The NBA 2K series has been ubiquitous with the Nintendo Switch over the years. Shown off in the original trailer for the system and releasing months after the console came out, the company has been consistent with their support of Nintendo’s system. The same can be said of the Nintendo Switch 2. Here we are, just months after the release of the new console and 2K is following suit by bringing the basketball title to the platform. Is this jump to more powerful Nintendo hardware significant enough to consider picking up? That’s exactly what we’re here to talk about. Let’s get into it.
Gameplay
Unlike this year’s version of 2K26 on the Switch 1, the Nintendo Switch 2 is being included in the “Gen 9” lineup of consoles. With that in mind, the ProPlay Motion engine powers all of the animations in the game on both offense and defense. Personally, I don’t feel that big of a difference, but I will say that the game still controls well. While I can’t say I understand it, the shot meter has changed once again for 2K26. Honestly, I think it’s for the better. Of course, this is still timing based, and is now indicated an angled bar beside your target player. It seems easier to make shots and I’m just enjoying it more. Defense still feels pretty similar to previous versions, but that’s not a bad thing. Simply put, if you’ve played the series before, there aren’t any massive differences in terms of controls.
Modes
All of the modes that are found the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X | S can be found in the Nintendo Switch 2 version of 2K26. For a recap, here’s what’s on offer:
- MyCareer (also includes The City)
- MyTeam
- MyNBA (MyNBA Eras, MyGM, MyNBA Lite, The Playoffs)
- Play Now (Quick Play, Play Now Online, Play Now Eras, Blacktop)
- WNBA (The W, MyWNBA)
Many of these don’t really require too much explanation, but I will get deeper into a few of the modes here in a bit. The only things I really didn’t touch on much were MyTeam, the card based team building mode and the WNBA. I truly think there are modes here for everyone depending on what you’re looking for in a basketball game.
MyNBA & MyNBA Eras
A first for a Nintendo console, MyNBA Eras is similar to the traditional MyNBA mode. Here you will have control of team in a push to the playoffs and NBA championship, managing your roster, signing players and more. Eras is a really cool addition as it will put you in specific time periods of NBA history complete with classic rosters, historically accurate uniforms and more. The following eras are available:
- The Modern Era
- The Steph Era
- The Lebron Era
- The Kobe Era
- The Jordan Era
- The Magic vs Bird Era
Whether you’re playing through the mode with these classic teams or through the modern era, there are tons of hours of gameplay that can be had. There is even a MyNBA Lite that offers all the depth that the mode offers but in a streamlined, easier to understand way. Better yet, this mode is completely playable offline.
MyCareer
Nintendo fans have missed out on a full fledged version of MyCareer for the past few iterations of the game, so it is great to see the mode come back with the story elements. Right off the bat, if you’re the kind of gamer that just wants to jump straight into the NBA to kick off your career, you can do that. Alternatively, you can opt to go through a story mode called “Out of Bounds.” This gives players the chance to go through various points of the basketball journey of MP (aka your created character) all the way to the NBA. This time around, MP is kind of a whiny brat that wants to get out of Vermont to a place where he can get noticed and eventually go to the NBA. Having not been able to play story-based elements in the past few iterations on the Switch 1, this was great to be able to experience again.
Player progression, similar to the past few iterations, can be a bit of a slog, taking quite a bit of time to increase your attributes. Even with that said, access to “GOAT Skills” that can activate during games make the experience more enjoyable. For example, I have one called “The Long Ranger” that tasks me with at least attempting five shots from three point range. Even if I miss them all, as long as I attempt that many, I can then press in the right stick to activate this perk. This gives a significant boost to your three point shooting, ball handling and more. I really appreciate this kind of addition to the gameplay. The early part of MyCareer is always a bit rough with ratings in the 60s, so this (on top of the lower rated opponents in high school, etc) makes things a bit easier.
Getting back to the story and without spoiling anything, each game is set up in a mission-like fashion. Before going in, you are tasked with typically winning the game, outscoring and outranking an opponent by the end of the game. If you can’t get this done, you will have to either opt for a rematch or quit. Quitting isn’t as bad as it sounds. You’ll gain VC and other progress to improve your player. If you find yourself getting stuck, you can use these to improve your player, or skip the pre-NBA part of your career and jump straight into the draft. It’s up to you. Overall, I’ve been really enjoying the story this time around. The acting is spot on and the pace is pretty generous. It’s great being able to play a proper version of this mode on a Nintendo platform again. One of the only downsides of this mode is that you’ll need to be connected online to play.
The City
The online hub for mutliplayer, The City is included in the Switch 2 version of the game. Located inside of the MyCareer, this will give you access to face off against other players, training, mini-games or quests. There is quite a bit to do here. If you’re looking to earn VC to upgrade your player (or buy overpriced clothing, etc), it can be beneficial to check this out. For me personally, I’m gad that this is here, but I have little to no interest in competing online or using my precious VC on anything other than upgrading my player. Still, I thought the addition of go-karts was weird, but actually kind of fun.
GameShare
NBA 2K26 gives players the ability to make use of the GameShare feature on the Nintendo Switch 2. For those unfamiliar, this allows players to essentially share their copy of the game with another person for versus or cooperative play. Here, players can make use of this locally, which means if you have a friend that has a Switch 2 but doesn’t have a copy of the game, you can play together under “Play Now” with two systems. It’s a shame that this is only limited to local play (WWE 2K25 on the system does this both locally AND online), but it’s a cool feature that you won’t find on other platforms. I haven’t gotten to try it out for myself (I don’t have any friends nearby with a Switch 2 system), but it’s great that it’s included.
Online Connection
The bane of the existence for many sports game fans is the requirement for online connectivity to play single player modes. This has irked fans, myself included, for years. How does this work in 2K26 on the Switch 2? Well, simply put, you will pretty much need to be connected at all times in order to play many of the modes. If you lose your connection to the internet while playing, you are kind of screwed. For the Switch 2 and having the ability to take the game on the go, this can be potentially problematic if you’re traveling or going between different areas of wireless coverage or something.
Modes like MyCareer, which rely heavily on (optional) micro transactions and the ability to compete online with others, does not allow for offline play. That doesn’t mean that this isn’t available. The variety of franchise options give you the ability to play seasons upon seasons offline and at your own pace. Still, I would have loved to see 2K cater to fans of offline, but I get it. They’re looking at their bottom line and at the end of the day, dangling pay-to-win in front of players remains profitable and isn’t going away anytime soon.
Visuals, Audio & Performance
The visuals in the Switch 2 version of 2K26 are noticeably better than what was found on the Switch 1. The players sport more detail (hair in particular looks a lot better), the crowds look sharper and the lighting is more realistic. Even with that said, uniform physics are not included in the gameplay, though 2K gives us a peek at it in the menus with a variety of players bouncing the basketball while you decide what mode to play. In game, the jerseys and shorts are static, just like they have been with the Switch 1 version for years. I found that quite disappointing, especially after catching a glimpse of it in before jumping into the action. Disappointingly, the game also appears to be running at 30 frames per second. Like many of you, I was hoping to see this version of the game make the jump to 60 fps, but unless 2K updates the game (which is unlikely), that likely won’t happen.
Some might attribute this to laziness on the part of 2K. I’m not here to make any apologies for the company, but one thing to consider is the underlying tech in this version of that game powering everything on the court - the ProPLAY Motion Engine. The use of this translates to more realistic looking player movement on offense, defense and off-ball animations. Just how taxing this is on the engine overall is unknown, but I would venture to say that while 2K could probably get an older engine up to 60fps on Nintendo’s new platform, something here is likely holding them back from being able to do so on the Switch 2.
Just to touch on handheld mode - things here run pretty much on par with TV. Gameplay is smooth, albeit not 60fps, but I didn’t run into many issues playing the game this way. When it boils down to it, 2K26 on the Switch 2 performs smoothly and looks good enough. However, it’s still not quite the jump that fans (myself included) were looking for. If you are looking for a way to play basketball on the go, this Switch 2 version may be underwhelming visually, but it’s still solid.
Conclusion
NBA 2K26 on the Switch 2 runs well, offers a lot of modes and is still a blast to play. The lack of 60 fps and jersey physics are disappointing, but these two issues don’t take away from the positive points of the game. It’s great to have all of the same features that are found on more powerful hardware this time around. 2K crafted a safe, solid port, but it’s not something that you should rush out to buy unless you’re a diehard NBA fan or you find it on a sale. If you’re looking for 60 fps, this is not the version of the game for you.
But, let’s turn things over to you guys. What do you think about NBA 2K26 on the Switch 2? Did you pick it up? Are you disappointed about the lack of 60 fps or jersey physics? Sound off with any and all comments down below. We’d love to hear from you.
Final Score: 7.5
by Danny Bivens
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