Basketball is a much-beloved sport for an incredibly huge number of people. With such widespread popularity, it is only natural that there would be awesome basketball video games that make you feel like a star basketball player. Of course, in the world of video games, you can be whoever you want! From your favorite basketball player, that inspirational basketball coach you like, or even a basketball business manager, the choices are frankly endless. Much like some of the best football video games are from the FIFA game series, popular basketball video games are from the NBA game series (but there are other great ones from other developers too). That is why in this article we will cover some of the most popular basketball games. Here is the list of the best basketball games for PC:
1. NBA 2K20
NBA2K 20 is one of the best games in the NBA series. There is uncanny attention to detail, virtual representations of all players expertly mimic their real selves throughout the match. It is almost as if you are in a stadium, with all the live commentary and cheering of the crowd, the sound of sneakers on the basketball floor, going on around you. Apart from the spectacular real-life graphics and sounds, There are many improvements in the gameplay, which makes the whole experience simply amazing. Again, The myTeam game model is wholly centered on making money through microtransactions. WNBA mode is a small, innovative (and definitely pleasurable) step taken by the developers for NBA 2K20.
2. NBA 2K19
The gameplay of NBA 2K19 is certainly one of the best from the NBA series. The game sure has a high learning curve as compared to the previous games from the series, at first, few might even be defeated by the CPU on normal difficulty. But all the time spent on learning how to control the ball and how to take advantage of each player’s ability is sure satisfying when you win the match with style. The gameplay only gets better as you progress through the game by adding more complex dribbling techniques and many signature moves of famous players. Each player is distinct from others by their personal abilities and limitations, which you must use in every match to win. MyCareer mode in NBA 2K19 is one of the best ones from the series. Its story is never too slow or too fast, ensuring that the players have an experience of a professional basketball player.
3. Draft Day Sports: College Basketball
Draft Day Sports: College Basketball 2020 allows you to run your preferred school’s basketball team as a basketball coach. So it’s up to you to find the future generation of superstars and lead them to victory. You have complete control over your program: you can pick what your team will practice, make sure your players are not lagging, edit their schedules, etc. You can even choose whether you want to be an honest trainer or engage in shady business to get a strong recruit. There is also a great number of statistics involved. This is useful to get into those nitty-gritty details and go beyond an ordinary basketball coach.
4. NBA 2K18
NBA 2K18 is one of the best basketball games of PC for NBA fans. This is so because the skills and personalities of real-life players are incredibly represented by their virtual counterparts. This is great for NBA fans because they know how each player plays a game, before making a move you need to take into consideration if the player’s style and position are best suited for them. In multiplayer mode, hardcore pay-to-win players mostly come out on the top because of their money-bought high-rated players. Again, the gameplay rewards smart moves compared to (unplanned) aggressive pushes.
5. Freestyle 2: Street Basketball
Freestyle 2: Street Basketball is there fast-paced arcade basketball game that you can play solo or in multiplayer. You have an option of completely customizing a character, from gender to body type and of course, outfits too. Express yourself with your customized characters and pull off cool basketball moves. The graphics and music are amazing for a free-to-play game, and only add to the super-addictive gameplay. From the name you can guess that you won’t be playing in the stadium but on the vibrant streets/public basketball courts. As you progress through the game, you can build your own play style by learning more than 30 basketball moves. There is also an online competitive mode for hardcore players to enjoy after they have reached a high enough rank (even casual players are sure to have an epic time).
6. NBA 2K17
Obviously, the NBA game series has made a name of its own in the basketball game genre, due to the huge NBA fan base. The game might have a lot of grinding, but the number of options present to the players is clearly valuable. The small tweaks here and there to the gameplay, better spacing between players, the pace of the game, etc. all add up to fantastic gameplay. The AI is far superior as compared to the previous games from the series. Defending players often space out to cover as much area as possible to defend shots. Surprisingly, this year’s microtransaction system is much more manageable/fair than the previous games. There is a dazzling amount of options when it comes to myGM mode, which is a haven for NBA nerds.
7. NBA 2K Playgrounds 2
Arcade basketball has never been so awesome! In NBA 2K Playgrounds 2 you will be playing a 2v2 basketball game in a vibrant and outlandish setting. Playgrounds 2 is not as glorious as NBA 2K series or NBA street series, but it has made a place of its own in arcade basketball games. You can also play the game in the single-player mode where each tournament/championship lasts 14 full matches. Whenever you win the championship with a team, you will get a legendary card/character. That’s where the card collecting feature comes up. It’s not that bad card/players have extra/special moves, but rather it is to add some style and hype into the game. The multiplayer mode can get extra competitive if the top player community is active.
8. 2VR Shoot Around – Realistic basketball simulator
Ever wanted to play basketball but weren’t in the mood for all that running and jumping? Or did you want to play basketball in VR? Well, 2VR Shoot Around – Realistic basketball simulator is just the thing for you. This game features realistic rim-net basketball physics which mimics the movement of basketball going inside the rim-net quite close to reality. There are many minor adjustments and options which can choose from to make the game as difficult or as easy as you would like. There is also a lot of setting involved like adjusting the rim height, making your own team logo, etc. If you were never a basketball player, the G.O.A.T. assistance mode will help you shoot even the most difficult shots, much like a pro-NBA basketball player
9. NBA 2K21
Much like the annualized sports games that release every year with pretty much the same content, NBA 2K21 is kind of a letdown in that aspect. Despite that, NBA 2K21 is a decently fun game to play from the NBA series. There are many minor improvements and small additions to the gameplay and the interface, making the experience relatively better. Apart from the similar gameplay content, a major drawback of this year’s release is that the microtransactions suck! Microtransactions are always a pain but NBA 2K21 is unnecessarily looking for ways to make money from you, but if you are a player who doesn’t spend on this stuff, you wouldn’t mind it. When you are in a heated match you won’t be able to notice these subtle problems, rather you will have quite a great time. NBA 2K21 isn’t necessarily innovative/isn’t groundbreaking game as compared to previous titles, but it’s still a fun game from the series.
10. 3on3: Freestyle
3on3: Freestyle online multiplayer arcade basketball game that is sure to satisfy your street style basketball cravings. The game features three versus three and one versus one online multiplayer matches, these are real-time matches, so you can team up with your friends and have an epic showdown with other players from the community. This game is completely free to play, so the only thing that dictates your victory is your skills. The major highlight of the game is the three versus three multiplayer online matches, if your team is well coordinated you might be able to pull off complex/difficult moves with ease. The only drawback would be that all the basketball courts look similar, other than that the game is packed with fun.
11. Draft Day Sports: Pro Basketball 2021
In Draft Day Sports: Pro Basketball 2021 you will play as a manager of various basketball teams. This game is quite different from the college basketball game of the same series. This is so because you are not just training and coaching a college basketball team, but rather a bunch of professional basketball players. You have complete control over your teams where you decide their training, drafting, signing up agents, trading, etc. The game provides you with immersive gameplay and a rich amount of data and statistics on your basketball teams. Using this, you can edit the teams or their aspects to make them better.
12. Basketball Madness
Basketball Madness is yet another vibrant VR basketball video game, available on Steam. Basketball madness is definitely more of a casual sports game. This game is made for those players who just want to chill with a bright and colorful cartoonish environment to equally cartoonish and funny characters. There is a standard more which features a simple basketball arcade game where you just continuously shoot at some hoops. The single-player mode is where you can train yourself while playing against an AI. There is a special mode where there are power-ups and other features which make the basic basketball gameplay feel fresher. The graphics and sound effects only add to the fun gameplay.
13. Toilet paper wants to be a basketball
A gritty action-adventure game about accomplishing great goals concealed beneath the lightness of toilet paper. Overcome difficulties, successfully avoid obstructive items, and lay down some paper to build your path (build ledges, structures, etc.) to the basketball rim! Beware though, the amount of paper is limited, so build wisely! The aim of the game is to get into the basketball rim as soon as possible, while manipulating the toilet paper and using your ability to move, jump, and build footholds by laying down paper. Try to reach the top of the world ranking as your skills grow!
14. Basketball Classics
Wanted to have some genuine fun with an arcade basketball game video game? Basketball Classics is the game you want! It is often dubbed as “the best retro basketball video game you would have ever wanted”. Just because it’s a bit of a retro game doesn’t mean you can breeze through it, to execute a perfect shot with your team you will be sweaty just by managing your players. The gameplay is oversimplified because it just involves three buttons, but the more than a thousand amount of characters with special attributes make up for it. Just like most multiplayer online arcade basketball games, the community is extremely competitive, but that’s just the way how NBA nerds and fans are.
15. In da Hoop!
In da Hoop is definitely the most funky-est basketball video game ever! For the first time, you can play the popular 80s arcade basketball game from the comfort of your home, that too in VR! So put on your virtual reality headset and get ready to have a blast! There is a relaxed, casual mode where you can just chill out with friends/family and have fun while landing some good shots. In the multiplayer mode, you can challenge the top players on the global leader board by beating their high scores. Of course, there is also a local multiplayer mode to play with your friends on game night. This perfectly serves both casual and hard-core basketball players.
16. NBA Live
The main basketball gameplay, as well as its different modes, provide ample opportunities for having an awesome time. This is especially slow because the new animation technology makes the court action more lifelike than ever before, and a thorough training mode provides plenty of opportunities to develop your skills. NBA Live 19 is held down by lifeless, manufactured commentary and a lack of ability to capture the essence of basketball sports culture. One of the worst aspects of almost all NBA games is their horribly low value for money micro-transactions.
17. Regular Human Basketball
The most obvious and biggest pun is in the game’s title itself. The basketball shooting is rather okay due to the lack of bounce in the ball, so as long as you get it near the basketball rim, there is a decent chance that it will go in. However, there will always be a giant man in your way, and there will always be someone huge in your way and other defenders would be furiously scrambling around to catch the ball. Every match becomes a heated, crazy battle with players (and AI) moving around while you try to land a decent shot and end up playing in the hands of the other team. The movements are quite oversimplified. You move around with the movement keys, you jump with the space bar and an activity/interact key.
18. Dunk Lords
While Dunk Lord’s is not actually a basketball video game, it sure is one hell of a fun game packed with insane action and dribbles that is sure to give you a blast. While there are aspects of basketball sport in the game, there is a lot of action and mayhem involved. Each player has their special ultimate move. Which when used at the most appropriate time can guarantee your victory. There are three major game modes available: the Arcade mode where you can play with your friends (local multiplayer), Crazy mode is where you will try to get a streak of four wins, and the Story mode to enjoy the story and have a true single-player experience.
19. Backyard Basketball
The name “Backyard Basketball“Basically describes what you need to know about the gameplay. The major part of it is three versus three basketball matches in cute kid-sized, backyard courts. The movement buttons and functions in this game are quite cool including shooting past, passing, running, stealing, etc. Just like the old school bowling or golf games whenever you take a shot there is a shot intensity meter, depending on where the marker is on the meter your shot has the corresponding power. It is needless to say that this game is aimed at much younger gamers, but it is still great enough to give it a shot (pun intended).
20. NCAA March Madness 2008
NCAA March Madness 2008 is a great basketball game (way better than the previous games of the series, as per quality). The game is quite smooth and while the basketball itself doesn’t quite behave as realistically as other games from NBA, the NCAA March Madness series is making some good progress in itself. Though if you already own the previous installment, there isn’t much new content to justify buying the 2008 installment. But if you are a devoted fan or haven’t played the previous games, March Madness 2008 is one of the best games from the NCAA series.