A brand new edition of NBA 2K makes its way onto Switch just in time to give b-ball fans a wealth of slam-dunking sports action to get stuck into. This time around developer Visual Concepts has made a few neat changes to shooting and defence, improved upon last year's controversial shot meter and introduced a new fatigue system that'll see you need to be more strategically minded during matches. If you're an NBA 2K fan there's certainly plenty to enjoy in NBA 2K22, even if this port can be a little bit of a pain to play at times on Nintendo's console.

There’s a current gen version that’s only available to PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series players. That’s right, you read that correctly: PC players get the last generation version that’s also available on Xbox One and PlayStation 4.

And with NBA 2K22, watch as the game evolves. This year’s game pushes NBA 2K back to wear it should be, and overall, feels like a much cleaner, more polished experience. That improvement starts on the court, where subtle adjustments make the game feel more realistic, and far less difficult. It starts with a more robust shot meter that finally gives you the feedback you need to understand why shots make and miss. It’s vertically oriented instead of horizontal, so it takes some getting used to, but once you’ve adapted, shooting feels far more natural and fair in NBA 2K22.

NBA 2K22 isn’t a perfectly balanced game. Certain builds are just better than others and there will always be players who attempt to use cheesy plays to rack up wins in the park areas. Nonetheless, despite these minor issues, NBA 2K22 is probably one of the most enjoyable basketball games I’ve played in quite some time. It didn’t matter if I was playing as a sharpshooting point guard or a rim-protecting center. There was something fun about playing any role on a team. And if you have ever played an NBA 2K game before, you would know that’s not always the case.

As far as MyCareer goes, it definitely feels a bit more disappointing than usual this year in terms of its actual story, how quickly it blasts you into the NBA-proper — this game doesn't give you nearly enough time in college and lower level leagues — and the usual horrendously cheesy dialogue and scripting that, to be honest, we're more than a little bored with at this stage. We just never felt any real connection with MP, the Youtuber-turned-Basketball pro who we get to control here and the narrative elements of this mode could do with a real shake-up going forward.

The WNBA also returns for a second season, and this time, 2K gives it the full franchise treatment via MyWNBA, and the package there delivers just about everything in the MyNBA mode. MyWNBA is only available in its full glory on the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S consoles, though. Still it’s a wealth of content. (Next move: Let players match WNBA and NBA teams in exhibition matches.)

All in all, NBA 2K22 on next-gen systems is the best NBA 2K game to release in years. The gameplay receives a much-needed revamp, leading to a fun experience for everyone regardless if you are playing as a primary scorer or defensive anchor. MyNBA gives players an in-depth and customizable franchise mode with some sweet additions like the new staff system. It may be overbearing at times but, MyNBA is a franchise mode worth trying out.