New arcade basketball game NBA Playgrounds will be dunking on a system near you in May.
Developed by Saber Interactive, the game is a 2-on-2 game that is reminiscent of NBA Jam. Based on the trailer, the game will include both former and current NBA stars. Legends like Allen Iverson and Shaquille O’Neal take the court with stars like James Harden and LeBron. Much like the NBA Jam series the gameplay is focused on being accessible. “NBA Playgrounds has a lot of depth for pros who’ve mastered their game,” said Saber CEO Matt Karch in a press release. “But it’s accessible enough that anyone can jump in, have fun and feel competitive.”
The game has support for single-player and local multiplayer. Additionally, the game promises to offer online tournament modes as part of the online features according to the press release. The developer also says the game includes “hundreds of over-the-top dunks and moves” for players to bust out.
The game gives NBA fans a more casual experience than the simulation-based NBA 2K series. NBA Playgrounds will be the first arcade-style basketball game since 2011’s NBA Jam: On Fire Edition. While there hasn’t been a new game in some time, the NBA Jam series has been in the news recently. Series creator Mark Turmell revealed in a Reddit AMA that a version of the game including Michael Jordan and baseball star Ken Griffey Jr. exists.
Saber Interactive is a New Jersey-based developer. Their first game, Will Rock, was released in 2003 and they also developed 2007’s TimeShift. More recently the studio worked on Halo: The Master Chief Collection and Quake Champions. NBA Playgrounds will launch as a digital title on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC for $19.99.
