NBA Playgrounds Reviews
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 good modern take on the old-school arcade basketball game genre. It brings enough new ideas to the court to keep things feeling fresh, but at heart, it still retains the charm and accessibility that made NBA Jam such a beloved franchise. There are a few kicks with the shooting mechanics and rebounding is less than ideal, but the gameplay is strong enough in other areas to ensure it's still an overall slam dunk.
NBA Playgrounds scratches an itch I didn't know I had. Growing up in arcades I spent many a quarter on games like NBA Jam. Outside of the failed attempt by EA a few years back to resurrect the franchise, we really haven't had a good alternative. Playgrounds fills that void nicely, even with its shortcomings. Anyone wondering if it had to be the shoes would do well to check it out.
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 fun addition to the arcade basketball genre, especially on the Nintendo Switch. The game isn't without some flaws though. The AI is unfair and the shooting mechanics are very tough to master. Releasing the game without its online mode is also a strange choice. That being said, the game offers more than enough to allow fans of NBA Jam and NBA Street to have a good time. Let's just hope that Saber will soon fix the game's issues.
Review in French | Read full review
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.
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.
All gripes aside, I've had less fun with games that were full price.
NBA Playgrounds feels like an experiment to bring the arcade basketball style back into action. It might have an enjoyable gameplay system that is casual friendly but it lacks in content and gameplay modes, not to mention it is simply not fun to play against the dull A.I controlled opponents.
My one gripe with the game is that every now and then, the controls would feel off. I'd be playing and doing great, and then the opposing team would steal the ball and my player was way out there off screen and wouldn't run fast enough to defend. The blocking is also another issue since it didn't trigger properly even after I followed the instructions perfectly. Hopefully the game is patched soon to improve these two things.
NBA Playgrounds goes all in on the arcade style, the charisma and the fame power of the NBA stars, and it almost hits the jackpot. Some minor problems prevent the game from reaching its full potential, but if there's a sequel planned, there's a solid groundwork to begin with.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
With the latest update, NBA Playgrounds becomes an enjoyable arcade-style basketball game that is not as arcade-heavy as most of us thought it would be, but that is definitely a much, much better game than it was at launch. With the first massive patch out of the way, the game is probably going to get more patches for the rest of the year to add more players, more courts to play in, and hopefully, even more, improvements to the game's performance and resolution. If you want a basketball game to play at home or on the go, then you can certainly give this one a go.
NBA Playgrounds takes inspired elements from its predecessors and re-purposes them for the current generation. While it's far from perfect, the game's mechanical inconsistencies are easily outshined by its simplicity and precision. Not as beginner-friendly as expected, but addicting fun for the dedicated player.
NBA Playgrounds is fun, of that there is no doubt. It’s just that the fun doesn’t last all that long. After playing a few matches I simply had no motivation to have another without taking a break from it first. If you’re a huge basketball fan and you’re planning on playing a lot of local multiplayer, it’ll be far more appealing to you. If all you want is a game that will ease the itch for an over the top street basketball game in the same vein as NBA Jam then this will satisfy it somewhat. Just don’t expect it to become your favourite ever basketball game, because it has some way to go.
NBA Playgrounds were quite good game which will be able to tighten as the fans of serious simulation, and people who have never played virtual basketball at all. If you are not indifferent to arcade basketball, then this game is definitely worth your attention, but if you are an owner of Nintendo Switch, in the best case, you will have to wait for the next patches and fixes the above problems.
Review in Russian | Read full review
If you want a good couch co op game that you can have a couple of quick games with it’s perfect.
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.
If you like NBA Street and NBA Jam, you will enjoy NBA Playgrounds. Just be warned though, that unless you happen to be lucky with your location and can join random opponents in the online matchmaking, you are going to be playing this by yourself until future updates expand the game.
NBA Playgrounds is a game that is instantly playable - but the more you chip away at it, the more you're disappointed by the lack of content at release. It can be fantastic to pick up and play when you’re with a group of friends, but the lack of online multiplayer at launch means you’ll find yourself enjoying Playgrounds less and less very quickly.