Photo: Pixabay

Any true basketball fans worth their salt will likely have a rich collection of basketball video games to help satiate their appetites in between fixtures. The NBA has been a frontrunner when it comes to providing excellent playable content for their fans, with many of the best basketball games ever released belonging to the billion-dollar NBA gaming franchise. However, there are options beyond this series for basketball superfans looking to get their fix. Here are the top five best basketball video games that any real fan should be playing this season. 

1. NCAA Basketball 10 

There are many fans of basketball video games who swear by the short-lived NCAA franchise from EA Sports, which focused on college basketball recruitment rather than the NBA big leagues. Of the several cult games released by NCAA, it’s this one that has enjoyed the most enduring legacy. It’s an incredibly versatile game that allows you to spend as much time recruiting college basketball players across all divisions to build an unstoppable team as it does on the actual court. 

2. NBA Hangtime 

This 1996 game is a pure nostalgia fest for any long-time NBA fan. What makes this one stand out from the other NBA titles is its absolutely bizarre gameplay options, which often make Hangtime feel more like you’re playing Saints Row 4 than an actual sports game. You can create fully customized players, unlock whacky costumes, and manipulate the gameplay to curate the strangest game of basketball ever witnessed. It’s a hilariously self-referential game that all true fans of the sport will appreciate.  

3. Basketball Star 

If you’re a fan of online casino gaming, the Basketball Star 5-reel slot title is a must for any lifelong NBA fan. Available at all of the leading pokies online Australia sites, Basketball Star combines all of the best sounds, symbols, and imagery from the basketball court and distills them into a fast-paced slot game in which players can win real money while indulging their love for all things basketball. What’s more, it’s even available to play for free in demo mode on most leading casino sites. 

4. NBA Jam

If you can remember playing this 1993 arcade classic, you quality for a veteran’s discount. NBA Jam launched a lifelong love for basketball among countless players back in the day and still endures as one of the most memorable titles ever released under the NBA banner. The premise is simple: mash the buttons to defeat your opponent and hit a three-point goal whenever possible. Although the game is straightforward, the non-stop button mashing will soon feel like a workout. 

5. NBA Street Vol. 2 

NBA Street was a much-beloved nod to the street basketball culture that flourished in cities across America and beyond in the early 2000s. It was a pivot away from the high-profile names and glitter of the previous NBA titles, towards something more laid back and effortlessly cool that managed to capture a cultural moment quite well. It changed the game for the future of basketball video games and continues to be enjoyed 16 years after its release. 

While there are countless basketball games out there vying for your attention, these ones are for the true fans. Getting playing today.