Basketball Game: how to play

Basketball is a free basketball game you play online in your browser, with Hoops, a cool basketball in a headband and high-tops, calling every shot from the sideline. Drag back, let go and watch the ball arc towards the rim: swish it, bank it off the glass or rattle it in. It is one of those basketball games online you can start in a second, from free throws at Playground Park to a moving hoop under the lights of Arena Finals, and two friends can take turns on one device.

How to play

• Basketball shooting game, the quick version: drag back from anywhere on the game and let go to shoot. The ball flies the opposite way to your drag, and the further you pull, the stronger the shot. The dotted line shows the start of the ball's arc and the bar beside the ball shows the power.
• With a keyboard, press ↑ and ↓ (or W and S) to aim higher or lower, then hold Space or Enter: the power bar fills up (and empties again if you hold on too long). Let go to shoot.
• Each level is a round with a rack of balls (10, or 12 on the last two courts) and a clock. Make the baskets it asks for (4, 5, 5, 6 and 7) before the buzzer to clear it. A miss only costs that ball. If the clock runs out, or there aren't enough balls left to make it, you lose one of your three hearts and shoot the round again. A ball still in the air at the buzzer counts.
• Points: 100 a basket, plus 50 for a swish (nothing but net), 25 for a bank shot off the backboard and 50 for a 3-pointer from behind the 3PT line, all times your streak of baskets in a row (up to ×5). Three in a row and you're on fire. A buzzer beater adds 100, and clearing a round adds 200 times the level, 10 for each second left and 25 for each ball left. Three stars per level: clear it, keep all your hearts, and make 2 swishes.
• Two players: pick 2 players on the start card and pass the device. You take turns, three rounds of five balls each (Playground Park, Beach Court, Neon Street), and both players get exactly the same balls. A basket is 2 points, 3 from behind the line, and the most points wins. Nothing is saved.

The five levels

1. Playground Park: free throws: every ball comes from the same spot, with a long aim line
2. Rooftop Court: a new spot for every ball, near and far; from behind the line it's a 3-pointer
3. Beach Court: a sea breeze pushes the ball left or right; the flag and the BREEZE sign show which way, the aim dots don't
4. Neon Street: the hoop rolls from side to side on a stand with wheels, so time your shot
5. Arena Finals: the hoop hangs from cables and moves up, down and sideways, with spots from far behind the line

Clear Arena Finals and the five courts come round again: in lap 2 every round needs one more basket with 10 % less time, the hoops move faster, the spots reach further back and the aim dots are shorter; lap 3 is harder again, and then it stays. You have three hearts for the whole run, and the game is the same for everyone each day, so you can compare scores. Press M to turn the sound off or on.

Tips

• Your aim stays where it was after every shot: if it was short, pull a little further; if it was long, a little less.
• A higher arc drops into the rim more steeply, so it has more room to go in. Most swishes come from a good high arc.
• In a breeze blowing towards you, pull a little harder; with the breeze behind you, a little softer.
• On Neon Street and in the Arena, watch the hoop swing a couple of times and let go a moment before it comes back to where you aimed.

Questions

Is Basketball free?

Yes. Basketball is a free basketball game you play online in your browser: no download, no sign-up and nothing to buy.

Can I play 2 player basketball?

Yes. Pick 2 players on the start card and pass the device: each of you shoots five balls a round, three rounds each, 2 points a basket and 3 from behind the line. Most points wins, and nothing is saved.

Can I play the basketball shooting game on my phone?

Yes. Drag back on the screen with your finger and let go to shoot. It works on phones, tablets and computers; on an upright phone the court fills the tall screen.

Is there a free throw game?

The first court, Playground Park, is a free throw game: every ball comes from the same spot, so you can find your shot and repeat it. After that the spot changes every ball.