Dunk City Dynasty is a breath of fresh air. I’ve never been massively into the mainline NBA or FIFA games, but certified bangers like NBA Street and FIFA Street tapped into something no other sports game has captured since: impeccable vibes. That’s why NetEase’s new Android and iPhone sports title promises, a highly approachable gameplay loop that is fun for newcomers and seasoned NBA pros.
I recently got to go hands-on with the Dunk City Dynasty at Gamescom, and it quickly became apparent just how laid back it is. A brief tutorial lays down the fundamentals of blocks, steals, passes, skill shots, and an ultimate attack that threatens to gloriously burst out of the mobile phone’s screen. You see, unlike 2K’s more career-focused sports games, Dunk City Dynasty is all about reveling in fluidity and vibrancy. Matches are considerably fast-paced, especially if you’re getting caught off-guard by other players as they dunk on you for not covering the court properly.
While I wasn’t playing against real-life players in this demo, the free mobile game‘s AI isn’t sluggish and won’t hesitate to put you to the test. It never feels unfair, though. If they did manage to get a 3-pointer shot by me, that’s totally on my own lack of basketball prowess. It doesn’t take long to get into the groove, as blocks feel downright awesome to pull off, resulting in a satisfying thud as I shut down the opposition’s dreams of victory. Landing shots is done with a bit of luck, placement, and a release gauge that indicates the ideal time to fire off your shot from afar.
All of these actions are done with a simple tap, and it’s a prompt response from within Dunk City Dynasty’s thankfully uncluttered and streamlined user interface. I’m told the user interface can be customized to my liking too, as the aim is to make each pick-up-and-go session feel exceptionally easy to dive into. For me, the real highlight within the game’s customization is the benefit of controller support, as NetEase tells me this was a deeply important element to nail for genre veterans and newcomers alike. So if you’ve already got one of the best phone controllers out there, you’ll feel right at home.
You’ll be able to squad up with fellow iOS and Android players when the game launches, whether you’re banding together in the game’s Leagues system, chasing down wins together on the court in 11-point games, or getting stuck into the game’s suite of customization. This is where Dunk City Dynasty really got a hold on me. The usual aspects of changing your player’s clothing and aesthetic are present, with many of the game’s cosmetics available through organic progression or a paid battle pass. However, the real stars of the show are hiding within Dunk City Dynasty’s sneaker creation mechanic.
Players can make their own signature basketball shoe, giving you a chance to make something as iconic as a pair of Chicago Jordan 1s. This system has its own economy too, as players will be able to sell their shoe blueprints to each other. It’s like a bite-size version of StockX for all you sneaker-heads out there, and it sounds awesome. Customization also extends to stadiums, giving you a dedicated stomping ground you can really call home. Everything is soaked in a visual makeover that sits firmly between Spider-Verse comic goodness, and the nostalgic warmth of NBA Streets 2.
Dunk City Dynasty’s easy-breezy nature is expanded across multiple game modes, often pitting your 3v3 skirmishes, but there is NetEase’s spin on a career mode just in case you did fancy rising to the top. Dynasty Mode isn’t bogged down in anything you’d find in any of the more granular sports manager games out there, but it does add a surprising RTS game edge to matches. I can assemble a bona fide dream team of three NBPA-licensed pros here, including the likes of Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, and Luka Dončić, and fashion them into a lean crew that’d send shivers down anyone stepping foot onto the court.
However, although I can proceed through matches as normal, Dynasty Mode offers the ability to simulate matches, or making real-time adjustments to my team’s tactics as I go. If you like tweaking your player’s coordination, it’ll scratch your itch to feel like one of the finest coaches to ever do it.
With a strong absence of titles cut from the same cloth as those beloved NBA Street or FIFA Street titles from back in the day, Dunk City Dynasty feels a long-awaited resurrection that I’ve clamored for all these years. All the right parts are in place to make it a slam dunk, and you can check it out yourself by signing up for the Technical Closed Alpha Test that will run from August 30, 2024, until September 2, 2024.
In the meantime, you can shoot some shots in our picks of the best basketball games available, and nab some freebies with our handy Basketball Leagues codes list.