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NBA 2K21 Next Gen Gameplay Blog #1 Talks Fundamentals

NBA 2K21 Next Gen Gameplay Blog #1

The first gameplay blog for NBA 2K21 Next Gen has been posted, and it’s all about the fundamentals. It discusses the basics of shooting, dribbling, and passing in NBA 2K21. As noted when the Next Gen trailer dropped, further blogs will go into detail about AI, physics, and other aspects of gameplay.

I’ve provided a concise summary of the NBA 2K21 Next Gen gameplay blog below, but some of the key points it touches upon include the ability to control short arcs and bank shots with the Pro Stick, a more readable shot meter, touch around the rim, and jumpers off the dribble. It also mentions foot positioning around the three-point line, new signature dribbles, different dribbling speeds, and reworked passing.

It’s definitely worth checking out the NBA 2K21 Next Gen gameplay blog in full, but once again if you’d like a concise breakdown, check out my summary below. Got any thoughts? Feel free to share them in the comments, and join in the discussion here in the Forum!

NBA 2K21 Next Gen Gameplay Blog Breakdown

  • Shot Aiming will be similar to Current Gen post-patch, with the speed of the Pro Stick movement determining whether the ideal release point skews left or right. Additionally, the speed of Pro Stick flicks on Next Gen will determine whether you shoot a high arcing (slow flick) or flat (fast flick) shot. There will be a bonus for shooting with an ideal shot arc.
  • Fast flicks/aiming in the direction of the backboard will allow you to perform bank shots. This also works for layups.
  • The shot meter has been made more readable, standing out against the various court colours. It no longer scales smaller with far away camera views, and an arrowhead helps identify the ideal release point for a Green. The blue “make” window scales according to the difficulty of the shot, and missing the window completely results in a miss. There are also new visual effects for Green Releases, which can be selected under the options.
  • Release timing is disabled for layups when using the Shoot button, but will be in effect when using the Pro Stick. The left stick can also be used to decide which side of the basket to finish on, and layup selection has been tuned to avoid defenders more intelligently. There are also fewer canned moments in the paint.
  • Off-the-dribble jumpers have been revamped with new signature packages, which are split into the categories of “controlled” and “high momentum”.
  • Improvements to inverse kinematics and foot planting will see players position their feet better around the three-point line.
  • The speed of size-up moves now depends on the speed at which you flick the Pro Strick (somewhat like the old Quick Strike Ballhandling in NBA Live 08). This allows ballhandlers to have different “gears”, and better elude defenders with quick and clever moves.
  • There are more signature moves, including signature stepbacks which are performed by pressing LT/L2. New triple threat moves have also been added.
  • Park dribble moves are performed by pressing L3 and require the Hall of Fame Tight Handles Badge, as is the case with Current Gen post-patch.
  • Passing physics have been improved, such as the bounce location on bounce passes. Bounce alley-oops are now possible, and lobs off the glass have also been reworked. For the first time in NBA 2K, bounce touch passes are also possible.
  • A new Lead Pass mechanics involves Tapping Triangle/Y to lead a teammate to the basket or behind the three-point arc. Holding the button performs a regular pass.
  • Pass accuracy and catches have been improved and made smoother. Catch reliability has also been enhanced, especially in scenarios such as catching a pass in the corner or along the sidelines.
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