13 is a realistic sports sim, kids learn the rules of basketball by playing it virtually and can experience teamwork by playing with others.

This Learning Rating review was written by Marc Saltzman

Parents say

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AGE
6
QUALITY
 
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Kids say

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AGE
7
QUALITY
 
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What's it about?

2K Sports' NBA 2K13 is part of the critically and commercially successful professional basketball simulation series, which has "netted" more than 45 Sports Game of the Year nods. As with its predecessors, players can play as or against their favorite NBA team -- with the game's computer-controlled opponents, or better yet, against a friend or sibling beside you, or online against other players. NBA 2K13 offers new modes and a heavier emphasis on music -- including JAY-Z serving as the game's executive producer who hand-picked the 24-song soundtrack. It also introduces a feature called Control Stick, which gives players more control by mapping all dribbling and shooting to the right analog stick, while the left controls the player on the court. The game introduces something fans have been asking for years: a matchup between the 1992 NBA "Dream Team" and the 2012 U.S. Men's National team. Also new is NBA 2K Everywhere, which gives players the opportunity to access game info via Facebook or a mobile app.

Is it any good?

QUALITY
 

Quite simply, this is a fabulous NBA game, thanks in part to tweaked controls that feels great (putting a more emphasis on the dual analog stick instead of the buttons); outstanding graphics and animation that may fool passersby into thinking it's a real, television game; excellent play-by-play and color commentary; and an outstanding soundtrack to help keep you engaged. The game includes familiar and new modes ranging from 3-on-3 pick-up games and single game matches to franchise and career games. Despite a few issues with the somewhat convoluted interface, NBA 2K13 is an excellent b-ball sim worthy of the coveted sports franchise.

 

Families can talk about...

  • Families can talk about whether the product placement makes sense within a video game. NBA fans see ads when they go to a game, but should they also see them within the video game? Or is it a case of 2K Sports double-dipping: making money from both the gamer and advertisers?

  • What rules does your family have about video games? How do you select what you play?

Game details

Platforms:Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PSP, Nintendo Wii U, Nintendo Wii
Price:$59.99
Available online?Not available online
Developer:2K Sports
Release date:October 2, 2012
Genre:Sports
Topics:Sports and martial arts, Great boy role models
ESRB rating:E for N/A (Nintendo Wii, Nintendo Wii U, PlayStation 3, PSP, Xbox 360)

This review of NBA 2K13 was written by

Marc Saltzman

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.
  • NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids of any age.

Find out more

Quality

Our star rating assesses the media's overall quality.

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Learning ratings

  • Best: Really engaging, great learning approach.
  • Very Good: Engaging, good learning approach.
  • Good: Pretty engaging, good learning approach.
  • Fair: Somewhat engaging, okay learning approach.
  • Not for Learning: Not recommended for learning.
  • Not for Kids: Not age-appropriate for kids; not recommended for learning.

Find out more

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What parents and kids say

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Kid, 12 years old March 4, 2013
AGE
4
QUALITY
 

OMG! 8+! GIVE ME A BREAK!

OMG! Good for 8+! Give me a break! It is a sports game! The only concern is safety because you can speak to strangers in multiplayer, but you do not have to play multiplayer. CSM is so over-protective! This game is good for 4 year olds! If you can play it is is good for you.
What other families should know
Great messages
Great role models
Too much consumerism
Safety and privacy concerns
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Kid, 12 years old March 8, 2013
AGE
7
QUALITY
 
LEARNING

NBA 2k13 Part 1

Publisher-2k Sports. This program was purchased from Sega in 2005. It has made games since 1999 and has been running fully ever since. I really enjoy this publishing companies’ NBA 2k series because it gives you multiple game modes and options in-game. This company has a MLB series (baseball) and a NBA series (basketball). I am more of a basketball fan so I enjoy the NBA games more. I have recently grown interest in the MLB series as I have watched others play it on YouTube commentaries. Baseball has not been my sport at all for a while but this year I am thinking about purchasing the latest MLB 2k game which is MLB 2k13. This company has a lot of potential and I believe that it can still be making an impact in the video game world for years to come.
What other families should know
Great messages
Great role models
Too much swearing
Too much consumerism
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Teen, 17 years old Written byTheTrillonaire July 5, 2013
AGE
9
QUALITY
 

AwEsOmE gAmE!

I love this game. It has celebrities like Justin Bieber, Pauly D, Wale, Bow Wow (Dream Team)
What other families should know
Great messages
Great role models
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