NBA 2K20

 Xbox One
User Score
1.6

Overwhelming dislike- based on 336 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 32 out of 336
  2. Mixed: 26 out of 336
  3. Negative: 278 out of 336
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  1. NoobTooberton
    Sep 16, 2019
    7
    I feel obligated to leave a review to combat the simpleton trolls that tend to spam games likes this with zero scores. Yes the game is very similar to 2k19. The player movement still has some work to be done but it does play smoother, the game looks great and is certainly deserving of a score higher than zero! I'm giving this a 7/10 because they didn't revamp the player movement enough toI feel obligated to leave a review to combat the simpleton trolls that tend to spam games likes this with zero scores. Yes the game is very similar to 2k19. The player movement still has some work to be done but it does play smoother, the game looks great and is certainly deserving of a score higher than zero! I'm giving this a 7/10 because they didn't revamp the player movement enough to feel like a major change.… Expand
  2. MonkiReviews
    Apr 24, 2021
    7
    A good basketball game, with problems. The game is like an update, but this is the first NBA 2K I’ve played. The gameplay is good, and season is fun to play through. Picking a favorite team is easy, and trades are easy as well. It is fun, but is repetitive to play through a long season.
  3. jay_caspian
    Dec 6, 2019
    5
    NBA 2k19 has some incredibly fun modes and gameplay, but it’s hampered down by an insane amount of pressure to make micro transactions (is it even “micro” if they want me to spend $50 all the time?) and comes off like a passive aggressive attack against their customers. While 2k claims they are making VC easier to earn, they can only claim this due to a deceptive change to the game. ForNBA 2k19 has some incredibly fun modes and gameplay, but it’s hampered down by an insane amount of pressure to make micro transactions (is it even “micro” if they want me to spend $50 all the time?) and comes off like a passive aggressive attack against their customers. While 2k claims they are making VC easier to earn, they can only claim this due to a deceptive change to the game. For example, last year $10 worth of VC only get a MyPlayer up to a 67 or 68, but this year, you can get it well into the 70s. However, they only lowered the cost of lower level VC. . You'll STILL need 200k VC, or $50 worth, in order to go from a 60 to 85, exact,y the same as 2k19, which is a difficuly task for an adult like myself who works 40 hours a week and has a family. Once again, The MyCareer path could have easily been called 'Return to the Grind” or simply, “give us your money mode.' This doesn’t even get into the casino elements that nearly everyone on here is complaining about (and justifiably, they’re right).

    Once you get passed the VC issues, the game is still fun in some ways. The new MyCareer story mode took a step back this year, but it’s not as cringe as 2k15-2k18. I wish they’d just focus on making a better MyCareer game then some a rather boring pre-NBA movie. I don’t think 2K has realized that players don’t care nearly as much about their characters BEFORE they enter the NBA, so maybe they’ll fix that in future games. I loved that they added the WNBA this year and hope they’ll expand it next year. They also fixed the “teammate” grading system from last year, making it much more fair. I also like some of the balance tuning they made to shooting.

    Overall, NBA 2K is a fun game that is hindered by it's desire to take the absolutely every penny they can get From it’s most devoted fans. I don’t hate 2k, I love them, basketball is my favorite sport and my hobby in many ways, I just wish 2k could take a step back and realize that their fangs are unhappy for a reason.    … Expand
  4. bonedoctor
    Dec 5, 2019
    6
    Let's start with the positives. I'll get to the negative peripheral issues later:

    The gameplay is incredible. 2k has been superior to all other basketball sims for so long it's almost a wasted effort to make a comparison. If you just want a great basketball game with multiple modes to keep you interested for hundreds of hours, 2k is the way to go. The dribbling system is intuitive and    Let's start with the positives. I'll get to the negative peripheral issues later:

    The gameplay is incredible. 2k has been superior to all other basketball sims for so long it's almost a wasted effort to make a comparison. If you just want a great basketball game with multiple modes to keep you interested for hundreds of hours, 2k is the way to go. The dribbling system is intuitive and challenging, the post game options are numerous, the AI is decent, the finishing moves are exciting... The only people who tend to nitpick about the gameplay are those who've played other versions of 2k or other sims like NBA Live. If this is your first basketball sim, be prepared to be amazed.

    Now the other stuff:

    The E Rating is poor judgment. Though I think parents shouldn't rely on a letter on a box to see what their children are playing, it's not an age 3 and up experience.

    That being said, my biggest problem with the rating is not the gambling. More harmful to me is that a child doesn't need a dime to log in and jog around the neighborhood to find other online players with avatars that are thinly-veiled references to drugs and female genetalia. I've played the game for years, and if I have to see another dude wearing a Santa Claus hat named something like "Ya boi TakesTokes" running around the park, I'll lose it. I know some of them are kids under 10. I've heard them on my headset.

    When people complaoin about gambling, I wonder why parents don't take more responsibility for monitoring behavior. You can't get a bank account at 5. Or 10. You need to be 14 in the US to own a bank account. So, no kid under 14 can buy something to gamble with unless a parent willingly adds a credit card to the XBox account. If I read a bank statement and noticed my kid spent $50 on video game transactions, I'd find out really quickly what happened.

    The ones who really suffer are not the children. I imagine the bulk of the population who play it are at least 12 years old anyway. It takes a lot of skill to manipulate the controls well enough to compete. Late teens, college kids and adults have the money to spend.
    And let's be honest: MyCareer and MyTeam are the most popular features and have been for years. Both are impossible without buying some VC. If you want to compete in the park or rec center at a reasonably high level, you need to either log a hundred hours or more of game time grinding or spend at least $20. Probably $50 or more. Free-to-play mobile phone games rely heavily on microtransactions as well, but the operative word there is FREE. You must spend at least $60 to play this game.

    My suggestion for enjoying 2k: Think about what you want in a basketball sim. If you want to be a GM, play in the Blacktop mode, play online with real teams, you will find no better game. If you want to compete in MyCareer or MyTeam, be in it for the long haul. After years of MyCareer play, I've realized you need to make one build and stick with it. If you want a stud sharpshooter one week and a big man next week, yup, you'll need to shell out loot. I used to make the mistake of getting frustrated with a build and starting from scratch with a new one. I needed to shell out loot. With 2k19, my favorite build ending up being the one I created nine months earlier. If I had just stuck with it, or maybe one more, I'd be rated at least 91 or 92 with most badges after a few months if I played casually. You can do damage in park or rec with any build like that.    … Expand
  5. john915
    Jan 19, 2020
    7
    When 2k 20 first came out it was bad but now it’s ok now I enjoy when I play it
  6. CarsonTK
    Apr 19, 2020
    7
    Sure, this game did not do well in the ratings. There was the greedy MyTeam, and the same animations put into 2k19, but the game is still okay! Franchise mode (or MyLeague) has to be the greatest franchise mode I’ve ever played. You can legitimately changed the NBA rules, and add expansion teams and edit jerseys and courts in every way! We also had historic teams, which only 2K and NHLSure, this game did not do well in the ratings. There was the greedy MyTeam, and the same animations put into 2k19, but the game is still okay! Franchise mode (or MyLeague) has to be the greatest franchise mode I’ve ever played. You can legitimately changed the NBA rules, and add expansion teams and edit jerseys and courts in every way! We also had historic teams, which only 2K and NHL have, and you can edit anything! Even the historic teams! I also like how there is both a franchise mode for the WNBA. 2K seriously needs more respect. Pretty much 40% of people who said 2K sucked are madden praisers who open MUT packs! But 2K still has potential. I wish MyTeam cards weren’t so expensive. Glad they are not expensive as Maddens....… Expand
  7. Bedtheballer
    Apr 27, 2020
    5
    This game is trash compared to what it once was. I have been playing 2k for an extremely long time. This is probably the first game I ever played. Nba 2k14 was by far the best. Now this game is extremely slow paced and so easy to block shots. The game feels unrealistic. The only thing keeping this game interesting is my career and mypark. If those weren’t in the game people would not buyThis game is trash compared to what it once was. I have been playing 2k for an extremely long time. This is probably the first game I ever played. Nba 2k14 was by far the best. Now this game is extremely slow paced and so easy to block shots. The game feels unrealistic. The only thing keeping this game interesting is my career and mypark. If those weren’t in the game people would not buy it. Trash game overall. Please make the game like it once was. Ronnie and Mike stop being lazy and make it good again.… Expand
  8. Jhagman
    Aug 16, 2023
    6
    This game was fun. It's nothing special but I enjoyed it when I played it. I feel like there could be more to it, but it gets the job done I guess.

Awards & Rankings

53
#53 Best Xbox One Game of 2019
13
#13 Most Discussed Xbox One Game of 2019

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
80

Generally favorable reviews - based on 18 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 13 out of 18
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 18
  3. Negative: 0 out of 18
  1. GameCrate
    Oct 1, 2019
    88
    Overall, NBA 2K20 is still the best basketball game on the planet and that doesn’t look to be changing any time soon. While some fans may be upset about microtransactions, it’s not a requirement to play the game. At this point, however, it seems like as long as NBA 2K is the best game out there, microtransactions will be here to stay.
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  2. Xbox Tavern
    Oct 1, 2019
    80
    The shame of all this is that without these practices, NBA 2K20 can stand tall as the best basketball sim available. Even running unopposed with the retirement of the NBA Live franchise, it continues to get better and better on the court, but serious issues surrounding that experience leave it feeling less and less impressive year on year. Here’s hoping 2K can end that trend.
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  3. GameCritics
    Sep 23, 2019
    85
    With new console hardware expected to arrive by late 2020, there’s a good chance much of 2K Sports’ design and programming teams are hard at work making the most of new technology. However, that doesn’t excuse the visual and gameplay gaps that shouldn’t be here. That said, NBA 2K20 is still a fantastic basketball sim with enough modes and features to keep fans busy until those revolutionary next steps start to come in over the next few years.
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