ESPN Basketball 2004 (also known as NBA 2K4 if you’re nasty) brought the hardwood heat to the original Xbox with swagger, sweat, and slam dunks so ferocious your console might flinch. Released in 2003 by Visual Concepts, this was 2K’s answer to EA’s Live series—only smoother, smarter, and way more stylish.

This game flexed with killer player models, full ESPN presentation (complete with authentic overlays), and gameplay that actually respected your court IQ. IsoMotion let you break ankles like it was your part-time job, and the franchise mode? Deep enough to lose a weekend in.

Looking for retro games that still ball out decades later? Buy retro games on Retro Games eXchange and put some respect on the classics that paved the way for modern hoops sims.

1. Full ESPN broadcast integration for that TV-style realism
2. IsoMotion controls for buttery-smooth dribbling
3. Legendary presentation from the golden age of 2K

If you know, you know—this wasn’t just another basketball game. This was 2K getting cocky… and pulling it off.