There was a time when basketball games weren’t all about meticulously recreating the NBA season, managing franchises or mastering increasingly complicated simulation mechanics. Games such as NBA Street and NBA Jam understood that sometimes all you want to do is grab a basketball, pull off ridiculous moves and throw down spectacular dunks. NBA The Run clearly wants to recapture some of that arcade magic, although its decision to make the experience almost entirely focused on online multiplayer means it doesn’t quite reach the heights of its influences.
Developed by Play By Play Studios, NBA The Run puts you into fast-moving 3v3 basketball matches featuring a sizeable collection of real NBA stars. Rather than attempting to replicate the slower, more methodical nature of NBA 2K, this is basketball stripped down to its most entertaining elements. Matches are short, frantic and constantly moving between baskets, making it remarkably easy to pick up and play.
The controls are one of the game’s strongest aspects. Passing, shooting, dribbling and pulling off flashy moves all feel responsive, while the right analogue stick gives you plenty of opportunities to embarrass an opponent with a well-timed crossover. Dunks are suitably spectacular, too, and there is a satisfying sense of momentum when a fast break ends with someone hammering the ball through the rim. The game clearly prioritises fun and accessibility over realism, and that’s absolutely the right approach.
That doesn’t mean the gameplay is flawless. Defence feels considerably less refined than attacking, with steals and physical challenges sometimes feeling unpredictable. There are also moments when animations appear to bend the rules of physics to maintain the game’s momentum. Players can make some surprisingly sudden adjustments when jumping or collecting loose balls, which can look strange when you’re coming from a more realistic basketball experience.
NBA The Run also introduces different player archetypes, giving each NBA star a particular strength. A player like Stephen Curry is naturally dangerous from distance, while bigger stars can dominate around the basket or defensively. Building a three-player team therefore becomes an important part of the experience, particularly because different matches can introduce modifiers that alter how the game is played.
These modifiers are a clever idea. One match might place greater emphasis on alley-oops, while another can change the scoring rules entirely. They prevent every game from feeling identical and encourage you to experiment with different combinations of players. Unfortunately, you quickly begin to see most of what NBA The Run has to offer. The lack of substantial modes, particularly offline options, is noticeable.
This is an especially important omission because there is no traditional single-player campaign to fall back on. The main experience revolves around its online tournament structure, with solo and squad-based options alongside the ability to play with friends. When matchmaking is working well, matches can be great fun, but players looking for a quick offline game against the AI are left wanting.
Visually, NBA The Run is a colourful and attractive game. The various street courts provide plenty of personality, with locations around the world offering noticeably different environments. The character designs have a slightly exaggerated quality that suits the arcade presentation, while the exaggerated dunks, visual effects and energetic presentation help give matches a lively atmosphere. It isn’t attempting photorealism, but the colourful art direction works well for what the game is trying to achieve.
The biggest problem is longevity. NBA The Run is enjoyable in short bursts, but there simply isn’t enough variety at launch to make it feel like a game you’ll be playing every day for months. The foundation is certainly here, and the underlying basketball is enjoyable enough that additional players, courts, modes and gameplay features could make a significant difference.
NBA The Run isn’t the revival of arcade basketball that some fans may have been hoping for, but it is an enjoyable first step. Its fast-paced matches, responsive controls, entertaining roster and colourful presentation provide plenty of fun, particularly when playing alongside friends. Unfortunately, the lack of offline content, limited modes and occasionally frustrating defensive mechanics prevent it from becoming essential.
-Lee
