NBA The Run Reviews
NBA The Run plays more like a distant descendant of the NBA Street series than a successor, which isn’t a bad thing.
NBA The Run does its best to make up for what it lacks with a high attention to detail that makes it easy to see the love for streetball culture.
Play by Play Studios' arcade basketball game delivers a strong highlight reel when you're playing with friends.
NBA THE RUN aims to bring the nostalgia of NBA Street to modern gamers with a battle royale twist. But does it deliver or fall flat?
NBA The Run plays a fast and fun game of basketball, but there's not a great deal of depth to keep you coming back time and time again.
As much as I hoped that NBA The Run was going to rekindle that magic from the early NBA Street days, I am sad to say that it just fumbles the ball.
NBA The Run is a fast and fun take on the sport, capturing the arcade energy of its influences.
NBA The Run is decently paced and visually striking. It also forces an online-only connection, suffers from poor camera angle choices, and is an immense progression grind.
NBA: The Run succeeds as a focused arcade alternative to sports sims, even if some rough edges hold it back from greatness.
NBA The Run belongs to the category of unrealistic, but all the more fun titles. It is built on famous players from the overseas league and short sessions, where you either lose and start over, or win a victory in a micro-tournament. You will not find other game modes here, and the absence of local cooperation and the obligation to have a subscription to online services on consoles are also very frustrating.
Review in Slovak | Read full review
NBA THE RUN feels like a modern version of NBA Streets, and I mean that as a compliment. It has a great arcade gameplay, a curated roster of both street legends and NBA stars, but also some impressive courts. The games are short, but intense, and you’ll find yourself trying to attempt some more.
Take your favorite NBA stars to streetball courts worldwide in this fast-paced 3v3 experience that nails arcade basketball fun. That’s the TBB Curator blurb and it’s accurate about what the game is at its best — but the “nails it” framing needs the launch caveat attached. NBA THE RUN has the visual identity, the licensed talent, the rollback netcode, and the defensive design to be the arcade basketball game the genre has been missing. It does not currently have the offline content, tutorial, keybind support, or camera options its price point should include. The community consensus aligns with that tension: people who went in with the right expectations — competitive online 3v3 arcade basketball with friends — are largely having a great time. People who went in expecting NBA Street, solo content, or a game that fully explains itself on day one are bouncing off. Both reactions are fair given what launched. If you have people to play with and can live with the current rough edges while the roadmap plays out, NBA THE RUN is worth the money. The Summer Heat Season update is already confirmed, and the bones here are good enough that a few solid content updates could meaningfully shift the recommendation. At $29.99, it’s a conditional buy now and potentially an easier one later.
All in all, NBA The Run is a solid entry to a genre that needed a revival. The Streetball league needs love from its glory days and it could very well be this title if the right moves and love is shown to it. Right now, it doesn’t provide enough or have enough to really justify the purchase beyond huge fans of the game. I would say give this a little time to cook or get it on sale.
NBA THE RUN successfully brings street basketball back into the spotlight. Fast-paced gameplay, responsive controls and addictive online competition make it a worthy successor to the arcade classics.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
NBA The Run succeeds in delivering fast-paced gameplay and a concept reminiscent of the great basketball arcades of the past. The problem is that the experience stops there. The lack of offline modes, the scarcity of content, and a progression system that feels unrewarding make the game lose steam quickly—especially for those planning to play solo.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
NBA The Run succeeds where many sports games fail by offering a fun experience. Its accessible controls, fast-paced matches, and excellent atmosphere help recapture some of the magic of the classic arcade basketball games of yesteryear. Not to mention that the online community is, for now, quite enjoyable. Unfortunately, the lack of game modes and the heavy reliance on multiplayer prevent the game from reaching its full potential. Players who love online competition will likely find plenty to enjoy for several weeks. Others, however, may realize fairly quickly that they’ve already seen most of what the game has to offer.
Review in French | Read full review
NBA THE RUN is exactly the kind of game arcade basketball fans have been waiting for for years. It recaptures the spirit of NBA Street without trying to directly compete with NBA 2K and creates its own identity based on accessible gameplay, quick matches, and an extremely solid online experience.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
There is no doubt about it, NBA The Run is fun, but I do believe in its current state that replayability and longevity have limited scope. If you’re someone who doesn’t like to engage in online competitive multiplayer, then this won’t be your bag. For hardcore basketball fans, though, you’ll likely love it, and the 3v3 aspect makes it so easy to jump into with friends. Short, snappy matches which are fluid, fun and fast make it a very appealing game. Time will only tell how it carries itself over time with the player base. That said, the developers are listening to feedback and no doubt there will be plenty of additions and tweaks in the future as long as there is demand
NBA The Run is just a fun arcade basketball game and we've been itching for a new one for a while. There's room for improvement for sure and the developer is already looking into adding more modes.
NBA The Run is a fun game that’s hampered by stick-thin features. If you can gather some friends who don’t mind spending $30 for a single mode, you’ll have a fun time. Set up a private lobby, let the AI fill in as needed, and have yourself a ball. However, if you’re going into the experience solo, or with two other buds hoping to conquer an online bracket, I must advise against it. The gameplay is terrific, and I have no doubt future iterations (should Play by Play Studios greenlight a sequel) will only improve on this foundation. But NBA The Run, as presently constructed, just doesn’t have the roster depth needed to go the distance. The bright side: There’s always next year.