NBA Playgrounds Preview
Release Date Announced
Updated April 28, 2017
If you played video games in the early ’90s it was impossible to avoid NBA Jam. It was one of the most popular arcade machines around and the Super NES and Genesis home versions were a blast to play, whether you were into sports games or not. Now we have a new contender in the same vein: NBA Playgrounds.
Classic NBA arcade action is back! Take your “A” game to the playground and beat the best in high-flying 2-on-2 basketball action. Practice your skills, play with up to three others on your Nintendo Switch™ and use your talents to posterize your opponents with acrobatic jams and ridiculous displays of skill. Collect your favorite players from a massive roster of current and retired NBA superstars from every team. Travel to playgrounds across the globe to compete against the very best with your massive arsenal of dunks and moves. Use your fine-tuned skills to take on the master of the playground himself – Allen Iverson.
Player Roster
Updated April 21, 2017
Fans of arcade basketball games like NBA Jam should be excited to see NBA Playgrounds coming to the Nintendo Switch next month. GameSpot has received the roster of players that will be included in the game:
- Aaron Gordon
- Al Horford
- Al Jefferson
- Alex English
- Allen Iverson
- Alonzo Mourning
- Andre Drummond
- Andrew Wiggins
- Anfernee Hardaway
- Anthony Davis
- Ben McLemore
- Ben Simmons
- Bill Laimbeer
- Bill Russell
- Bill Walton
- Billy Cunningham
- Blake Griffin
- Bradley Beal
- Brandon Ingram
- Brook Lopez
- Buddy Hield
- CJ McCollum
- Carmelo Anthony
- Chandler Parsons
- Chauncey Billups
- Chris Bosh
- Chris Mullin
- Chris Paul
- Chris Webber
- Clyde Drexler
- Damian Lillard
- Danilo Gallinari
- Danny Ainge
- David Robinson
- DeAndre Jordan
- DeMar DeRozan
- DeMarcus Cousins
- DeMarre Carroll
- Dell Curry
- Derrick Rose
- Dikembe Mutombo
- Dirk Nowitzki
- Dominique Wilkins
- Dragan Bender
- Draymond Green
- Dwight Howard
- Dwyane Wade
- Elfrid Payton
- Emmanuel Mudiay
- Enes Kanter
- Eric Bledsoe
- Evan Turner
- Frank Kaminsky
- George Gervin
- George Hill
- George Mikan
- Goran Dragic
- Gordon Hayward
- Grant Hill
- Greg Monroe
- Hakeem Olajuwon
- Harrison Barnes
- Hassan Whiteside
- Ian Mahinmi
- Jabari Parker
- Jahlil Okafor
- Jakob Poeltl
- Jamal Crawford
- Jamal Murray
- James Harden
- James Worthy
- Jason Kidd
- Jaylen Brown
- Jeff Teague
- Jeremy Lin
- Jimmy Butler
- Joel Embiid
- John Stockton
- John Wall
- Jonas Valanciunas
- Jordan Clarkson
- Jrue Holiday
- Karl Anthony Towns
- Karl Malone
- Kawhi Leonard
- Kevin Durant
- Kevin Johnson
- Kevin Love
- Kris Dunn
- Kris Humphries
- Kristaps Porzingis
- Kyle Lowry
- Kyrie Irving
- LaMarcus Aldridge
- Larry Johnson
- LeBron James
- Luis Scola
- Luol Deng
- Magic Johnson
- Marc Gasol
- Marcus Morris
- Marcus Smart
- Marquese Chriss
- Mason Plumlee
- Matt Barnes
- Maurice Cheeks
- Michael Beasley
- Michael Kidd-Gilchrist
- Mike Conley Jr.
- Mitch Richmond
- Monta Ellis
- Nenê
- Nerlens Noel
- Nicolas Batum
- Nikola Jokic
- Nikola Vucevic
- Oscar Robertson
- Otto Porter Jr.
- Patrick Beverley
- Patrick Ewing
- Pau Gasol
- Paul George
- Paul Millsap
- Paul Westphal
- Rajon Rondo
- Ray Allen
- Reggie Jackson
- Ricky Rubio
- Robert Parish
- Roy Hibbert
- Rudy Gay
- Rudy Gobert
- Russell Westbrook
- Scottie Pippen
- Shaquille O’Neal
- Shawn Kemp
- Shawn Marion
- Spud Webb
- Stephen Curry
- Steven Adams
- Thon Maker
- Tim Hardaway
- Trey Burke
- Ty Lawson
- Tyreke Evans
- Victor Oladipo
- Vince Carter
- Walt Frazier
- Willis Reed
- Wilt Chamberlain
- Zach LaVine
- Zach Randolph
Gameplay Trailer
Updated 4/12/17
Original Preview
If you grew up in the ’90s and visited an arcade or owned a Genesis or Super Nintendo, it was impossible to escape the NBA Jam craze. It was one of those rare games that, regardless if you followed or even liked basketball, it was a blast to play thanks to over-the-top action and easy to pick-up-and-play controls.
Now, Saber Interactive is bringing out NBA Playgrounds to the Nintendo Switch. It features the same crazy antics and 2-on-2 rivalry that made NBA Jam so exciting. The developer has worked on other types of games in the past, including Halo: Master Chief Collection, Inversion, and TimeShift, so it will be interesting to see what they can do with a sports title.
NBA Playgrounds was first revealed in February via the Nintendo Nindie Showcase video. Although it wasn’t shown, a logo for the game was present. We finally have a full trailer to see what the game has in store:
According to IGN, because the game is officially licensed, it will feature every NBA team and the “roster of current and retired” players can be leveled-up. The game will feature hundreds of different moves and dunks. CEO Matt Karch says it’s accessible enough for anyone to pick up a controller and have fun, but it also features “a lot of depth for hardcore pros who’ve mastered their game.”
NBA Playgrounds is scheduled to release next month, in May, so we don’t have very long to wait for this one! It will be available in the eShop for $19.99.
Craig has been covering the video game industry since 1995. His work has been published across a wide spectrum of media sites. He’s currently the Editor-In-Chief of Nintendo Times and contributes to Gaming Age.
