Best arcade style basketball game

[SpyHunter]

I've been looking for a basketball game for a while. Something that is easy to pick up and play, high scoring and fun. I prefer if it were on a classic system (NES, SNES, Genny, etc) but also have the current gen systems so I am pretty open.

Any suggestions?

[DigitalSpace]

NBA Jam, NBA Jam Tournament Edition, and NBA Hang Time (which is basically another NBA Jam with a new name and some roster and minor gameplay updates) are your best options (imo, the first NBA Jam is the best of the three if you can only pick one). All three games are available on the SNES and Genesis, NBA Jam TE and NBA Hang Time are also available on PlayStation, and there's also an N64 version of NBA Hang Time.

I also recommend NBA Live '97 (SNES and Genesis versions) if you want a mix of 2D arcade and simulation. Along with the usual stuff, there's the option to play half court 2-on-2 and 3-on-3, which wasn't available in previous NBA Live games.

On the NES, your best options are Double Dribble and Tecmo NBA Basketball, but these lean more on the simulation side. Unfortunately, the NES games that offer more of an arcade-style basketball game (such as Hoops) aren't very good, especially after you've played enough NBA Jam.

Hope that helps!

[josekortez]

NBA Showtime on the Dreamcast. The best arcade port ever!

[TurboGenesis]

NBA Jam is obvious answer…

but another good fun basketball game.

Tecmo (Super) NBA Basketball.
It does a fine cross between arcade style and simulation. Simple enough for casual play but complex enough to offer challenge and stratagy.

Tecmo Basketball is on: NES, SNES, and Genesis.

[BydoEmpire]

The various versions of NBA Jam/Hang Time are a blast. I would also go with Double Dribble on the NES.

While it's kind of a weird game, I've been playing Konami's Super Basketball on the Arcade Classics DS cart and it's a lot of fun.

[8bitgamer]

Double Dribble (NES) is my fave. I also logged a lot of time on NBA Jam Tournament Edition (SNES).

[NoahsMyBro]

I'm not a big Basketball game fan, and I don't know if this would qualify as an arcade-style basketball game, but many years ago my brother & I had a lot of fun playing One-on-One Basketball, on the Atari 7800.

[Hwj_Chim]

Arch-Rivals on the NES.

[8bitgamer]

I forgot to mention NBA Street for the PS2 (seeing as how you have the current systems as well). Very easy to pick-up-and-play and loads of fun.

[nestlekwik]

My friends and I would play four-player games of Looney Tunes B'Ball all the time on the SNES. It wasn't nearly as good on single player, but this and the Quarterback Club challenge were probably our two most-played four player sports games (unless you would argue to include WWF Raw as a sports game).

Otherwise I would have to second the already mentioned NBA Jam, NBA Hangtime, Double Dribble and Tecmo Super NBA Basketball. EA's NBA series was alright, but for arcade fun, get four players and take all of the fouls off. Hilarity ensues.

[Sweater Fish Deluxe]

Go crazy.


...word is bondage...

[An Hero]

If you want arcade-quality ports, I would recommend NBA Jam for the SEGA CD and NBA Jam Tournament Edition for the SEGA Saturn. I've done a little gaming with these lately, along with the similar hockey-themed version from Midway, NHL Open Ice.

[Sudo]

NBA Jam: TE, easily.