So if you had a basketball game that is consistently one of the biggest sports games every year, would you take your foot off the gas? Well NBA 2K13, executively produced by Jay-Z, certainly hasn’t.

Jay-Z definitely was looking to keep improving on the already fantastic elements of NBA 2K13.

No game has ever brought style, presentation, and sport together like 2K. You notice this as soon as you pop in the game – where basketball and music videos mesh into a gripping intro.

It doesn’t stop there. Having a great music artist like Jay-Z definitely brought the soundtrack back to life. The soundtrack features many “pump-up” style songs that will make you want to jump right into the game.

The first time you hop in a game, you’ll find that the right control stick is no longer just for shooting. Now it’s also used for seamlessly stringing together dribble moves like a true floor general. For most veterans of NBA2k games, this is really frustrating at first. But it’s not as if you can’t play the game without mastering them – but don’t worry, it only takes a few hours to get used to.

2K really addressed all the qualms about the realism of the games. The realism that Jay-Z has brought to this game is really a slam-dunk.

In a full-body contact sport, physics is important, and Jay-Z didn’t disappoint with his physics facelift. Contact between players is now almost truly realistic. This is most noticeable when fouling someone driving hard to the basket. JJ Barea is no longer stopping LeBron at the rim. Even better? No two contact dunks look the same – from the dunk itself, to where the player flies after getting hit, to the emotion the player shows after making or missing the bucket.

The speed difference between guards and bigs are now easily recognizable – the Gasol brothers can no longer keep up with CP3. Mismatching players caught in a switch is now efficient. Guards can now more easily drive past bigger defenders. Centers are no longer stealing the ball from your point guards. Passing control is smoother and can actually be relied upon to move the ball without accidentally lobbing the ball across the court now.

The “speed kills” philosophy that many NBA teams hold is now shown as well. The games are at a faster pace, and the CPU knows when to push the basketball – you’re going to be sprinting back on defense.

Finally, the “signature skills” is the unnecessary buzzer-beater we all take – even if we’re up by 40. Ray Allen’s got his quick trigger. Wade is truly like the flash in the air. Nash has his signature spot up abilities. It can’t get much more real.

Overall, 2K and Jay-Z have really stepped it up on 2K13, even when they could have just coasted by. They’ve upped the presentation and style while addressing all the realistic qualms that the fans have been demanding.

This could be the best sports game of all time, definitely worth the upgrade from any of the older games.