For NBA 2K20 I decided to pick the game up on the Nintendo Switch. Like clockwork, we get another game in the NBA 2K series which at this point is really the only game in town when it comes to basketball. This year’s game had gotten a ton of negative press before it released, but is it really that bad?
How to Download NBA 2K20
You can download the game from several e-shops like Steam, Nintendo Store, Microsoft Store or PlayStation Store. To do so, click on the Download button below this review. Make sure you also read what we thought about the previous edition of the game: NBA 2k19.
The Game Review
Let me start by saying what I like about NBA 2K20. The gameplay is awesome. Say what you want about “business practices” in the game. However, this is a damn fine basketball game and I would go as far as to say it plays better on the court than last years game. I think the game has a more offensive feel to it this time around.
I found in NBA 2K19 the game to lean heavily on the defensive and when you would try and make a quick pass into the paint, 9/10 it would be intercepted. For this game, the attacker appears to get the benefit of the doubt most of the time. That is not to say that defense is an afterthought. You can still play very intelligent basketball in this game, especially when it comes to dealing with superstar players.
When I get a new NBA 2K game most of my time is spent in MYGM and My League and this is just as good as it has always been. It is very addictive and I have not encountered any weird glitches or anything like that. In this regard, NBA 2K20 is a phenomenal basketball game and one that I am certain I am going to sink 100 hours plus into over the next year.
Now let’s address the big issue here and that is My Team! The card collecting game that many people get addicted to is not my cup of tea and it never has been. I feel that with this year’s game, 2K went too far and the microtransactions and the gambling wheel thing are just flat out disgusting. We are talking Star Wars Battlefront II (well before it was patched) levels of hounding the player to spend money.
I really cannot overstate how horribly disgusting the way that they have their hand out for money is. Some will say that you do not have to spend money, but you never get great players unless you do and trying to compete with against a team full of legends is not a fun experience when all you have is one star and four mid to low-level players.
The My Player aspect of the game once again has a strong narrative going for it. I dabble in this and will play through the story and from what I have seen so far it is done well enough. Starting out as a college player and trying to make it big in the NBA is something we have seen and done before. I am hoping for NBA 2K21 that they spice this mode up a bit.
NBA 2K20 also features another major feature and that is the inclusion of the WNBA. I was not sure what to expect with the inclusion of the WNBA, but it is far more interesting than you would think. The fact that the players are all so different in their sizes makes a game in the WNBA feel different (and I mean in a good way) than a regular NBA game. I would love to see the WNBA expanded upon in next years game.
Presentation-wise, the game once again looks great. The TV-style presentation gets better every year and even the Nintendo Switch version looks fantastic. The WNBA games do not have the same level of glitz, but I am sure that will follow in the coming years. The animations are great and it is crazy how lifelike some of the better-known players are in this game.
In all NBA 2K20 is a great basketball game. It is a ton of fun to play if you are a fan of the sport and it has a ton of content. On the flip side of this, you have those horrible and disgusting microtransactions. However, I am proof that you can buy this game and spend a ton of time with it and not touch the My Team portion of it.
