Early last year, Saber Interactive released NBA Playgrounds, a arcadey basketball game inspired by similar titles from the 90’s. While the game’s reception was lukewarm, NBA Playgrounds sold very well. Today, Saber Interactive announced that they will be continuing the franchise this year with NBA Playgrounds 2.
This sequel, which will release on all the same platforms as the original, is poised to improve on the formula established in the first game with a couple new features. First off, the Playgrounds Championship mode will now have a worldwide league ranking system that’s split into multiple single-player and co-op ladders for players to tackle. When it comes to single player, NBA Playgrounds 2 features a Season mode so players can take their favorite team to the Championship
As for multiplayer, Saber Interactive promises that the matchmaking has been greatly improved, and that players can now do four-player matches online. Other smaller tweaks include new power-ups, better AI, improved models and animations, and a roster of over 200 famous NBA players, current and retired. While I wasn’t a huge fan of the first game, it definitely seems like those interested in a sequel will have a lot to sink their teeth into.
You can check out some screenshots and the game’s reveal trailer below. NBA Playgrounds 2 will release on PC, PS4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch later this Summer.
