- Publisher: Saber Interactive
- Release Date: May 9, 2017
- Also On: PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One

- Summary:
- Developer: Saber Interactive
- Genre(s): Sports, Team, Basketball, Arcade
- Cheats: On GameFAQs
- More Details and Credits »
Trailer
Play Sound
Please enter your birth date to watch this video:
You are not allowed to view this material at this time.
Score distribution:
-
Positive: 1 out of 21
-
Mixed: 19 out of 21
-
Negative: 1 out of 21
-
Jun 19, 2017NBA Playgrounds is a really fun and quirky title. The lack of online play at launch is a big omission and although the game lacks replayability, the arcade aesthetics, easy to use controls and whirlwind gameplay make this game extremely enjoyable in short bursts. I found the game better on handheld rather than playing off a TV, due to its ‘on the move’ vibe, and in that respect, it's undoubtedly a nice game to just unwind with and enjoy for what it is.
-
May 15, 2017NBA Playgrounds isn't the new NBA Jam, but is fun and solid with friends.
-
May 15, 2017NBA Playgrounds is a fun addition to the arcade basketball genre, especially on the Nintendo Switch. The game isn't without some flaws though. The AI is unfair and the shooting mechanics are very tough to master. Releasing the game without its online mode is also a strange choice. That being said, the game offers more than enough to allow fans of NBA Jam and NBA Street to have a good time. Let's just hope that Saber will soon fix the game's issues.
-
May 15, 2017The entire experience is one that’s reminiscent of NBA Jam, but never provides the same levels of joy you’re after.
-
Jul 12, 2017While I had fun with the single-player, NBA Playgrounds is mostly a mess otherwise. The basic gameplay requires specific timing that is never well articulated. Load times on the Switch version are nearly indefensibly long. For those hoping for some kind of modern-day NBA Jam-like experience from Playgrounds, look elsewhere. This is just a convoluted footnote in the modern arcade sports landscape.
-
May 9, 2017If there’s never another arcade-style hoops title for Switch, then Playgrounds certainly meets my bare-minimum needs. It could have been so much more though, and as such I’m hoping Saber Interactive comes back with a fleshed-out second attempt (maybe another sport?) sometime down the road. In the meantime, Playgrounds delivers the outrageous exhibitions you’re looking for - just don’t expect it to provide much else.
-
May 11, 2017A new NBA arcade game will always be something to get excited about. Many of us have fond memories of dropping coins into those arcade cabinets back in the day. A game that can capture that raw sense of fun, while modernising the more archaic elements would instantly become one of the most entertaining games of the year. I’m sure the developers went into NBA Playgrounds with the most noble of intentions, but this game is not the NBA I remembered. This game is one that young me would never have considered to be worth my allowance.
Score distribution:
-
Positive: 6 out of 28
-
Mixed: 12 out of 28
-
Negative: 10 out of 28
-
Jul 14, 2018Brilliant. So easy to pick up and play. Doesn't overcomplicate anything and makes basketball fun.
-
-
May 11, 2017
-
-
May 10, 2017
-
-
May 13, 2017
-
-
May 11, 2017
-
-
Jul 10, 2017
-
-
Sep 25, 2017
-