NBA The Run [REVIEW] – An Old-School 3v3 Multiplayer Treat 

If you’re a sports fan who grew up in the early 2000s, you probably have a MASSIVE soft spot for the golden era of arcade sports games, and for years, there has been a glaring gap in the market for that type of over-the-top experience. Enter NBA The Run, a brand-new 3v3 arcade hoops game that aims to revive that classic streetball magic for modern platforms. And, in many ways, it completely succeeds, but be warned: this is an online multiplayer experience, so if you were hoping for a deep solo experience, you’re going to be disappointed. 

Check out some screenshots down below: 

Let us start with what happens on the court, because let’s face it, it’s the most important thing. The moment-to-moment gameplay is incredibly fast and brilliantly chaotic, with NBA The Run dropping the heavy simulation style of modern NBA titles in favour of high-speed, end-to-end action. You use the right stick to pull off flashy dribbling and ankle breakers, and you can map different spectacular dunks to your buttons. Instead of staring at a complicated shot meter, you just look at a simple colour-coded ring around your player to judge if your shot is going to sink, and you know what? It works, ensuring that the experience is intuitive and accessible for players of all skill levels. 

The roster is solid, featuring a mix of around forty current NBA stars and a handful of fictional streetball legends created specifically for the game, and putting together the right trio is genuinely important here. You cannot just pick three random shooters and expect to dominate – you need a balanced squad, because every player has specific strengths and weaknesses that make a difference on the basketball court.  

There’s also a momentum mechanic, and by playing well, you build up a meter that eventually lets you activate a boost. This temporarily supercharges your player’s signature skill, meaning a defensive specialist becomes a brick wall, or a sharpshooter becomes nearly impossible to miss with. It is a smart system that adds a nice layer of strategy without feeling completely unfair… well… for the most part. I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t used against me a few times where it was hard not to be frustrated that my opponent would suddenly have an advantage, but hey, I’ve used it a lot too, so it’s all relative. 

“NBA The Run is a vibrant, fun, and accessible return to the arcade sports genre that fans of classics like NBA Street will have a ton of fun playing.” 

Rather than standard leagues, the whole game is built around four-round knockout tournaments that feel a bit like a sports version of a battle royale. Matches only last a few minutes, making it incredibly easy to have that ‘one more go’, and to keep things fresh, every single match features a randomised rule change that keeps the experience varied. It forces you to constantly adapt your playstyle and work with your teammates, and whilst this can be tumultuous when playing with online randoms, playing with friends makes it a real joy. 

A massive point in the game’s favour is how it handles unlocks. You earn an in-game currency just by playing tournaments, which you can then spend on cosmetic items to personalise your players. There are absolutely no real-world microtransactions here… you cannot pay to win, you cannot buy your way to a cooler outfit, and everything has to be earned through play. It is a player-friendly approach that respects your time, which is so important in a multiplayer-focused experience like this. 

It all comes together to make for a really fun basketball experience, with the core gameplay loop of NBA The Run satisfying throughout. Because of the multiplayer focus, there’s a real sense of unpredictability of who you’ll face off against, and with the arcade, fast-paced vibe of the gameplay proving addictive, it’s easy to spend hours upon hours with the game. It’s really enjoyable and ticks all of the right boxes for basketball fans. 

Check out some screenshots down below: 

However, for all the things it gets right, I can’t help but feel that the lack of single player content is a letdown. I know, I know, NBA The Run is meant to be an online multiplayer experience, with no offline play, no local couch multiplayer, and absolutely no single-player campaign. However, it’s still my biggest gripe, because some of my most cherished gaming memories come from sitting alone in my bedroom, grinding through the single-player campaigns of the old street basketball games, and taking over city courts. The fact that I cannot do that here, or even just play locally with friends, is a massive disappointment. The only saving grace? You can play online solos where you control a whole team of three against other people, and whilst it’s not exactly the same, it can be a relief for those who want to play alone. 

Developer: Play by Play Studios 
Publisher: Play by Play Studios 
Platform(s): PlayStation 5 (Reviewed), Xbox Series X|S, PC 
Website: https://store.playstation.com/en-gb/concept/10011746