The Jordan Challenge in NBA 2K23 Is Pretty Darn Special
During the week I was lucky enough to be able to attend a virtual presentation by Visual Concepts, the developers of NBA 2K23. This presentation was focused on the returning Jordan Challenge, a mode previously featured in NBA 2K11. But don’t let that fool you, this is no simple rehash. In fact, it is pretty bloody impressive.
The developers outlined just how much work has gone into this mode. From interviews with Jordan’s opposition to era-accurate broadcasters to even getting the stadium announcer from Chicago during the Jordan era to do the player intros. There is a boatload of amazing details and touches that are sure to keep even the biggest Jordan fan happy.
The mode is based around 15 games from Jordan’s career. From his high school days, through to playing for the Dream Team in the Olympics, through to his final match in the NBA. It is a broad look at the career of possibly the greatest player to ever play the game. Each match will have challenges for players to meet and will be rewarded with in game bonuses if certain achievements are met. It is certainly looking like an amazing mode and will be something I am very keen to check out when the game releases in September. In the meantime, check out the trailer and more details from the press release below.
From the Press Release
“The Jordan Challenge is an immersive experience unlike anything NBA 2K fans have seen, completely rebuilding the challenges from 2K11 and adding five new moments,” said Erick Boenisch, VP of NBA Development at Visual Concepts. “Our team took everything into consideration when constructing this game mode; the arenas, the players, the uniforms, the broadcast, and the play style of the era have been accounted for in an effort to give fans a truly authentic and unique playable Jordan experience.”
The Jordan Challenge introduces iconic NBA moments and in-game innovations, including:
- Experience a breathtaking recreation of a bygone era, from the 1982 NCAA National Championship to the 1998 NBA Finals. Each challenge features a pre-game interview with a luminary who was a part of what made every game special;
- A complete presentational package including an intricately designed video filter system that recreates the television experience of these games as they were originally broadcast during the 1980s and 1990s, showcasing the look, feel and sound that take players back to the original game;
- Key gameplay changes to fit the era, such as a heavier focus on the post and mid-range game and reworking the transition game for the 1980s feel, including tighter transition lanes and more players cutting to the basket with a numbers advantage, as opposed to the spotting up for three you see in today’s NBA;
- More physicality modeled on the floor and in the paint, along with new signature style upgrades for classic greats like Magic Johnson and Larry Bird, featuring all-new jump shot, layup and dunk packages;
- Hand-checking and hard-hitting body-ups for a different feel to the one-on-one battles with accurately represented regulations that mirror the 1990s basketball era, like the Detroit Pistons “Bad Boys” with their famous “Jordan Rules” and more.
