The first iteration of the NBA 2K series was first released on the Dreamcast back in 1999. Now, NBA 2K7 has hit the newer consoles and have some people raving that it has better graphics, gameplay, and features than its previous iterations. Among the features that have been added are holiday themed uniforms unlocked with certain codes. For example, a code changes the New Orleans Hornets uniform into its special Valentine's Day version.

In celebration of St. Patrick's Day, you can try new uniforms for some teams in NBA 2K7. The publisher of the game, 2K Sports, has revealed a special cheat code that unlocks green uniforms for the Bulls, Knicks, and Celtics. To unlock the St. Patrick's Day uniforms, simply enter :tpk7sgn at the cheat code screen, and enjoy. Check out the pics of Stephan Marbury, Ben Wallace, and Paul Pierce.

   

Is the PS3 going to have a rumble feature? Before you guys start thinking we're beating a dead horse, let us clarify. For those who've got NBA 2K7, you might want to check out your manual (probably for the first time) and scope out this phrase another gamer picked up:

Call it over-reading, but this leads to some interesting speculations regarding this clause. For one, is Sony planning to re-introduce the rumble feature after all? Or, was there a miscommunication with 2K Sports, who assumed the rumble feature was staying? Or lastly, did 2K Sports just port over the game's 360 manual and forgot to remove this little detail? We'll leave the rest of the speculation to you guys, and see what sort of conspiracies you can cook up. Have fun.

Internationally-known producer and one of the most groundbreaking and inventive creators of hip-hop music, Dan the Automator has been tapped by 2K Sports for the second leg of the 2nd Annual 2K Sports Bounce Tour.

This will be the first time ever that Dan the Automator will be touring with a live backing band. Chali 2na (Jurassic 5), Casual (Hieroglyphics) and A.G. (D.I.T.C.) will also be touring and performing with him in support of NBA 2K7 for the Sony PS3.

Dan the Automator was enlisted to helm the second leg of the tour inspired by the Decon Records-released soundtrack, entitled Dan the Automator Presents 2K7. Producing the soundtrack involved sculpting the beats to mirror the tempo of a basketball game and enlisting rappers from across the nation for a diverse sound. Beyond the musical connection, Dan the Automator also appears in NBA 2K7 as a playable character.

The 2nd Annual 2K Bounce Tour is the latest from the 2K Sports series of annual live events that seek to bridge hip-hop, sports and video game culture by featuring renowned music artists, sports gaming kiosks, and projection vignettes. To see if the tour will touch down in a place near you, check the tour dates below.

Nov 29 - San Luis Obispo, CA - SLO Brewing Company
Nov 30 - San Francisco, CA - Mezzanine
Dec 1 - Santa Cruz, CA - The Catalyst
Dec 2 - Chico, CA - Senator Theatre
Dec 4 - Portland, OR - Berbatti's Pan
Dec 5 - Bellingham, WA - The Nightlight
Dec 6 - Seattle, WA - Neumo’s
Dec 8 - Park City, UT - Suede
Dec 9 - Aspen, CO - Belly Up
Dec 10 - Boulder, CO - Fox Theatre & Cafe
Dec 12 - Albuquerque, NM - Sunshine Theater
Dec 14 - San Diego, CA - Canes Bar & Grill
Dec 15 - Los Angeles, CA - El Rey Theatre

2K Sports also proudly announced the release of the Official 2K7 Mixtape. Mixed by the world-famous DJ Clinton Sparks, this free download is a mix of non-stop hip hop encompassing more than 40 minutes of exclusive tracks. The mixtape also includes songs from the NBA 2K7 soundtrack, including cuts from Mos Def, A Tribe Called Quest, and Lupe Fiasco. Check the 2K Sports website for more info.

Towering at 7"1', it ain't surprising that Shaq dominates both in the real hardcourt, as well as in NBA 2K7's videogame court. Dubbed as "the most dominant player in the world," Shaq holds 13-time All-Star titles, along with four world championships.

Now see him in action in this NBA 2K7 trailer featuring The Diesel, Shaquille O'Neal. This partnership between him and 2K7 Sports can indeed be deemed as a sturdy one, given the franchise's history of success, and of course, Shaq's standing in the field of sports as a true-to-life gigantic icon.

Anyway, the game will be out in just a couple of days now, so just hang in there tight and get yourselves ready to bounce it out with NBA stars and your SIXAXIS.

Download: [Shaq for NBA 2K7 trailer]

This writer may not be into basketball, but I sure can recognize a good basketball video game when I see one. And with 2K's NBA 2K7, I'd be willing to put my ass on line and say that this one really hits the spot.

And in light of recent events and news that EA has cancelled NBA Live 07 for the PS3, it looks like QJ readers' comments like "NBA 2K7 will own PS3" may just be a prediction that's right on the money. Another fun concept that the NBA 2K7 will have is how it makes use of the SIXAXIS: you'll hold and tilt the controller as you would hold an actual basketball and shoot free throws by tilting the controller back and then forward.

While it's still too soon to really tell whether the game will live up to the hype and the stunning visuals it promises, at least we get a glimpse and an overall feel of the game via the trailer we have for you today. Download the vid below and tell us what you think.

Download: [NBA 2K7 trailer]

After EA Sports kisses NBA Live 07 on the PS3 goodbye, 2K Sports is left holding the basketball for Launch Day USA with NBA 2K7. Luckily the latest trailer for 2K7 still says "November 17," so unless something drastic changes, like say warehouses with 2K games burn down, no slip-ups there. Knock on wood.

So Visual Concepts President Greg Thomas says,"The capabilities of the Cell processor have allowed us to deliver the next-generation quality of visuals and fluid animations that gamers expect." And that the SIXAXIS will introduce new ideas from devs and new joys for gamers. But why say it when you can sing it, rap it, bring it?

Which is what this trailer does. Let's see... Break out controllers... your time now to ignite the crowd... scream your name... to the game brings style and excitement... your money's worth, AI, Highlight Reels... LeBron... in stores Nov. 17. Word.

The first to make the announcement was Activision, now it's 2K Sports turn. NBA 2K7 and NHL 2K7 will be available on November 17, the day PS3 launches in North America. Are these launch announcements long been readied and are meant to caught the competition off guard with the one-two knockout punch? Or is this a join-the-bandwagon thing? Just a thought.

Anyway, the Take-Two Interactive subsidiary made the announcement through Visual Concepts President Greg Thomas. "With the power of the PlayStation 3 system, 2K Sports continues to make remarkable strides in the development of next-generation console games," declared Thomas, adding that "the capabilities of the Cell processor have allowed us to deliver the next-generation quality of visuals and fluid animations that gamers expect."

Among others, NBA 2K7 offers a Signature Style game feature that would actually affect gameplay while NHL 2K7 utilizes the Sixaxis best with its goalie. "The Sixaxis wireless controller will introduce an entirely new way for gamers to enjoy our titles and give our development teams new, exciting ideas to bring unique features to our sports titles," said Thomas.

It was about three weeks ago that we brought you reports of IGN's test play of NBA 2k7, and how they said it roxxorz compared to its Xbox 360 incarnation. The problem is, we're telling it to you, and anybody who's ever shot hoops will tell 'ya that bragging about your perfect shot's one thing, but "Bringing it" to the court is another.

This time, we're bringing it. We've picked some game trailer vids of the NBA 2k7 port to the PS3, which should give you serious basketball fans out there something to say about this game's much-vaunted "Signature Style" game feature, and how this affects the gameplay physics.

The videos we've included are two stadium matches: the Orlando Magics vs. the Washington Wizards, and the Miami Heats vs. the New Jersey Nets. The third video's a typical streetball 2-on-2. Well, everybody hates long intermission, so here're the videos. Just remember to spot your favorite players here and let us know.



More NBA 2K7 videos after the jump!

IGN recently had the chance to shoot virtual hoops with the ballers of NBA 2K7 with a PS3 test unit, and they simply had this to say about the game: "...if you thought you were watching a real game on the 360, just wait till you see it on the PS3." Also, the PS3 game won't simply be a port of the 360 version, the next-gen console's version will have so much more than what the game currently offers with the 360.

Aside from the visuals though, the site's preview covers a lot of other game elements such as AI, gameplay upgrades, how the tilt controller will be used to shoot hoops, and also how the online play will be integrated into the game just in time for the title's release. We won't bore with you grueling details so we'll just give you important snippets from the preview:

- a lot of shot animations added in the post and new gameplay upgrades.
- the team from Visual Concepts put in extra time in the motion capture studios to enhance the realism on the court.
- the computational power of the system is being used to enhance a large number of the standard features that the game is known for.
- shooting free throws will be done by tilting the controller back and then leaning it forward. This can be done with minor movements, but you can also hold and tilt the controller as you would hold an actual basketball.
- you can also throw off free throw shots by shaking their controller whenever the other team steps up to the line, thus shaking the screen in an attempt to throw the timing of the shot off.
- the PS3 renders pixels gives the game a richer appearance than the 360 version, making the game look more organic and life-like.

Read on to read the full preview of NBA 2K7.

2k Sports recently announced that "Dan the Automator presents 2K7", the soundtrack for NBA 2K7 is now available in stores across North America. The 12 track album features the musical rhymes of Fabolous, Most Def, Ghostface, E-40, and a special remix of "Lyrics to Go", the classic hit by A Tribe Called Quest.

Some of the tracks in the album are: Dan the Automator - Intro, A Tribe Called Quest - Lyrics to Go (Dan the Automator Remix), Fabolous - Ball Til You Fall, and Mos Def & Anwar Superstar - Here Comes The Champ. I did say it was a twelve track thing so there are probably more tracks than what we have mentioned.

Basketball meets hip hop again. Yay!

Anyway, here's what The Automator had to say: "It's cool to work on NBA 2K7 with 2K Sports. They have consistently made the best hoops video game and produced by far the most diverse and representative video game soundtracks. Basketball is a global sport and I wanted to represent that universal appeal by bringing together an eclectic mix of artists for NBA 2K7."

The fun bit here is that in addition to producing the soundtrack, Dan "the Automator" Nakamura will appear in NBA 2K7 as a playable character. Other artists from the soundtrack will make an appearance as well. Gee, I wonder how Fabolous' "signature style" will look.