NBA Playgrounds Reviews
Playgrounds does alright for itself coming off the bench, hopefully we see Saber continue to refine this and perhaps we'll see some kind of semi-annualized franchise here that gets progressively better.
NBA Playgrounds isn't as deep as NBA Street or as beautifully simple as NBA Jam, but the gameplay is still well paced and the controls are still tight. It mixes this gameplay with cartoonish qualities and a retro style that fits an arcade basketball game, and earning new packs of random players is always rewarding. That said, I've taken some bad beats from the random power-ups system, and the online options are slimmer than I'd like. But as long as Saber Interactive delivers on its post-release updates, Playgrounds will have enough going for it to keep me coming back for more.
Plus, it allows me to play out my dream scenario of "Kristaps Porzingas being teamed up with someone halfway decent," so that's exciting.
If there's never another arcade-style hoops title for Switch, then Playgrounds certainly meets my bare-minimum needs. It could have been so much more though, and as such I'm hoping Saber Interactive comes back with a fleshed-out second attempt (maybe another sport?) sometime down the road. In the meantime, Playgrounds delivers the outrageous exhibitions you're looking for - just don't expect it to provide much else.
The debut installment of NBA Playgrounds gets the fundamentals right, but fails to impress elsewhere. From the shockingly feature poor online play to a single-player campaign that can be completed in a few hours, there just isn't enough content to support the gameplay. It's exciting to think about what a potential sequel could offer, but what's currently being sold is a good, but definitely not great, arcade game that doesn't manage to outdo its fantastic predecessors.
NBA Playgrounds is a slightly less flashy, but more skillful version of NBA Jam that should keep fans of the formula very happy. A must buy for party gamers everywhere.
This is a fully licensed two-on-two NBA arcade title that does most things right. It'll be interesting to see what's in store for fans of the game via updates, patches, and DLC.
... the apparent lack of content paired with the difficulty spike in the solo Tournament mode means NBA Playgrounds is just two big steps away from being a great game. Right now, it’s merely pretty good.
Saber Interactive's NBA Jam-a-like delivers monster dunks and a novel leveling system that enables this high-flying sports game to leap over at least some of its flaws.
NBA Playground feels straight out of the 90s arcade scene, with crazy maneuvers, and fast-paced two-on-two NBA action. The dueling commentators do make the occasional cringe worthy joke, that sadly will get repeated throughout the match based on the players competing. Saber has proven they are willing to improve the online experience and with regular content updates, NBA Playgrounds could keep fans clamoring for this type of arcade sports game playing for quite some time.
The handful of complaints I have about NBA Playgrounds don't really take away from fun this game offers as a whole. There's definitely good times to be had, the progression system is worthwhile, and online can be incredibly competitive despite the potential for connection issues. NBA Playgrounds is the new king of the cartoon court, even if there isn't much competition anymore.
NBA Playgrounds is a flawed game, but a fun one. Single player modes are playable but can feel like a bit of a slog for all but the most hardcore fans. Multiplayer fares much better, delivering an enjoyable local multiplayer experience that we're hopeful can be recreated well online. If you're thinking of picking this one up, then, we recommend you do your homework and proceed with caution; perhaps wait until the online multiplayer is live, too.
Fun on short bursts but plagued with little flaws that makes the game less funny than it should have been.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
NBA Playgrounds aims to bring the best elements of NBA Jam into the modern era of basketball, but falls short in some areas. The core of the high-octane gameplay is there, but it's not enough to push past all of the game's shortcomings.
NBA Jam is revived in this spiritual successor, though not everything's quite as you remember it...
Keeps the nostalgic feel to the game type we're familiar with while adding its own flair to it.
NBA Playgrounds holds it's own in the world of arcade basketball. It's challenging and very fun. Some gameplay could be tweaked and the addition of 4 players to it's online mode would really make NBA Playgrounds shine. As is, expect to have a blast playing as your favorite NBA players from yesterday and today.
As a spiritual successor to NBA Jam, NBA Playgrounds really does a great job of recreating that zany arcade feeling of streetball two versus two action. As a huge fan of the genre who recalls dropping a lot of quarters into the NBA Jam arcade cabinet when I was younger, I am the target audience for this title. The slick visuals and over-the-top action are a lot of fun, but some inconsistencies in the gameplay and a lack of depth limit this to title to a status of fun filler of must-play hoops action.
Even if Playgrounds' single-player mode lacks the unbridled merriment that makes multiplayer so enjoyable, finally getting the upper hand in a tournament is rewarding and exciting in its own way. But even at its best, Playgrounds doesn't offer enough variety to keep you engaged for long.