NBA 2K26 Reviews
“Ball Over Everything” is a fitting description for NBA 2K26. The smooth on-court action is better than ever and MyCareer’s excellent started-from-the-bottom journey to the pros story make it so the imperfections are easier to ignore.
NBA 2K earns another year as the best annual sports game available.
NBA 2K26 on Switch 2 fails to deliver the 60fps gameplay we've all been holding out for. It also runs at a lower resolution than I would have expected, and its online modes, thanks to no cross-play or cross-progression are ghost towns.However, if this is your only platform, and if you are okay with 30fps, there is still a huge festival of basketball to enjoy here. This is a game packed full of fun modes, and it'll teach you everything you could ever need to know about the sport whilst giving you some fine on-court action to boot. Here's hoping for a patch down the line, but 2K26 comes off as a great game underperforming on Switch 2 at launch.
As a basketball game, NBA 2K26 is a spectacular title that couldn't be more: realism, many game modes, endless options to customize your experience... but it still has the same problem as always: microtransactions.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
NBA 2K26 is a good basketball game. It’s got a great on-court experience, and some of the rough edges have been sanded down. Still, issues that have existed for years persist. Philosophically, not a lot has changed. I’ve enjoyed my time with it more than I did 2K25 and 2K24, but I still yearn for a more well-rounded and fulfilling basketball experience.
NBA 2K26 offers interesting gameplay additions while improving its audiovisual capabilities. However, in terms of modes, it's still hampered by the usual issues. If you avoid its tedious systems and microtransactions, you'll find a good basketball game.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
NBA 2K26 remains the undisputed king of basketball games in a market with virtually no competition, sticking to its tried-and-true formula while polishing a few key aspects. We truly appreciated the improved on-court fluidity and the revamped shooting mechanics, as well as the solid structure of the career mode-though the reward system and the endless repetitive tasks don't always meet expectations.
Review in Italian | Read full review
NBA 2K26 is another small but significant step forward for the franchise. It has never felt better to play an NBA 2K game, thanks to on-court gameplay improvements and quality-of-life fixes off the court. There is so much content that you almost have to pick a lane and stay there, while microtransactions are positioned as a fix for the FOMO you'll inevitably feel ignoring one mode for another. But it's still easy to recommend NBA 2K26 to hoops fans.
Featuring improved graphics, enhanced realism and extended gameplay, NBA 2K26 once again proves itself to be the ultimate basketball video game and the best sports simulation across all consoles. As always, it is essential. However, this year's edition is arguably the most worthwhile release to date.
Review in French | Read full review
NBA 2K26 is an improved installment in both graphics and gameplay, both increasingly realistic and engaging. The wealth of modes is undeniable, as is the effort made to make My Career more narrative-driven, the host city more vibrant, and the challenges more tactical and interesting.
Review in Italian | Read full review
This year's NBA 2K opens with your MyPlayer character squaring up to cover athlete Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. He chooses a dream team comprising S...
2K has done an amazing job with this years instalment, adding new things and improving other's. Shooting feels amazing but Defence does need some tweaking. Also adding WNBA players to MyTeam, we come one step closer to Woman in MyCareer. Something that I think is more of a sooner then later addition.
Despite an unacceptable level of microtransactions, NBA 2K26's underlying fundamentals are improving, with a significant step forward on the court and admirable narrative attempts through Out of Bounds.
NBA 2K26 is the sports simulation we've known for years, with all its pros and cons: on one hand, the best basketball simulation ever created, with on-court realism that borders on perfection; on the other, an ecosystem that keeps leaning on microtransactions and a glut of content that doesn't always balance well with the pure experience. It's a technical masterpiece that constantly walks a tightrope between sport and business, between passion and profit. And yet, despite it all, it's impossible to let go: when the ball bounces, NBA 2K26 is still the king.
Review in Italian | Read full review
NBA 2K26 is -hands down- the best version of 2K possibly ever. The PlayPRO engine is leaps and bounds improved from 2K25, making for a wonderfully executed game backed by stellar presentation and AI powered strategy. There's so many ways to enjoy NBA 2K26, that both veterans and newbies to the series will fall in love. Just note certain modes favor microtransactions as the lone path to true success.
It’s always good to take to the court again, and that’s true once more with NBA 2K26. It is an excellent new addition to the franchise.
Even with longer load times and slightly lesser visuals, NBA 2K26 is a gigantic game packed with a ton of variety. You can shoot hoops in all sorts of ways. You can roleplay out your dreams of running an NBA team or try to carve out your path as a player, whether it's in the NBA or WNBA. Hopefully this is the start of another dynastic run for the series on Nintendo platforms, because what's here is great.
NBA 2K26 is a release that stands out from previous editions and is definitely the basketball game the current generation has been needing for a long time. There's still plenty of room for improvement, but the work and development demonstrated this year confirms that there are solid foundations that, with some commitment, will result in better experiences for fans.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
NBA 2K26 is a step forward for the beloved series. From the changes to the shooting system to improved animations and increased customization options, fans are in for a truly immersive basketball experience. If you're a fan of this exciting sport, don't miss out on this game.
Review in Persian | Read full review
Even for a laidback fan that has had very little experience with basketball games, it is easy to see the quality of NBA 2K26. Matches are end-to-end score fests that satisfy in both solo and multiplayer matches, but it can be an overwhelming experience for the newcomer. Dedication and patience are required to fully enjoy the depth on offer. Although the Switch 2 edition is comparatively less impressive in visuals and framerates as other versions, this is far from a massive issue for anyone keen for a top portable sports simulator. Sadly, the pay-to-win mechanics for online modes are a huge blight.