NBA 2K27 is here on the Nintendo Switch 2, this time missing out on Nintendo’s past console entirely. For this year’s iteration, 2K managed to do something pretty incredible - kick up the franchise to 60 fps on the Switch 2. With that said, do these performance updates make Nintendo’s system a viable platform for fans? Let’s get into it.
Gameplay
By and large, not many changes have been made to general gameplay in NBA 2K27. If you’re returning to the series, you’ll know what to expect. You can shoot with Y, pass with B or A, jump with X and use Turbo with ZR. For more control over you shots, you can also opt to use the right stick for more precision based shooting. Defense also feels similar to past entries with ZL being used to get into a defensive position while the face buttons can perform other defensive abilities. Overall, things here feel pretty smooth, but I would honestly suggest playing with Performance Mode on for the best results. I was honestly surprised at how much more responsive the game was when playing this way as the higher framerate really does makes shots and other moves on the court feel more snappy. Shooting also seems to be a bit more forgiving this year, which is great when starting out in My Career.
Mouse control is also an option here for navigating menus, though I didn’t find this all that useful. After just playing around with it for a little while, the default sensitivity was a bit too high, so I ended up turning it down. Personally, I’d rather just go through the menus with the standard joysticks. Motion controls can also be used in the game, though they are limited to one particular mode under Play Now (more on that soon). On top of all of that, players can also make use of the Switch 2 GameShare functionality.
Modes
A handful of modes are on offer in NBA 2K27. The Switch 2 has all of the modes and MOST of the functionality found on other platforms. Here’s what you’ll find in this year’s version of the game:
- MyCareer (MyCareer, The City)
- MyTeam (build a fantasy team)
- MyNBA (franchise mode)
- Play Now (current & classic teams, mini games, blacktop, online, GameShare)
- WNBA (The W)
Other Options
- Learn 2K
- 2KTV
- Settings
- Season
Most of these can go without explanation, but I’m going to dive into a few more of these in depth below. By and large, the modes in 2K27 are mostly the same as last year, however there are a few minor changes in several of them that bring more to the game. Also, 2K has updated their app this year to what’s called the NBA 2K HQ App, which is a great way to create a build when you’re away from your system, and also scan your face. I found this pretty useful and the face scan is pretty good this time around, too (outside of a horrible low lighting version scan I did of my face early on).
Motion Mini-Games (Accessed from Play Now)
Added exclusively to the Switch 2 version of 2K27, the idea behind these mini-games is to bring in your casual basketball friends for a more relaxed way to play the game via motion controls. There are four options to play, including a three point shooting contest, dunk contest, Pick Up Party and Arcade Alley. The good thing about these modes is that they are very easy to jump in and play. Additionally, the idea of using motion controls for shooting is something that is easy enough for anyone to understand. Unfortunately, the implementation is not good. Shooting involves bringing back one of the Joy Con 2 controllers just as if you are shooting, but this sometimes does not register properly. Even when it does, it’s not always going to give you the best results. To be fair, I didn’t spend a whole lot of time here, but I just wasn’t having any fun and felt like I was fighting the controls. It’s interesting that these are included in the Switch 2 version, but Switch Sports or Switch Spots Resort will give you a better basketball mini-game than this when it comes to gameplay.
Online Connection
Per usual, an online connection is required for a majority of the modes that are on offer in 2K27. For fans of the series, this shouldn’t come as a surprise, but it still can be a bit annoying. If you’re wanting to play MyCareer or MyTeam on the go, you’ll have to check that at the door and hope you have some kind of reliable way to connect to the game. You are able to play games in MyNBA, Play Now and the WNBA modes so you’re not completely locked out. It should also be noted that if you’re looking to play others online, you will be limited to playing with Switch 2 players only as there is no cross play in this version of the game. Simply put, if you’re looking for the best place to play online against others, picking up the game on another platform is probably a better option for you.
MyCareer - Modern Path
One of my personal favorite modes in the series, 2K27’s MyCareer mode in the modern era once again puts you in the role of MP in what’s called “Fire and Concrete.” This time, he’s an up and coming high school recruit who has to deal with a horrible injury and work his way back to a path toward the NBA. I won’t spoil much more than that, but you’ll run into some memorable characters along the way to the draft, play in New York City’s Rucker Park, try your luck in the G-League and more. The story beats here are pretty good for the most part, though MP is kind of a jerk. You can also opt to skip out on the backstory completely and jump right into the NBA, though delving into MP’s past is a great way to gain some precious VC to improve your stats.
MyCareer Eras
Not only do players have the chance to try out the narrative driven MyCareer, 2K has also added a pretty cool new wrinkle into the series this year with MyCareer Eras. This mode allows you to take your player and start in any one of the five eras from the past. Here’s where you’ll start:
- The Magic vs. Bird Era (1984)
- The Jordan Era (1991)
- The Kobe Era (2003)
- The Lebron Era (2010)
- The Steph Era (2016)
The rosters, historical trades and more are locked to retain accuracy, but you’ll get to throw yourself into the mix in any way that you like. If you’re sick of the modern path for MyCareer or are just looking for something different to do with your MyPlayer, this mode is definitely worth looking at.
The City
Just like in the past, The City is one of the main hubs for online multiplayer. Located inside of MyCareer, this is the place to go to face off against other players, train your athlete, access mini-games or quests and more. For this year’s game, for the first time 2K is allowing for both male and female created characters to compete against each other. I’m not quite sure if this was some kind of a requested feature, but I really don’t have any issue with this being a part of the game as it just gives players more options when it comes to playing how they like. For me, I usually don’t spend much time in The City when I play or really the online competitive scene, but I can understand how this would be fun for some. Still, from reading comments from you guys our YouTube videos, it seems like last year’s game was a bit of a ghost town when it came to honing your skills online. If you’re looking to compete against others, playing on other platforms is probably a better option.
Also, the ugly brown shirt and gray sweatpants are such a terrible default look. It’s a shame that you have to spend your hard earned VC on clothing and apparel just to make your player look normal. Personally, I’d rather use my precious VC to enhance my player and surely I’m not alone. Alas, that aspect of the game is likely not going away anytime soon.
MyNBA & MyNBA Eras
Just as with past entries into the series, fans can choose taking over a franchise in the modern era or in the past in MyNBA. Outside of the standard features found in MyNBA, players can also pick a star of their choosing and do a player lock career (and also have control over the front office) in the modern era with MyNBA Legacy. This can go for as long as 100 years. Obviously, you won’t be playing with a geriatric version of a current NBA star, but rather their offspring. You can play four 25 year or five 20 year careers per player. I’ve just dabbled here, but the idea is incredibly cool and I can see it chewing up quite a bit of time for fans.
Visuals, Audio & Performance
2K27 has received a visual upgrade over last year’s game, namely when it comes to framerate. This time around, Players are able to choose between two graphics modes - Performance and Fidelity. This can be found in the Settings tab and then under Console Settings. The former prioritizes a higher framerate (generally around 60 fps during gameplay) while the latter sacrifices this to deliver somewhat better looking visuals. It should be noted that the higher framerate is limited to actual gameplay, whereas cutscenes or some close-up shots of the players during the game kicks things back down to 30 fps.
Honestly, outside of a motion blur and what appears to be other filters to make the stadium atmosphere appear a bit more realistic, there’s really no competition with Performance Mode and Fidelity Mode. The higher framerate makes the game smoother to play and doesn’t really take away from the visuals all that much. To top this off, performance in handheld mode is pretty much on par with playing in docked. I play more off the TV, so it was great to see things remain stable when playing that way. Whether you’re looking to play on the big screen or on the go, performance and visuals are pretty much the same.
Even with that said, if you’ve been playing NBA 2K on more powerful hardware and/or are coming to the Switch 2, you’ll notice the visual downgrade. Cloth physics are largely absent, resulting in clothing that is static and rarely moves while playing the game. Oddly enough (and just like last year), the player previews in the main menu or that appear when choosing teams sport player models that have cloth physics, which I think is a bit dishonest when it comes to presenting the overall product. Sure, the players still do sport quite a bit of detail, courts are appropriate (complete with scuff marks) and other presentation elements, like the commentary, cheerleaders and mascots, look great. Obviously, the game is nowhere near what you’ll find on more powerful hardware, but 2K has created a MORE serviceable version of their game this year on Switch 2.
Conclusion
The performance upgrade made to NBA 2K27 on the Switch 2 really changes thing up - more than I realized it would. Of course, the 60 fps for the visuals in both docked and handheld is great and it really does make the game smoother to play. Couple this with the tweaks to existing modes, there is quite a bit to do. Even with the said, the game is not perfect. The Switch 2 motion mini-games are underwhelming, the lack of cloth physics on player models is disappointing and the graphics themselves look like a somewhat spruced up Switch 1 title. Still, if you’re looking to play a basketball game on the go, NBA 2K27 on the Switch 2 is worth a look, perhaps on a sale.
But let’s turn things over to you. What do you think about the increase in fps in 2K27? Are you planning on picking this one up? How do play NBA 2K on the Switch/Switch 2 - docked or handheld? Sound off with any and all comments down below. We’d love to hear from you.
Final Score: 8.0
by Danny Bivens
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