NBA 2K Playgrounds 2

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. Plus, those who played the original are sure to appreciate its additions and refined visuals.

NBA 2K Playgrounds 2 is an extremely fun and competitive game at its core, and with the publisher’s history of terrible microtransactions, it’s good to see a basketball game that’s easy to pick up and enjoy without having to spend money. The game is generous with its in game currency which makes playing the game very rewarding, especially if you invest time in the game’s improved Season Mode. If you’re looking for a slightly silly, competitive basketball game to play online, this is definitely for you.

Fun, old school gameplay with over the top action, beautiful dunks and awesome power-ups. The game has quite a lot of content to offer and is a lot of fun to play with other people. Because you need to have two players from one same team in order to properly begin playing NBA 2K Playgrounds 2 (players are handed out at random), the game gets off to a slow start. A drawback is the micro transaction heavy online multiplayer which dampens the fun, but nevertheless NBA 2K Playgrounds 2 is a very fun game to play.

NBA Playgrounds 2 can only be described as a sincere effort to take what made those legendary games of the past work in a contemporary context. It just simply doesn’t have the variety of modes one would expect from a game like this. However, almost every other department is full of new ideas that have applied with precision. At half the price of a retail game, NBA Playgrounds 2 is worth the investment, if only to see what the team at 2K can do with a third chance at bat to possibly deliver a generational party game.

NBA 2K Playgrounds 2 adds depth to both the solo and multiplayer modes. Season mode improves the card collecting loop and Playgrounds Championship introduces ranked play for competitive users. The 2v2 basketball gameplay perhaps feels a bit too familiar but it’s refined in welcome ways. Pick-up-and-play arcade basketball is, thankfully, still alive and well.

NBA 2K Playgrounds 2 offers an arcade basketball experience that's both fun and simple, with fluid gameplay and some over-the-top movements that really stand out when playing.

Saber Interactive has almost reached the level that NBA fans deserve in this arcade game, with more playable depth and hundreds of players. Despite its lack of offline modes, NBA 2K Playgrounds 2 is a solid alternative for casual basketball fans.

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.

2-vs-2 arcade basket which is a way better experience that the same found in the first entry of NBA Playgrounds.

This sequel is a step forward in pretty much every aspect. It is a very good option if you want to play with friends, although you’ll feel it falls a little bit short when it comes to single player content.

If ever there was a game that could be boosted by an instant replay feature, it's NBA Playgrounds 2. There are times when you pull off a completely over-the-top slam, and having the option to watch it over from different angles would be fun.

NBA 2K Playgrounds jumps in the right direction to occupy the throne of NBA Jam. In one year, Saber Interactive has managed to improve the designs of his big head players and controls in order to reach a bigger audience looking for fun. The game modes are limited, but Playgrounds 2 is a funny sport game to enjoy with friends and family. It’s a real shame that the game includes microtransactions.

NBA 2K Playgrounds 2 is a step forward gameplay wise... but it excessively relies on microtransactions.

NBA 2k is simple, fun and accessible, but there are things, as some players, not in the right place, and in a NBA you won't find these kinds of problems.

By improving upon the mechanics of the original and with 2K backing it up this time, NBA2K Playgrounds 2 is an overall improvement over the first game, but that doesn't mean there is no space for further improvements especially when it comes to online play and the number of available athletes.

Easy to learn and fun from the get-go, NBA 2K Playgrounds 2 feels like the rightful heir to NBA Jam, but the pay-to-win system needed to acquire all the players ruins the fun and make it more of a party-game than something you'll play for straight days.

NBA 2K Playgrounds 2 is somehow the next-gen NBA Jam fans were expecting with NBA Playgrounds: it’s a fun, easy-to-play, hard-to-master arcade game whose only flaw is a lack of game modes.

For the most part, NBA 2K Playgrounds 2 is an improvement on the original. The fun, over-the-top, and easy to understand gameplay returns and the online options make it a more complete package. However, while it should be the perfect game to pick up and play for a couple of matches, the player pack system means you need to grind a lot if you want to fill out your roster, unless you’re willing to part with some real-world cash.

NBA 2K Playgrounds 2 is starting to show its true potential. Few minor changes in the gameplay and more game modes could transform a good game in the true NBA Jam successor.

A fun game, too bad there are so many microtransactions.

Without any statistical tracking, limited number of players on the court and only a handful of modes, that this title won't have quite the shelf life for me that a more involved simulation game like NBA 2K19.

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.

With 2K, I hoped that Playgrounds 2 will be the street-ball game that we all waited for. Except for bringing some new players into the game and implementing a customization system with their hated VC points, nothing of my wishes came true.

Despite the action on the court being fun, it's the looming frustrations of microtransactions that hinder player development and the overall appeal of the game.

A fun game with a little gameplay.

As an NBA Playgrounds apologist and lover of arcade sports sims, this game can only be characterized as a disappointment, and a frustrating one at that.

It completely destroyed the balance between playing time and credits earned with it, making it very difficult to unlock the entire roster in acceptable time.