Unfortunately for those that predominantly play games on Nintendo consoles, there is often a lack of parity with other platforms when it comes to sports games. EA’s FIFA series has been a prime example of one that has been bereft of features or new gameplay mechanics compared to the PlayStation and Xbox editions in the past. Anyone worried that this was going to apply to the Nintendo Switch 2 version of NBA 2K26 need not fear; all modes and the rest of it appears here good and proper, meaning Nintendo fans can seriously consider the latest basketball simulator for their portable console.
For a b-ball rookie like yours truly, Visual Concepts’ latest works is quite the overwhelming experience. Modes, features and menu options galore, it is difficult to know exactly where to dive into in the first few sessions with this game, but clearly the training mode is the place to start to learn the ins and outs of shooting hoops.
A thoroughly in-depth how-to-play primer this is, too, as clear instructions and demonstrations teach everything from basic dribbling and passing to slam dunking, defending and everything in between. Some lessons can take a minute or two to understand, and extra pointers wouldn’t go amiss when mistakes are made, but the guides are good enough without being too complicated, easing newcomers in and allowing veterans to get to grips with new mechanics and changes from the previous iteration.
What is extra pleasing on top of the range of AI difficulty options on offer is that each level can be finetuned even further, meaning shot accuracy and opponent score success rate, as well as speed of players and probability of tackles being made, to name just a few options, are all adjustable to craft an experience tailored to the individual’s skills. The range of customisation is remarkable, lowering that overwhelming feeling initially felt early on – although questions remain as to where to go from here.
Nothing beats just jumping into the action, though, so whether it is the women’s league or the men’s, hitting the court with quick play is the way to go to get adjusted to the ebb and flow of a basketball match. It is easy to see why there is an appeal to basketball games at this stage; it is non-stop end-to-end action. It is the way for American sports to have big scores and no draws, and that intensity for constant scoring is reflected in the fast pace of matches, suiting perfectly to video game format.
NBA 2K26 does a terrific job at making what you do on the court look like you’ve been balling for years. Nailing three-pointers and making nets while twisting and falling away from the basket after being put under pressure never stops feeling good. In equal measure, chasing down an opponent and getting that all-important block in to prevent a layup, then countering and punishing with a slam dunk to rub it in, satisfies like nothing else.
There is the added benefit of instant replays to emphasise just how astonishing the players and their animations look, and post-game highlights of key plays can be examined further to save great screenshots and videos, albeit with a little less camera freedom than would be preferred and some messy, blocked angles at times.
Of course, the Nintendo Switch 2 edition of NBA 2K26 isn’t as aesthetically pleasing as other platforms, but it looks incredibly good regardless of the visual downgrade. There are a few questionable facial replications, particularly for some of the women players, but outside of lower grade textures and whatnot, this really looks the part.
The reduced framerate from 60 to 30 is what most people will be more bothered about. It is unfortunate given that this is a rapid, free-flowing sports game that there aren’t performance options available – especially considering there are a lot of settings to play around with for all sorts of aspects of gameplay already. The choice of a lower resolution and higher framerate would have been welcome and accepted by most Switch 2 players.
It isn’t the end of the world as NBA 2K26 still feels great to play even at 30 fps, but choice would go a long way. That said, the lower resolution of handheld mode makes the tiny text of menus difficult to read and is a recurring issue with many games on Switch 2. It is apparent that simply porting games to the system isn’t enough, and some optimisation and – that word again – options to ensure presentation is up to par and isn’t going to cause eye strain are required.
As a newcomer to the world of NBA 2K, it is surprising to see certain modes locked behind an online connection. It seems strange, for example, to not be able to play the story-based My Career, which sees you designing a talented young player and taking him through the ranks to the top of the professional leagues, unless you’re hooked up to the internet. It is a cheesy narrative with questionable off-court gameplay, but the idea is sound in principle.
My GM is more of a role-playing team management sim, with a wealth of depth to proceedings, but My NBA goes deeper – so much so that a “lite” mode exists for those that need help dealing with the complexity of the entire league, staff salaries, rosters, training schedules and all the rest of it. It is impressive in its scope and is made more enticing when factoring in the different historical eras that can be participated in, such as those of Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant and LeBron James, which are cleverly enhanced further with video filter overlays during play.
There is a major area that NBA 2K26 disgusts, though, and that is where virtual currency (VC) and microtransactions come in. The aforementioned My Career necessitates the need for players to part with their cash, and it becomes clear why it is an online-only mode at this point. It is where everyone competes, but due to it being an experience-based gameplay experience, getting good isn’t really about skill – it’s about the points invested into your teams, levelling up individual statistics off court.
Of course, with how miniscule the experience point rewards are for competing in matches, and with seasons being muti-week situations, the game is designed to push players into purchasing VC to boost those stats, else you will be grinding for an excruciating length of time. Separately, progress can be made through the seasonal rewards section by way of increasing your own level; the further you advance, the more rewards that are picked up. While many are cosmetic, others include more VC and – the biggest prizes – star players that already have high stats to add to your roster.
This is about getting the best stat-based team possible to compete with online. Factoring in the quickest way to get there, the microtransactions are, quite simply, a pay-to-win mechanic. When browsing the download content section for the game on the Nintendo eShop, it is mind-blowing to see packs of VC and level skips available for purchase that are approaching $200. While this isn’t anything new for modern video game players, it really does make this reviewer question what sports simulators have become. Belgium’s anti-gambling video game laws really need to be implemented in other countries…
It is a shame because again, for this casual fan, NBA 2K26 is a fun time of near-constant scoring and intense end-to-end action, made all the better in local multiplayer. The inability to mix men and women to create an all-star team of one’s own choosing to mess around with offline is regrettable, though, particularly since it can be done in the online My Career mode. Still, if you can avoid getting sucked into that dodgy money-grabbing virtual realm, this is one of the best sports sim picks if looking for one on Switch 2, even if it doesn’t quite feel casual player-friendly at times.
