NBA 2K’s Jordan Challenge returns in NBA 2K23

polygon.com:

NBA 2K23 launches Sept. 9 and it will bring back The Jordan Challenge, an extremely popular mode that nonetheless has made just one appearance, 12 years ago in 2K Sports’ landmark NBA 2K11.

The Jordan Challenge — which tasks players with re-creating or bettering some of Michael Jordan’s greatest NBA performances — will include 15 games in NBA 2K23; NBA 2K11 had 10. A news release on Tuesday said the revived mode will include “unique video vignettes that come with special commentary from an array of NBA luminaries.”

Jordan will star on the cover of two special editions of NBA 2K23: the Michael Jordan Edition and the Championship Edition. Jordan appeared on the main cover of NBA 2K11 and NBA 2K12, as well as that of the Michael Jordan Special Editionof NBA 2K16.

The first Jordan Challenge, in a game made for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and PCs of the day, put players in the shoes of His Airness for 10 milestone games that highlighted his professional career. These included signature moments like the “Flu Game” in the 1997 NBA Finals, and his 69-point performance against Cleveland (combining with teammate Stacey King for 70, of course) in 1990.

It was followed by NBA 2K12, which offered a more expansive mode called NBA’s Greatest, which starred several classic teams and Hall of Fame players who have appeared in the game’s roster file ever since. But neither mode, which included graphics, presentation, and commentary reflecting the period, ever returned, despite their appeal and long-running community demand.

Jordan’s two special editions will be accompanied by a third, the NBA 2K23 WNBA Edition, which will feature Seattle’s Sue Bird and Phoenix’s Diana Taurasi, both of whom are multiple WNBA champions and Olympic gold