I've played NBA 2K26 and it's almost perfect - but there's one key flaw

Washington Wizards @ New York Knicks and I'm playing as the home side against the CPU in NBA 2K26. The lead has fluctuated all game with no more than five points separating the two teams for pretty much the whole match - until the final three minutes.

I go 10 points down with just 2:21 left on the clock. It's over. I've bottled it. Surely. But then - the comeback, bringing the scores level through a three pointer from Jalen Brunson with one second left on the clock.

Into overtime the game goes and the comeback is complete with a five point victory in OT. A quiet fist bump underneath the desk where I'm sat follows. Victory snatched from the jaws of defeat.

This is why I love sport games that successfully capture the magic and thrill of what they aim to recreate. Of course it was made all the better that I won but NBA 2K26 perfectly captures the authentic ebb and flow of games and that was evident in just my third full game during my hands-on with it so far.

WNBA has been fully integrated into MyTEAM for the first time in NBA 2K26 / 2K

What's gameplay like in NBA 2K26?

The early build I got to play featured Play Now options for NBA and WNBA and a streamlined MyTEAM mode where I played a couple of All-Star Team-Up 5v5 matches with and against others.

Gameplay has experienced its biggest changes in the series for five years, according to 2K, and gameplay director Mike Wang is confident in the changes made, saying: "Gameplay is on another level. It's a lot more skill based where the outcome of the games is truly in the players hands.

"Games are faster, more uptempo and more exciting. It feels very different."

New in gameplay for this year is the ProPLAY motion engine which is generated from real-world NBA footage that influences all movement on the court and new machine learning technology gives more precise, lifelike movement with 'skating' effects removed.

And these changes make gameplay incredibly fun and fast.

As promised, the changes do make movement noticeably more fluid than NBA 2K25 while being more realistic than before. Counter attacks in particular feel a lot more devastating and precise. Fast paced thinking and reading of the court are very much rewarded.

The changes to movement are also reflected in defence, where player-to-player collisions are much better and players sticking to others does not happen anymore.

There's enhanced rhythm shooting too where shot timing and tempo actually manipulate the shooters upper body and impact how the shot looks throughout the motion and taking advantage of the feel of this really makes a difference.

Green or miss shot timing is now universal across the game so each mode has an even playing field - the higher the difficulty, the more precise shot timing needs to be to score.

Gameplay has been improved in NBA 2K26 / 2K

However there is one key flaw...

I had the chance to play two All-Star Team-Up games with others who were also checking the game out. For the sake of time and ease, I went with a Carmelo Anthony small forward build.

However it quickly became apparent that this was a mistake and choosing a towering centre build was the way to go; it felt very overpowered compared to any other role.

I'm not sure if the teams were split unevenly or there were just that many others who picked much taller players but on my team, there was one just one really tall player playing centre when there was at least three other taller players on the opposing side.

We quickly found ourselves 17-0 down. Pretty well every shot early on was blocked with relative ease, despite most of them being fairly well timed across the board.

We eventually came back into the game and only narrowly lost the second half - but there was one instance in particular where this issue became very apparent.

A team-mate worked a pocket of space, performed a green layup shot and all three tall players performed a block at the same time, one it felt from halfway across the court.

Every single one of them would have been successful in blocking it and the shot duly was with us conceding quickly on the counter. It was almost like they could just hold their hands over the rim to stop anything at all going in.

Later on, something Wang said brought me some clarity about this could be the case - it might be completely unrelated but something he said made me immediately think about what I'd experienced here.

When speaking about post play, Wang said: "We're really happy about [Nikola] Jokic because being the best player in the world, one of at least in my opinion, he's bringing a lot of that back.

"He's being a post play maker and he's showing you can be dominant as a bigger player in the game. That's one thing actually I think people are going to find, being a centre in 2K26 is a lot of fun."

Perhaps too much fun...

NBA 2K26 looks a lot more realistic across the board compared to NBA 2K25 / 2K

What else is new in NBA 2K26?

Visuals have taken a noticeable leap forward both in player fidelity, visuals and presentation. Players look a lot better and sweat is a lot more noticeable on them.

This has been achieved by using new shaders with this technology also being used in how the court looks, adding more life and sheen to them. Lighting in arenas has been much improved too.

In MyPLAYER, there's a new animation glossary so more detail can be given about different player builds. Players can also build by badges to shape the framework of your player and there's also a new scouting report feature that helps you understand the build you've created.

WNBA has been fully integrated into MyTEAM for the first time. There is also the introduction of 2v2 games.

When I asked Wang if the gameplay tweaks and adjustments elsewhere are enough changes to satisfy its fanbase to buy the new game, he is convinced they are.

As I only played an early and streamlined build of the game, in terms of modes and features, that remains to be seen.

However I do agree that gameplay does feel a lot more fluid, fresh, faster and fun than NBA 2K25 during my time with NBA 2K26 so far and it's a real standout, despite my grievance about centres perhaps being a bit too overpowered, especially online.

Elsewhere from indy100:

• 2K confirms it's 'exploring' its own college basketball game hours after EA's reveal
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