NBA 2K Playgrounds 2 scheduled to hit consoles and PC this October
2K and Saber Interactive team up for a sequel that looks better than the already quite decent original game in all ways.
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2K, the publisher formerly known as 2K Games, announced today that NBA 2K Playgrounds 2 is due to arrive on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC on October 16, 2018. It will be priced at an MSRP of $29.99 USD.
You might be saying to yourself "But I don't remember there being a first NBA 2K Playgrounds, so how can there be a sequel?" Your memory is just faulty. And also, it was only called NBA Playgrounds. The "2K" is a value add for the sequel only.
For those who don't already know, NBA Playgrounds was an arcade-style basketball game clearly inspired by the classic NBA Jam series from Midway and (more recently) Electronic Arts. It featured licensed NBA stars participating in crazy 2-versus-2 games of street ball.
NBA 2K Playgrounds 2 features over 300 players at launch (including newcomers Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and others), with nearly 200 more players expected to arrive in updates. There also will be 10 courts at launch, from real-world locations such as Washington, D.C., St. Louis, Seoul and Australia, and more courts will follow.
It's clear the sequel is expected to be bigger in practically every way. There will also be customization items like jackets, shirts, pants, shoes and shorts, and licensed music tracks from the likes of Run The Jewels, Oddisee and DJ Premier. I know who exactly none of those artists are, but I'm sure the names excite someone very much.
In terms of game modes, Playgrounds Championship will offer a worldwide ranked league, with "multiple competitive solo and co-op ladders," while there is also the option to take a team through an entire season and the playoffs that follow. That should go nicely with the various other options at play.
If you're looking for basketball that's a little bit simpler than the main NBA 2K series, NBA 2K Playgrounds 2 sounds like it could fit the bill quite nicely. I think it's actually rather clever of 2K to swoop in and partner with Saber Interactive to produce what could easily be the start of another sports franchise. If the developer can improve the issues that held back the first release (see my review for details) and really make use of the larger stage, sports gamers could have reason to be quite pleased.
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Staff article by Jason Venter (September 18, 2018)
Jason Venter has been playing games for 30 years, since discovering the Apple IIe version of Mario Bros. in his elementary school days. Now he writes about them, here at HonestGamers and also at other sites that agree to pay him for his words. |
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