NBA 2K Playgrounds 2

About

"NBA 2K Playgrounds 2" is a basketball video game with arcade-style gameplay. It features over 300 current and retired NBA players, as well as new playgrounds and game modes. Players can compete in 2-on-2 matches, both online and offline, and customize their teams with unique skills and attributes. It's a fun and energetic take on basketball gaming, with a variety of ways to play and win.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Local Multi-Player Play with friends in the same physical space using split-screen or multiple screens
2-Players Play with one other player, either online or locally, in a cooperative or competitive game mode
Multi-Player Compete or cooperate with other players online
Co-Op Team up with friends to complete levels or missions together
Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo
PvP Player versus Player - Fight against other players in real-time, often in arena-style combat
Split Screen Play with multiple players on the same screen, often with divided or shared screen real estate

83%

Audience ScoreBased on 849 reviews

gameplay27 positive mentions

grinding46 negative mentions

Fun, smooth, and easy to grasp gameplay that offers plenty of opportunity for the spectacular.
Beefed up online options make it a more complete package than last year’s game.
Caricatured players and unique courts are really well designed.

Player pack unlock system requires grinding, pointing you towards microtransactions.
The game lacks enough variety in modes and feels repetitive.
The AI can be frustratingly overpowered, making the game feel unbalanced.

gameplay
56 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
48%
46%
5%
Gameplay reviews highlight a mix of enjoyment and frustration; while many players appreciate the fun, smooth mechanics and engaging multiplayer options, others criticize clunky controls, a challenging shooting system, and the grind to unlock characters. The game is often compared to classic titles like NBA Jam, with some praising its arcade-style fun, but concerns about microtransactions and AI difficulty persist. Overall, the gameplay is seen as entertaining but marred by issues that can detract from the experience.
- “Outstanding gameplay”
- “Very fun gameplay, tight controls, love the art style, great to play with friends”
- “The fun, over-the-top, and easy to understand gameplay returns and the online options make it a more complete package.”
- “If you're not willing to pay more after buying the game then you have to grind with your crappy 5 players you slowly unlock better players at a snail's pace, and that means playing this bad gameplay; where passing is disjointed; shots are release timing and percentage-based and nothing is satisfying or entertaining in any way.”
- “The gameplay is like a mobile game, the CPU cheats like crazy when it wants to, you'll miss 3 85% dunks in a row, while the CPU gives itself extra points for laughs.”
- “Unfortunately, the actual gameplay just doesn't justify such an extravagant ecosystem wrapper, so only real NBA and collector fans will see the appeal in potentially putting more cash down for the best players.”
grinding
48 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
2%
2%
96%
The reviews highlight that while the game can be enjoyable, it is heavily criticized for its excessive grinding required to unlock players and progress, often leading to frustration. Many players feel that the grind detracts from the overall fun and experience, with some resorting to microtransactions to bypass the lengthy process. Overall, the consensus is that the grinding aspect is a significant drawback, overshadowing the game's potential enjoyment.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “The amount of grinding is absurd, makes the game not fun, and ruins what could be a pretty fun arcade style basketball game.”
- “I cannot recommend this game in any way, shape or form, unless you enjoy grinding endlessly for in-game currency for anemic drop chance boosters, or handing over more money.”
- “If you want to be reminded what is wrong with games of today, purchase this game and constantly be reminded that all of the characters require extensive grinding and/or pay-to-play, microtransactions, pay walls to overcome.”
graphics
33 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
61%
30%
9%
The graphics in the game are widely praised for their vibrant, arcade-style visuals and well-designed player models that resemble their real-life counterparts. Many reviewers appreciate the blend of old-school charm with modern graphics, noting that the visuals enhance the overall fun and gameplay experience. However, some criticism arises regarding clunky game mechanics, which detracts from the otherwise strong graphical presentation.
- “The visuals look great, the models are great caricatures of their real-life counterparts.”
- “The graphics are great, the players look great, the mechanics are great.”
- “I love this game and the updated graphics are awesome.”
- “Nba Playgrounds 2 brings a lot of great improvements to the table with enhanced gameplay mechanics and visuals, but the package is brought down by unnecessary, backward changes.”
- “The graphics are good but game mechanics are clunky, and it doesn't let you customize your controller.”
- “Hey you, yeah you, are you thinking this is NBA Hangtime/Jam remake in modern graphics?”
monetization
24 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
71%
13%
The monetization in the game features a mix of microtransactions and paywalls, requiring players to either grind extensively or spend money to unlock characters and content. While some users found the monetization less aggressive than expected, many expressed frustration with the reliance on in-game purchases, which detracts from the overall experience. Overall, the game offers a fun experience but is marred by its monetization strategies.
- “The monetization isn't as bad as I thought either.”
- “The way to go for me was to buy it on sale and make the in-game purchase to unlock all players.”
- “While the introduction of microtransactions is hardly surprising considering the history of its new publisher, they don’t hit NBA 2K Playgrounds 2 as hard as one might expect.”
- “If you want to be reminded what is wrong with games today, purchase this game and constantly be reminded that all of the characters require extensive grinding and/or pay-to-play, microtransactions, and paywalls to overcome.”
- “The game is bigger and more fun; however, it does try to rip you off with in-game purchases.”
- “The title sticks with last year's established formula too much and doubles down on the microtransaction aspects while it's at it.”
humor
13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is widely praised for its cartoonish and entertaining moments, making it a fun experience, especially when played with friends. Players appreciate the lightheartedness and comedic elements, which contribute to a relaxing and enjoyable gaming session. Comparisons to classic titles like NBA Hangtime highlight the game's engaging character editor and trivia, further enhancing its humorous appeal.
- “Very good arcade streetball with funny moments, power-ups, and our G.O.A.T.s.”
- “This game is so fun and hilarious.”
- “It's pretty cool and fun to play with friends - anyway, if you start loving it, go and get NBA Hangtime 64 (a N64 predecessor) ~ no micropayments but a cool character editor, better humor, and 25-year-old trivia questions at the end of each game!”
stability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
75%
The game is generally stable, running well at 60fps on the Steam Deck, though some users report minor bugs that do not significantly detract from the overall enjoyment.
- “Playing at 60fps on Steam Deck and runs great.”
- “The game is a little buggy but still enjoyable.”
- “The game has frequent crashes that disrupt the experience.”
- “I encountered several glitches that made it hard to progress.”
optimization
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The game is noted for its stability and effective optimization, ensuring a smooth performance for players.
- “It is stable and optimized well.”
- “It is stable and optimized well.”
story
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
Reviewers criticize the lack of a compelling storyline in 2K's games, noting a shift away from the engaging narratives and character customization found in earlier titles. Instead, players feel pressured to engage in local or online matches, with an emphasis on micro-transactions overshadowing the gaming experience.
- “Unlike the old street games, there is no storyline or rise to the top or custom character creation, so you are forced to play local matches with friends and the CPU or online.”
- “2K's obsession with becoming Electronic Arts and filling their storyless games with forced microtransactions.”
replayability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The game's replayability is enhanced by a larger roster of playable characters compared to its predecessor, allowing for diverse competitive play and encouraging players to explore different strategies and matchups.
- “Many more players were in the first game, and many more players were playable competitively.”