NBA 2K Playgrounds 2 Reviews
Starting with the positives the game absolutely looks great, has a ridiculous roster of players (including the likes of Michael Jordan), and features all sorts of preposterous on-court moves and dunks...
NBA 2K Playgrounds 2 is a great game for anyone who loves over-the-top arcade basketball games. It is great fun even though it's a grind without using microtransactions.
Review in Dutch | Read full review
A clear improvement over its predecessor. Looks better and plays better too.
NBA 2K Playgrounds is a simple, yet very enjoyable sports game, focused primarily on multiplayer. There's fun to be had in singleplayer, just don't expect it to measure up to the more serious basketball video games.
Review in Slovak | Read full review
NBA 2K Playgrounds 2 takes all the arcadey elements from the classic fireball that was NBA Jam and added in a couple of improvements that can really get you hooked on the high-flying, gravity-defying, slam dunking action!
NBA 2K Playgrounds 2 is the perfect antidote to the realness of NBA 2K19. It’s fast, simple and easy to get into. You’ll have a great time playing alone or with friends and the game never stops being a fun time.
While the first title was a great start for a genre long forgotten, NBA 2K Playgrounds 2 fell into the modern day trap of microtransaction schemes. A shame considering it's a solid game, accessible for all, and visually correct on all consoles with an upgrade to its multiplayer mode.
Enjoy basketball for arcade lovers
Review in Turkish | Read full review
I immediately wanted to invite some friends around so I had an excuse to bring out Playgrounds 2. It’s a lot of fun, but it’s also difficult to sustain lengthy sessions of play by yourself when there’s not much more than three different modes to cycle through. It’s a decent game that ultimately suffers from a lack of content, and for that, the game stumbles before the finish line, unfortunately. While I’d recommend giving it a look, especially if you loved NBA Jam back in the day, it’s also something you could sleep on for a while before giving it a shot.
This whole ordeal has left a very bad taste in my mouth – in fact, it has put me off NBA 2K Playgrounds 2 in a big way
NBA 2K Playgrounds 2 is an excellent arcade style Basketball game that is hauled down by soul crushing microtransactions that tip the gameplay.
NBA 2K Playgrounds 2 is a great improvement over the first game, and the addition of the ‘Season Mode’ adds that extra layer of fun. Mechanically, the game remains a classic arcade experience, with a sprinkling of difficulty, just enough to make things interesting.
In all NBA 2k Playgrounds 2 lacks some of the simplicity of NBA Jam but more than holds its own with added features, an addictive gameplay loop and a fun, cartoonish presentation style. The microtransactions are the only downer in what is otherwise a stellar bit of arcade fun, one that should be enjoyed by anyone that has regular game nights with friends.
NBA 2K Playgrounds 2 features many gameplay improvements over the original, and a deeper roster of superstar players thanks to the 2K umbrella, but unfortunately the experience is marred by the return of loot boxes that dictate which players you can even use.
Arcade sports games aren't as plentiful as they once were so the fact that NBA 2K Playgrounds 2 is as enjoyable as it is speaks volumes for what the genre is capable of.
In the end, NBA 2K Playgrounds 2 is a fun game that may not excel from a gameplay standpoint, but its fun arcade action that has become rare in the genre. Basketball and sports fans would enjoy Playgrounds 2 if it weren't for the grindy implementation of card packs and in-game purchases.
A fun game that you can play alone or with your friends. But high price and micro payments are surely annoying.
Review in Turkish | Read full review
Despite the addition of four-player online games, improved matchmaking, head-to-head three-point contests, new Season and Playgrounds Championship modes, all-new playgrounds, plus a roster of over 400 past and present NBA players, it's difficult to recommend NBA 2K Playgrounds 2. The title sticks with last year's established formula too much, and doubles down on the microtransactions aspects whilst it's at it. 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. Overall, Playgrounds 2 is lacklustre and feels too much like a mobile game franchise. It takes advantage of its audience and never offers enough satisfaction in return for the money, or the grind sessions. Ultimately, NBA 2K Playgrounds 2 is a bad game, and certainly no spiritual successor. Stick with NBA 2K19 or NBA Jam itself.
Next arcade basketball with crazy gameplay. Playgrounds 2 is more fun than first game and good choice for LAN party.
Review in Slovak | Read full review
With NBA Jam On-Fire Edition being horribly outdated and the original Playgrounds recently delisted, NBA 2K Playgrounds 2 is the go-to-choice for arcade NBA basketball by default.