Consoles and PC's have had a slow month interms of new AAA quality games arriving for your respected platform. While January got off to a slow start, it quickly recovered to bring us high quality tittles through digital distribution. Plenty of great downloadable arcade tittles were made available through XBLA, PSN and Steam, giving us many hidden gems on the digital marketplace. Let's look back at the games we reviewed over the past month.  

"Basketball is my favorite sport, I love the way they dribble up and down the court." Every time I turn on my Xbox 360 and boot up NBA 2K12, I absolutely love hearing that song. Yes, I'm a lifelong basketball fan, and yes, I can name each and every single player in that intro scene. Even though I'm an all around gamer at heart, I truly enjoy playing sports titles the most--as I'm an avid sports fan as well. And while I've forgiven the NBA for their incredibly petchulant ways this past offseason, NBA2K12 was what keep my interest piqued. So, while NBA 2K12 is still fresh on my mind, I want to make some predictions/suggestions for 2KGames as we inch closer to NBA 2K13 later this year.

Up until about late last year, basketball fans were worried that the NBA lockout, which lasted about half a year, was going to doom the forthcoming season.  However, following a last second meeting, both sides eventually came to an agreement, and though we've got a shorter season than expected, NBA games have finally returned.  And 2K Sports is tributing the return of the players, coaches and everyone else with their own special video, comprised of clips from its hit basketball game NBA 2K12.

NBA 2K12 cover athlete and Legend Magic Johnson is now part of the ABC and ESPN pregame shows for the 2011-12 NBA season. With the lockout over and the shortened schedule in full swing with the Christmas Day tip-off, Johnson breaks down the New York Knicks and Sacramento Kings and offers his teams to watch for the new season. Gamers can play as Magic in NBA 2K12 and the DLC, NBA Legends Showcase.

Magic Johnson is one of the cover athletes for 2K Sports NBA 2K12 game as well as a playable legend in both the game and the recent Legends Showcase DLC. Johnson is also taking a major role in ABC and ESPN pregame NBA shows this season, starting with the Christmas Day tip-off. Johnson took some time to talk about the new Clippers Lakers rivalry and what impact the big trades like Chris Paul and Lamar Odom will have on the two home teams that share the Staples Center in Los Angeles.

The holiday season is officially upon us at sundown tonight. Children will be gathered around their Channukah menorahs, spinning their dreidels, eating potato latkes--and inviting their gentile friends to partake in the traditions that were so foreign and interesting in elementary school--at least that's what the kids told me back then.Then, a few days later that naughty or nice list will be coming into play as kids all over the world run down the stairs to see if the red-sutied cookie monster aka Santa Claus has brought them some amazing gifts. Gamers though--what do we want for all the holidays? Isn't it obvious--GAMES. We're going to give you oblivious gift-seekers five games to run to the stores to sweep up for the gamer in your life featuring NBA 2K12, among others.

2K Sports is keeping busy these days. With blockbuster trades like New Orleans Hornets NBA All-Star Chris Paul going to the Los Angeles Clippers, gamers will be able to get all of the new rookies and player movement in regular updates for NBA 2K12. The development team at Visual Concepts is posting daily updates with player movement and has included a 66-game abbreviated schedule for those who want to simulate the post-lockout 2011-12 season.