Best PS4 Basketball Game
Basketball originated in 1891, and it is very likely that whoever invented it never imagined that it would end up being played by millions of people around the world, much less think that it would become a digital game. Video games and technologies have made the sport livable on screen, making it possible to control the passing, shooting, dunking, and more. Nowadays, video games have evolved so much that they transmit the graphics with incredible hyperrealism, which makes us feel as if we were really on the court, but we are the ones who keep control of the game. This is how the best basketball games for PS4 look and play.
For those basketball lovers who want to enjoy the best games on their PS4 console, in this article we will introduce you to the best basketball games available today. Whether you are playing alone or with your teammates, you will be able to handle a wide variety of NBA players and different game modes. We will start this list with the NBA 2K series which has had a long and excellent history in these games, and also others in which you will find old versions of teams, like the original Dream Team, where the legend Michael Jordan was, and many more.
NBA 2K15 PS4
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Starting with the oldest version of the NBA 2K15, we have to say that to be the oldest on this list we have a lot to talk about. In this game, you can perceive that the players maintain a very tuned and refined game mechanic during every move on the court. It allows good control of the ball while the player makes more space between the opponents. It also has other game modes that give a different feeling of play.
You can start playing the Career Mode, in which you are a candidate to become an NBA player. However, since you start as a rookie, you don't have a limited contract, so you'll have to work hard. During this game mode, you will encounter various challenges where you will need to have certain skills if you really want to be part of a team.
As in previous versions of the NBA 2K, you will have the option of MyGM to sponsor or oversee a franchise. You can control salaries, handle contract negotiations for your players, and even manage the stadium. The idea is to maintain a mogul style of play where everyone is happy while raising money. You can also check out the MyLeague gameplay, which goes hand in hand with MyGM, as players can take control of a franchise, including teams, rosters, and the length of the season.
NBA 2K16 PS4
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We now present the successor to the NBA 2K15, a game that debuted a year after it came out. The NBA 2K16 proved to be several times better than the 2K15. Player and ball control, and other skills were better adjusted, and AI showed improved playability. It can be a little difficult to adjust to the controls, but after a few minutes, you can feel the improvement in the game mechanics.
The same game modes as the previous version are maintained, as well as the ability to control a team on a financial level with the MyGM option. The Career Mode also had some improvements, which are reflected in the fact that you don't start as a rookie player, but as something that it’s more dramatic since it relates to a basketball player and his sport career in high school, college, and even the rookie era within the NBA.
Also, another improvement of the Career Mode is that you can choose the team you want to end up with. There are no longer any negotiations with money, but instead, a point system is implemented in which you can improve your player. In short, the improvements in this NBA 2K have proven it to be a solid game, and it continues to prove to be one of the best basketball games for PS4 and other consoles.
NBA 2K17 PS4
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Following the line of NBA 2K, we now present its 2K17 version, in which they continued to make improvements where the AI becomes a real challenge. An added item to this version is the element of strategy during the games since you must establish tactics that allow you to beat your opponents on the court. But it's not as easy as it seems, as your star player may not always be your best option. The Career Mode remains with the same options and stories as the previous version, but it is always a good option to start a career from scratch.
Also, one of the improvements they made in NBA 2K17 is the various ways you can improve your players' stats. Before each game, you can visit the gym, practice some moves, etc. These are mini-games in which you can earn points to improve your players. You can also do activities outside the NBA such as attending events, although it doesn't increase any skills or statistics, it generates money that you can spend on your player.
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NBA 2K19 PS4
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Now we present one of the best versions of the NBA2K for PS4. The NBA 2K19 is recognized by many as the best basketball game for PS4. This is the penultimate installment of the 2K series which was developed by Visual Concepts. It is a very complete version, much more than all previous versions. NBA 2K19 has all the official licenses, has a great variety of plays on the court, both in players and technicians, and has also shown to have the most realistic graphics.
With this jewel of video games, NBA 2K proves to be the best in all basketball games, as it has also become one of the best games in history. The graphics and movement mechanics really make this game look like a real NBA game, where you can see players like Lebron James, Antetokoumpo, and many more as if you were watching them in real life.
Different Game Modes
With this edition of the NBA 2K, you can play games against the computer, in Multiplayer mode; you can also play with other players online, and even on street courts. The Career Mode remains one of the best modes, where you can recreate a version of yourself to start playing basketball from high school until you finally make it to the NBA if that's what you want. As you progress, you'll unlock special skills, new moves, and even become a team captain. You'll also be able to negotiate your own contracts with different teams and even manage your social networks.
You can start the Career Mode by playing in El Barrio, and even become an urban legend, with the opportunity to travel to another country and prove that you can become a true professional player. You can simulate a real-life story in great detail.
Another new feature is the “My Team game mode”, in which different cards are presented representing the players of your own team, but you also have the option to create your own player with his or her respective card and play online against other teams of other users.
NBA 2K20 PS4
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The last edition of the NBA 2K was presented this year. NBA 2K20 shows improvements in graphics, movement mechanics, game modes, and player control and customization for different occasions. The game mode is also maintained in El Barrio, a parallel world to the NBA but with different styles, challenges, and culture than the casual.
There is no doubt that it proves to be a worthy successor to 2K19, which seems much more than a simple basketball simulator. Its graphics and mechanics improved, even more, the game modes, the control, and player customization are really amazing, as well as its different game modes. This NBA 2K20 could be the best basketball game for PS4 for several years.
NBA 2K Playgrounds 2 PS4
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A good game is not the only one that has the most hyper-realistic details. There are also other features that can make a game stand out, such as fun, comedy, and above all originality. And that is precisely what the latest version of the NBA 2K Playgrounds 2 for PS4 has, a game that only seeks the fun between different NBA players with unique plays of all kinds, dunks that look like rockets, long shots with lightning effects, etc. All the ideas proposed by this version of 2K are of this type, which allows anyone to play it.
NBA 2K Playgrounds 2, has 2 vs 2 game modes, against the computer, multiplayer, or even online. Besides, you have 400 NBA players to choose from for your games, among them you can choose the most famous ones like Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Ben Simmons, and many more, not only from this era but also from ancient times. You can also choose different types of courts, customize your games, and even play a triple play contest.
NBA Live 18 PS4
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Not all the best basketball games are the 2K series, we also have the NBA Live 18, which has some differences with 2K but is really another one of the best. The game is pretty easy to control, just like AI can be appreciated quite well and easily. There are also different Game Modes, similar to the NBA 2K, but here you can also make exhibition games, simulate franchises, and the popular Career Mode.
However, something that really stands out from NBA Live 18 is the integration of the WNBA. That's right, as we mentioned, you can choose any team from the NBA's women's league or even All-Star teams. This is the first game to include the WNBA in video games, despite having certain limitations in some areas. But here you can see how this game has improved, so much so that you can also play online in the WNBA, something that was not allowed before.
NBA Live 19 PS4
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Following the successor to NBA Live 18, Electronic Arts demonstrated that they were able to greatly improve the way basketball is played in video games. The new NBA Live 19 came full of improvements to become one of the best basketball simulators.
This edition of Live 19 demonstrates a level of high-quality graphics, with hyperrealism, and excellent play mechanics. It really feels like you're in a real-life game. The most emblematic moves of the most popular players are also very well represented, as well as the feints of players like Mark Gasol, Bryant, and other players.
Game Modes
As in the other basketball games here, you can also find different game modes, starting with The One mode, in which your player starts his basketball career from the bottom to the top of the NBA. In this mode, you can name your player and play every game of his life until he becomes a star. Also, this mode is called The Streets, which is based on street games, and The League mode which focuses on professional games. In the latter mode, you can choose your physical training, the position of the player, the style of play, and everything else that concerns your player.
In the Street Mode, you can choose different game styles, such as 3 vs. 3, or the classic 5 vs. 5, in addition to being able to play on different urban tracks. In this mode you can distinguish the typical clothing of the players when they play on the street, so they don't have a uniform as such, but something that simply represents them as a team. In the graphics of this mode, you can also appreciate an infinite number of details that perfectly simulate urban courts.
The WNBA
Something that EA wanted to show off with the NBA Live edition is the inclusion of the WNBA and the possibility of recreating the female players that participate in this league. After all, women's basketball has been growing in recent years in the United States and has undoubtedly earned its place in video games.
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