With the release of NBA 2K13 just around the corner, 2K Sports has released new screen shots and more information on the brand new, and innovative control system.

2K Sports essentially perfected the basketball experience with NBA 2K12. With NBA 2K13, in order to stay fresh, 2K has introduced a brand new control scheme that allows the player full control of your favorite NBA Superstars. With the new one-on-one motion, 2K has taken away the usual right stick as just the shot stick and given you the full ability to control not only player movement but the way the ball moves with your player by using the left and right sticks to control every aspect of your character.

In previous years of NBA 2K, the ability for the defender to stay with the ball-handler was sometimes messy and complicated, the constant requirement of holding down the left-trigger and attempting to keep up with the handler while they dribble between their legs and behind their back. With 2K13 they’re introducing a new control system where, again, you have to hold down the left-trigger, but with the simple flick of the right-stick, either left or right, you’re able to push the handler in the direction you want them to go, only when they haven’t beaten you off the dribble. You know, kind of like in real life.

With the release of this new game-play video, 2K has also released new screenshots of Blake Griffin laying down monster-dunks, Kevin Durant doing his thing and Derrick Rose dribbling.

Here’s to hoping video game Blake doesn’t blow his knee out like real Blake.

Kevin Durant, still butt-hurt that LeBron won.

This will be the only way Bulls fans will see Rose till his blown out knee heals.

With the new screenshots, 2K has definitely stepped up their already crystal clear and almost life-like graphics. In 2K12, the recreation of over 50 classic superstars, including Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlin, Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, and Oscar Robertson was an astounding feat, and in 2K11 the Jordan Challenge is easily one of the most fun, yet frustrating challenges to ever grace video games. Unlike in 2K12, which the ability to unlock all the great teams was quite simple, the idea in 2K11 was that you could complete the Jordan Challenges and unlock all the great Chicago Bulls teams of the ’90s and their opponents that they subsequently vanquished. This was such a task, because, even though it was a video game, the things that Michael Jordan did in his career were beyond video games making some of the feats you had to accomplish damn near impossible.

Aside from that, there hasn’t been any info on whether or not there will be any classic modes in this installment of 2K. There will however be an All-Star weekend mode which features a dunk competition that plays a lot like “Guitar Hero,” where you  hit specific button combos to continue the predetermined dunk.

With the new controls 2K has to offer, the ability to  pass the ball has changed a lot also. Again, With the right and left stick, depending on how you’re positioned, you will be able to dictate in which direction you’re passing, this allows for more “thread the needle” type passes, something almost impossible in previous installments of NBA 2K. Spacing the floor, much like in real basketball, is key in this game, as well as play calling which has come to the forefront. NBA 2K13 hopes to be just another notch in 2K sports already ingenious and front-running catalog.

NBA 2K13 is scheduled for an October 2 release. Check back with us at hefferbrew.com for more up to date details and information regarding 2K products.