NBA 2K18

The ambition of bringing the whole NBA 2K experience to the Switch comes with some technical sacrifices, but if you're happy to choose portability over visuals, this version of NBA 2K18 offers everything you can ask for.

An excellent basketball game that still has to be polished to achieve the greatness of the PS4, Xbox One & PC versions.

As part of a wave of sports sims to be hitting the Switch right now, it's once again a great time to be a sports fan who just plays Nintendo systems, like me. Just like FIFA, WWE and the like, NBA's absence has been sorely felt by Nintendo fans, so you ought to go out and add this stellar entry to your shelves.

NBA 2k18 for Nintendo Switch is the result of the good work of Visual Concept. The differences in the gameplay with the major versions are tiny and the game is extremely enjoyable either in the portable mode and in the docked mode. There are few bugs, but they don't ruin the overall experience.

This year's entry is incredible in so many ways, from graphics, to soundtrack, to the different modes and ways to play hoops. It becomes clear early on that the fastest and easiest way to progress is by spending real money, slightly marring an otherwise tremendous experience.

The Switch version of NBA 2K18 is technically weaker than major counterparts. Nonetheless it looks great and stands out from the crowd by giving us the chance to play a great AAA simulation on the go.

Unlike with FIFA 18 you’ll get an almost complete package with NBA 2K18. Visually of course scaled down and with the “Neighborhood” as well as the story career confined to an online environment, Visual Concepts did their best to port the best basketball game on Nintendo’s hybrid system.

The Switch version of NBA 2K18 is a small big miracle, it's a pity that the 30 FPS hit the game veterans so hard.

The Switch version of NBA 2K18 is rough around the edges, but the strong collection of core modes that make the game a perennial contender from sports game of the year are all here. Despite the drop in graphical fidelity, connectivity headaches when in handheld mode, and barren online modes, you’ll have a hard time finding a better basketball sim experience.

NBA 2K18 is a strange beast, dishing up unrivaled gameplay on the court while seemingly leaving other areas unpolished and rushed out the door. If your primary goal is diving into MyCareer mode, it’s hard to recommend due to glaring issues that bog down the experience tenfold. On the other hand, if you’re looking to get into some of the other modes including online, NBA 2K18 does a great job of delivering a top notch experience.

Teased as a prime title for the demographic aimed at in the Nintendo Switch reveal trailer, NBA 2K18 achieves that goal of serviceable console play in the portable space, but with notable compromises. Questionable micro-transaction placement and downloadable requirements aside, NBA 2K18 is the truly authentic basketball experience, and a strong sign of things to come.

NBA 2K18 is a great basketball game trapped inside a hulking behemoth of aggressive microtransactions which threaten to derail the sporting spectacle. Call it Stockholm Syndrome, but the basketball is good enough to consider overlooking these serious flaws.

If you're a basketball nut who is happy to focus on MyGM while leaving MyCareer for docked mode, I'd say NBA 2K18 is worth picking up. Glitches aside, it comes surprisingly close to matching the PS4/PC/Xbox One experiences, which is a hell of a feat on the part of Visual Concept's engineers. And on a game-to-game basis, it's an absolutely pleasure to play...But like the series itself, it's also fundamentally flawed. And sadly, I don't see that changing any time soon.