2K’s NBA VR game reminds me of the early Wii days

It’s a mini-game compilation

My experiences with virtual reality have reinforced the idea that these games are (almost always) better in person than they appear in trailers. For the longest time, Rigs: Mechanized Combat League seemed over-the-top cheesy and easy to write off, but it’s a much different story with a headset on.

That said, I’m struggling to give NBA 2KVR Experience, a $15 standalone title for Vive, Gear VR, Oculus Rift, and PlayStation VR, the same benefit of the doubt. Full stop, it looks like cheap filler that’ll probably still sell relatively well regardless. This official description from the trailer doesn’t do it any favors:

“Partnering with Gatorade, introducing NBA 2KVR Experience: the first basketball virtual reality experience immersing gamers in a new, entertaining NBA environment filled w/fun mini-games and challenges!” It’s true: “Players can earn a variety of Gatorade fuel boosts that will aide their shooting acumen, speed, recovery and more to help reach the top of the leaderboards.”

Specifically, those three mini-games are a “three-point shootout, a speed and accuracy skills challenge, and the buzzer beater countdown.” 2KVR releases tomorrow, November 22 for the aforementioned platforms excluding the Oculus Rift version, which is coming a little later.