NBA 2K Playgrounds 2

By leaving the focus on stats, playbooks, and managing a team behind in favor of fun, this arcade game manages to capture lots of enjoyable basketball action. NBA 2K Playgrounds 2 leaves the detailed sim gameplay behind and instead hits the street to focus on pure b-ball fun. It immediately brings to mind the feeling of hitting a local street court and jumping into a pick-up game with friends … if those friends were NBA legends who can defy both gravity and the laws of physics. The presentation is bright, colorful, and injected with a sort of cartoonish flair that's as much fun to watch as it is to play.

NBA 2K Playgrounds 2 features a host of great improvements over the original NBA Playgrounds. Thanks to the becoming part of the 2K Games family, the roster has been bulked up in both quantity and quality. With more than 400 players available to collect and even more available through downloadable roster updates, fans are likely to find more than a few of their favorite superstars. Unfortunately, fans might not be able to play those favorites right away. Players still recruit NBA stars from virtual card packs earned through gameplay or by in-game purchases. This limits available teams and players early on. Playing through a season can usually earn a decent handful of packs, but it's still a bit of a grind to find the players you want and level them up to their full potential. On the bright side, that grind isn't too frustrating simply because NBA 2K Playgrounds 2 is just so much fun to play. Its arcade gameplay, over-the-top style, and entertaining personality all come together to make it a slam dunk for basketball fans of all ages.