NBA The Run Review: The Perfect Chaotic Pick-Up and Play Basketball Game
The King of New York is here.
NBA The Run takes all the current NBA superstars to battle in the classic streetball style on courts all around the world. While the game won’t appeal to basketball fans looking for realism, it still brings a different arcade-style gameplay similar to what was popularized in the 90s and early 2000s.
Players can expect the most chaotic and fast-paced street hoops using their favorite players, where literally everyone can just grab a controller and play regardless of their familiarity with video games.
The First Few Games of the NBA The Run is One of the Most Enjoyable Basketball Game Experiences You’ll Have
After opening the game, the first thing you can interact with is literally the play button, and I loved the fact that it just gets straight into the action. Even if you can change your player, open the shop, select the customization screen, and everything you would expect from a game’s menu, you only really see the play button, which is the very first thing I did.
Without any clues or tutorials, I went into the game and immediately learned the ropes within two games. That’s how easy it is to pick up NBA The Run. The only game mode is a tournament-style, or should I say, NBA playoff-style run, where everyone is queued into a playoff bracket of 16 teams of three battling it out to be the champion.
Each game throughout the tournament has a randomized scoring system or game mode that alters how you play. It isn’t too crazy, though. These game-altering rules are mostly point systems favoring a playstyle, like alley-oops counting as three points and everything else counting as 1. Some modes are 1s and 2s, like your typical pick-up basketball at the local park.
These rules make every tournament run unique, making you play a different way every game. However, it forces you to balance your team out, and in a way, it could feel a little imbalanced at times, regardless. For example, you can queue into a random team with two Jalen Brunsons and Zion Williamson against two LeBron Jameses and Anthony Edwards, where there’s the three-point alley-oop rule. That’s absolutely unfair.
With the crazy balancing issues with these mechanics, it’s hard to treat the game seriously. I still had a blast playing – turning off your brain, just smacking for steals, diving for balls, jumping at every shot to contest, pushing players down, and making the most absurd and awkward-looking three-point fadeaway swish.
That’s the game, and I would say it is very enjoyable, especially if you can get some friends to pick it up and form a three-player team.
As an NBA Fan, I’m Not a Fan of the Streetball Legends Being Way Too Good
NBA The Run features a massive roster of NBA superstars, but it also created five streetball legends that feel way too overtuned. I think it is fair to say that most of the players would be fans of the NBA or basketball in general. Seeing as how Jalen Brunson, who just became a New York Knicks legend by winning their first title in over half a decade, has way weaker attributes or stats than Shen Tong (streetball legend), which is definitely a bit irksome.
Imagine seeing Kyrie Irving, who is probably the best finisher around, being outclassed by Spin Cycle, a streetball legend with crazy handles and aura (yeah, that’s a stat in the game).
But it is easy to overlook if you can just play mindlessly addicted for the first couple of hours.
NBA The Run
NBA The Run is a fast-paced arcade basketball game that embraces chaotic streetball action over realism. Its simple design and instant accessibility make it easy for anyone to jump in, with players learning the basics within just a few matches. The tournament-style mode keeps gameplay fresh through randomized scoring rules that encourage different strategies each run, which can make it feel imbalanced for some. Despite its flaws, the game delivers plenty of fun, especially with friends.
Pros
- Easy to pick up and play, even for non-gamers.
- Randomized game rules keep matches fresh and entertaining.
- Chaotic arcade-style gameplay is highly enjoyable with friends.
Cons
- Significant balance issues due to random team compositions and rule sets.
- Lack of game modes limits long-term variety and replayability.
A copy of this game was provided by the publisher for review. Reviewed on PC
