We're getting ready for NBA All-Star Weekend 2024 with a look at every basketball game on Nintendo Switch. The three-day event tips off in Indiana on 16th February with contests and challenges taking place every day until the 73rd All-Star Game finale on 18th February.
With all of its high-flying athleticism, nail-biting buzzer beaters, and silky skills, it's no wonder that basketball is often the number one draft pick for developers looking to make a sports game.
And can you blame them? It's a hugely entertaining watch (and this writer says that as a Brit, who is regularly up into the early hours to hear the final buzzer), and it can sometimes provide entertaining gameplay too. There is a lot of b-ball on the Switch eShop, and let's just say that not all of the titles belong in the Hall of Fame. The games can range in their complexity from 'you were a frame out on that step-back fade, so the ball clangs off the rim' to 'put ball in hoop.'
However, keeping in mind that even the weakest draft prospect can be MVP in someone's eyes, we have collected together every Basketball Game on Switch in release order so that you can take a look at the lineup yourself. This doesn't include any compilation titles where basketball is just one part of a greater whole — sorry, catchily titled Olympic Games Tokyo 2020: The Official Video Game. We're after pure basketball here.
We have added a poll at the bottom of this list for you to vote on which Switch basketball game is your favourite, but first, let's meet the contenders...
Street Hoop (Neo Geo)
Street Hoop is a game that offers a quick basketball fix: you simply choose a country and then play commences. There's lots of enjoyment as the action moves from one side of the court to the other, shooting, dunking, feigning moves and players shoving each other out of the way. Further entertainment is provided by successfully keeping (or winning) the ball to prevent your opponent unleashing a super shot and winning with the last throw of the game is thrilling. Playing through the arcade mode entertains, but the game works best in two-player mode and Street Hoop is a good option when looking for a quick bout of two-player fun.
NBA 2K18 (Switch)
NBA 2K18 may not have been a great sports game at launch, but after applying patches and feedback certainly one now. This was effortlessly the best basketball game we had seen on a Nintendo system for years, and a must-have for Switch-owning sports fans.
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NBA Playgrounds (Switch eShop)
NBA Playgrounds was a flawed game, but a fun one. Single-player modes are playable but can feel like a bit of a slog for all but the most hardcore fans. Multiplayer fares much better, delivering an enjoyable experience that works well both online and off. The long-awaited update changes some mechanics but doesn’t address some of our frustrations surrounding shooting.
However, unless you already own this game on the Switch, you won't be able to play it as 2K removed the game from the eShop once the sequel was released.
NBA 2K19 (Switch)
While the heavy emphasis on microtransactions is still front and centre in NBA 2K19, progression has improved enough to make this a far more attractive prospect for both rookies and seasoned vets. With a vastly superior MyCareer story, a revamped social hub, a suitably tweaked MyGM mode and all the presentation-focused bells and whistles you expect from the premiere basketball sim, NBA 2K19 continues to cement itself as one of the Switch’s strongest sports offerings. If you needed any more proof that Madden, NHL and the like can work on Nintendo’s hardware, this is it.
NBA 2K Playgrounds 2 (Switch)
While the introduction of microtransactions is hardly surprising considering the history of its new publisher, they don’t hit NBA 2K Playgrounds 2 as hard as one might expect. It will take you a while to grind out every player (unless you just buy them all from the off), but it helps that the core arcade gameplay remains as enjoyable as ever. It doesn’t quite capture the blissful mayhem of NBA Jam, but if the main NBA 2K series has always felt a little too realistic for you, this larger-than-life spin-off offers a bright and empowering way to defy gravity like Air Jordan himself.
Basketball (Switch eShop)
Basketball is far from the best b-ball game you can find on the eShop. With game modes limited to 'Play' and 'Train', this lacks the variety of many other basketball titles on the console but also doesn't bring any of the arcade fun to compliment its simplicity. Still, its low price point and DS-esque visuals might appeal to some.
Street Basketball (Switch eShop)
Street Basketball offers an NBA Jam-style approach to arcade hooping, though it lacks the high-flying thrills which made the series so iconic. It all looks a little web browser-esque and the 1-on-1 gameplay becomes quickly repetitive, but it looks to be perfectly serviceable if you are after a cheap few minutes of entertainment and don't have an arcade cabinet to hand.
NBA 2K20 (Switch)
On the surface, NBA 2K20’s changes to its formula might seem less substantial, but spend more than a few hours with its laser accurate recreation of modern b-ball and you’ll soon realise how refined it has become. Changes to Virtual Currency earning and progression take the edge off grinding, new additions to The Neighborhood and Pro-Am help bridge the gap between the two and a few welcome changes to MyTeam help facilitate move space for natural growth (even with the ever-present microtransactions). It’s not faultless, but those looking to play the full NBA experience on a handheld platform can do so with confidence and Visual Concept's approach to Switch is truly laudable. Simply put, there's no better basketball game out there — except maybe the next iteration of the NBA 2K series.
Junior League Sports - Basketball (Switch eShop)
Junior League Sports - Basketball's cartoon visuals might not be all that to look at, but its simple controls and relaxed approach to rules make it a more accessible approach to the sports genre. This one packs in a handful of game modes including a Knockout Cup and Tournaments and it even employs some basic motion controls for the Joy-Con. The title also pops up in the Junior League Sports 3-in-1 Collection alongside hockey and football.
Desktop Basketball (Switch eShop)
Desktop Basketball is harmless enough. Like all of the games in SAT-BOX's 'Desktop' series, this one sees your work desk transformed into a basketball court, which is then played on by cubic sprites with very little movement. If you're after a game with b-ball depth, you're better off looking elsewhere, but Desktop Basketball is just about silly enough to put it above other hoopers on the eShop.
NBA 2K21 (Switch)
With a solid new story mode, a greatly improved MyTeam mode and the same high quality of presentation that 2K now brings to the series on Switch, NBA 2K21 is now the definitive basketball game on the system. The unwanted microtransaction ogre continues to loom over most of the package, but as long as you're capable of ignoring this and have the patience to slowly improve your player and team organically, the results will be infinitely more satisfying.
Free Throw Basketball (Switch eShop)
Now, if it's shooting and dunking you're looking for, then Free Throw Basketball is certainly an option. But one look at the game's gallery will tell you everything that you need to know about the next addition to publisher Pix Art's hooping lineup. It's another option for multiplayer, and it's one of the cheapest games on this list, but lacks the full-featured basketball package you might be looking for.
Comments 9
Need some NBA Jam somewhere - image rights will probably mean that’ll never happen though. 💧
I must be a little tired. I swear I read the headline as "Everything from drunks and dumps"
I am hoping for Double Dribble to come to Nintendo Switch Online, if only for nostalgia.
Dunk Lords had potential to be a top shelf Arch-Rivals type romp, but it is just the okayest game.
It has a lot of style, with some great characters and motifs. But it tries to do too much at the same time, and none of it extremely well.
I have 50 hours in NBA Playgrounds 2 and to get the gold with some players are very hard (seriously? rebounds and blocks with John Stockton?!?!), plus, the portuguese localization is awful, they changed "offensive" with "defensive".
Good gameplay though, but with a bit unfair mechanics.
NBA 2K I buy only one for each console, being doing that since NBA2k3 on Game Cube. The series is, in fact, the best baskteball game avaiable.
This is such a pathetic list honestly. I voted robo dunk, because the 2K games run like garbage, though they're actually mostly fine for a pickup experience.
If you want the best basketball game in active development at the moment, get hoopland on android or ios. You can even sideload it onto a shield and it runs well.
I'm at over 50 hours on a couple of the NBA 2K games as well as Playgrounds 2 (which other than completely broken rebounding is a pretty fun game).
What a sad joke.
Whats the point of putting 6 NBA2K games on the list. They are all basically the same game. With we had NBA Jam Fire Edition or an upgrade on Switch
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