ActionImmersive Sim
MultiplayerCo-opOnlineOfflineMeleeOpen World
Steam👍 97%· 34K
Year 2020Dev RubberBandGamesPlaytime ~4hOn PC · PS · Xbox
32 Games like NBA 2K21 that you should try
Games like NBA 2K21 · Find similar →
More about this game →NBA 2K21 is hard to replace: few games combine deep simulation, competitive edge and open world exploration in quite the same way. We compared NBA 2K21 against over 6,700 titles across 16 gameplay attributes and found 32 genuine alternatives — not generic genre suggestions. Wobbly Life, Goat Simulator 3 and Schedule I lead the list, with Wobbly Life reaching a 84/100 similarity score. Every game here is ranked by how closely it replicates what makes NBA 2K21 special.
iRank50/ 100
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GenreActionSubgenreImmersive Sim
Tags
CompetitiveNarrativeMultiplayerSolo
Year 2020Dev Visual Concepts
Quick answer
The closest game to NBA 2K21 is Wobbly Life — scoring 84/100 on our similarity scale. Goat Simulator 3 and Schedule I follow close behind.
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Top games similar to NBA 2K21
32 similar games foundUpdated July 2026
Handpicked by our similarity algorithm, these are the titles with the highest gameplay match to NBA 2K21. Each one has been evaluated across 16 real attributes — from combat style and progression mechanics to world structure and visual perspective — so every recommendation is based on how the game actually plays, not just its genre label.
ActionImmersive Sim
MultiplayerCo-opOfflineOnlineSoloMeleeOpen WorldSkill Tree3D
Steam👍 98%· 15KRAWG👍 79%· 33OC72· 51
Year 2022Dev Coffee Stain StudiosPlaytime ~4hOn PC · PS · Xbox
ActionImmersive Sim
Co-opMultiplayerMeleeOpen WorldManagementSkill Tree
Steam👍 98%· 298KRAWG👍 73%· 41
Year 2025Dev TVGSPlaytime ~6hOn PC
ActionImmersive Sim
SoloMultiplayerCo-opMeleeOpen WorldThird Person
Steam👍 80%· 6.2KIGDB90· 1
Year 2001Dev Bohemia Interactive Studio · CodemastersOn PC
ActionImmersive Sim
MultiplayerCo-opOfflineSoloOnlineMeleeNarrativeOpen World
Steam👍 85%· 132KIGDB77· 6OC79· 58
Year 2018Dev New World Interactive · Focus EntertainmentOn Xbox · PS4 · PC
ActionImmersive Sim
MultiplayerSoloCo-opOnlineMeleeOpen WorldThird Person
Steam👍 90%· 293KRAWG👍 75%· 399MC74IGDB73· 5
Year 2013Dev Bohemia InteractivePlaytime ~16hOn PC
ActionImmersive Sim
SoloMeleeNarrativeOpen WorldHardcore
Steam👍 94%· 2.8KRAWG👍 87%· 76MC76IGDB80· 6OC83· 13
Year 2016Dev Schell GamesPlaytime ~2hOn PC · PS
ActionImmersive Sim
SoloMultiplayerCo-opMeleeNarrativeOpen WorldThird Person3D
Steam👍 96%· 130KRAWG👍 85%· 220MC80IGDB83· 3OC80· 35
Year 2022Dev Tuxedo LabsPlaytime ~3hOn PC · PS
ActionImmersive Sim
SoloMeleeNarrativeOpen WorldThird Person3D
Steam👍 80%· 5.0KIGDB83· 6OC87· 11
Year 2009Dev ThatGameCompany · Annapurna InteractiveOn PlayStation 3 · PS4 · PC
ActionImmersive Sim
SoloMultiplayerMeleeNarrativeOpen World
Steam👍 93%· 38K
Year 2011Dev Tripwire InteractiveOn Linux · PC
ActionImmersive Sim
SoloMultiplayerCo-opOnlineMeleeOpen WorldThird Person
Steam👍 84%· 29KIGDB81· 7OC78· 114
Year 2022Dev Rebellion DevelopmentsOn Xbox · PS4 · PC
ActionImmersive Sim
SoloMultiplayerCo-opOnlineMeleeOpen WorldThird Person
Steam👍 82%· 28KIGDB68· 12OC70· 61
Year 2014Dev Rebellion Developments · 505 GamesOn PlayStation 3 · PS4 · PC
ActionImmersive Sim
SoloMultiplayerCo-opMeleeOpen World
Steam👍 69%· 2.5KRAWG👍 25%· 172MC76IGDB79· 5
Year 2009Dev CodemastersPlaytime ~1hOn PC · PS · Xbox
ActionImmersive Sim
MultiplayerPvPMeleeNarrativeOpen World
Steam👍 81%· 237KRAWG👍 75%· 114IGDB83· 2
Year 2020Dev Offworld IndustriesPlaytime ~7hOn PC
ActionImmersive Sim
SoloMultiplayerCo-opMeleeOpen WorldThird Person
Steam👍 84%· 2.1K
Year 2009Dev Bohemia Interactive Studio · 505 GamesOn PC
Complete list of NBA 2K21 alternatives
The full catalog of games sharing gameplay DNA with NBA 2K21, ordered from highest to lowest similarity score. Use the filters above to narrow down by genre, setting or game mode and find the alternative that best fits your playstyle.
71
Thief II: The Metal Age
Simulation · Shooter
81
America's Army 3
FPS · Shooter
79
Agricultural Simulator 2011: Extended Edition
Simulation · Adventure
71
Thief: Deadly Shadows
Adventure · Simulation
81
Space Trader: Merchant Marine
Simulation
73
X Rebirth
Simulation · Shooter
50
LEGO Star Wars III: The Clone Wars
Adventure · Platformer
50
LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean: The Video Game
Adventure · Puzzle
51
Need for Speed: Rivals
Racing · Adventure
50
Dragon Ball: Xenoverse
Fighting · RPG
50
LEGO Batman 3: Beyond Gotham
Adventure · Puzzle
48
Streets of Rage 2
Fighting · RPG
50
LEGO® DC Super-Villains
Adventure
49
Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora
Adventure · Shooter
48
Strange Brigade
Adventure · Puzzle
48
Far Cry 6
Shooter · FPS
48
Need for Speed™ Payback
Racing · Sports
Explore games similar to NBA 2K21 by category
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Frequently asked questions
- What is the best game similar to NBA 2K21?
- The closest game to NBA 2K21 is Wobbly Life, scoring 84/100 on our similarity scale. They share 7 gameplay attributes, including deep simulation, multiplayer gameplay and co op. It's the most faithful alternative currently available.
- What are the top games like NBA 2K21?
- The three closest games to NBA 2K21 are: 1. Wobbly Life (84/100, 7 shared attributes) 2. Goat Simulator 3 (85/100, 10 shared attributes) 3. Schedule I (82/100, 7 shared attributes). All share NBA 2K21's most important gameplay attributes, ranked out of 32 candidates across 16 dimensions.
- Is Goat Simulator 3 similar to NBA 2K21?
- Yes, very much so — Goat Simulator 3 scores 85/100 similarity to NBA 2K21. They share 10 attributes, including deep simulation and multiplayer gameplay. It's one of the most direct alternatives available.
- What Simulation games are similar to NBA 2K21?
- The best Simulation games similar to NBA 2K21 are Wobbly Life, Goat Simulator 3, Schedule I and Operation Flashpoint: Cold War Crisis. All share the Simulation genre alongside other key NBA 2K21 attributes like deep simulation, multiplayer gameplay and co op.
- How is similarity to NBA 2K21 calculated?
- We compare NBA 2K21 against every game in our catalog using 16 gameplay attributes: genre, atmosphere, world structure, play modes, combat style, and more. Each category is weighted differently — genre matters more than visual style, for instance. The result is a 0-100 score reflecting how closely a game replicates the NBA 2K21 experience, not just whether it shares the same genre label.