Ahhh, the joys of the arcade. From the thrill of the first person shooters to the friendly competition of air hockey, going to the arcade is a right of passage for many growing up. Personally, my favorite game at the arcade was the arcade basketball game. Having the clock tick down and reaching into the basketball shoot to try and get a ball quickly to get one last shot off before time runs out was always a lot of fun, and can help you deal with game like pressure. The ultimate was when it all came together and you beat the high-score! You felt like a god in the arcade world. Now, imagine having this in your own home!
Having an arcade basketball game in your home is becoming more and more common. Some of us enjoy shooting pool, others ping pong, but for us hoops fanatics the basketball arcade game is where it is at, period. When spending money on something like this you want to make sure you have done your research so you know that the arcade basketball game that you choose will suit your needs.
So today we have done that research for you and have chosen what we consider to be the four best arcade basketball games that money can buy. And don’t just take our word for it, make sure to check out each unit and see for yourself if we have included the right basketball arcade game for you and your family.
7 Best Basketball Arcades
1. Pop-a-Shot Arcade Basketball Game
Materials: 4.9/5
Features: 4.6/5
Value: 4.5/5
Overall: 4.7/5
To Read Full Pop-A-Shot Review Click Here
Pop-a-Shot is the most iconic name in arcade basketball games. They have recently come out with a recreational basketball arcade model that is designed for home use.
With 10 game options that can be used as single and two player modes the Pop-a-Shot offers enough versatility to make it fun for hours.
Where this basketball arcade really stands out however is with the material quality. This tends to be a weak spot for basketball arcade games in general, but not for the Pop-a-Shot. This basketball arcade is built to last with a heavy-duty frame and backboard that sets it far apart from the competition. Even the rims and nets are on another level.
The Pop-a-Shot Basketball Arcade uses infrared sensors to sense when the basketball goes through the hoop. Infrared sensors are far superior to plastic levers in terms of both accuracy and durability.
If Pop-a-Shot creates an interactive app compatible version of this basketball arcade in the future they will easily be head and shoulders above any other basketball arcade maker out there.
2. Lifetime Double-Shot Arcade Basketball System
Materials: 4.8/5
Features: 4/5
Value: 4.4/5
Overall: 4.4/5
Our number two choice for best arcade basketball game is the Lifetime Double-Shot Arcade Basketball System. Lifetime has some high quality products at a good price and we have featured their brand on our site in other reviews. They again have shown how to create value for basketball lovers of all ages.
Some of the features on this unit include: optical scoring sensors, adjust height backboard, two hoops for side-by-side shooting battles, and high quality construction so it will provide years of enjoyment. It also comes with electric buzzers so when in the heat of the moment you feel like you are taking the big shot in an NBA arena!
We also like that it uses an electrical plug that way you are not burning through set after set of batteries. The height adjustment of the unit is also a real strength which will help this arcade basketball game fit in a larger number of homes.
At over $200, this basketball arcade is on the more expensive end. If you can afford it, this Lifetime basketball arcade is worth the extra cost due to its solid components and build quality.
3. Shaq Cyber Hoop Shot Arcade
Materials: 4/5
Materials: Features: 5/5
Value: 4.5/5
Overall: 4.5/5
To Read Full Review of Shaq Arcade Hoop Click Here
Welcome to the future of home arcade basketball games, the Shaq Cyber Hoop Shot Arcade. This arcade basketball system adds the power of Bluetooth and the Hoop Shot Online App to make it possible to compete with other players who have a compatible arcade basketball system from around the globe!
We were lucky to receive a Shaq Cyber Hoop Shot Arcade and wrote an extensive review the basketball arcade which you can read here.
This arcade basketball system comes with two hoops that feature your standard metal rims. It also has an LED screen scoreboard, which is what connects to the Hoop Shot Online App. There are 4 rubber mini basketballs included with your purchase.
For us the only downside to this hoop is the sensors. We really wish they would have considered using an infrared scoring system that would increase the accuracy of the scoring. For the most part the sensors on this arcade basketball game get the job done.
As far as gameplay, the Shaq Cyber Hoop Shot Arcade does come equipped with your typical offline arcade setup where you can play against friends or family member head-to-head. The format for offline mode is a one minute long game where any baskets scored in the last 15 seconds count as three points.
Cyber Hoop Shot App
When you are ready to connect and go online the game options really open up. There are three single player game modes including Single Ball, Arcade Mode, and Training. Again, check out the full review to get a breakdown on these different game modes.
There are two ways to play against other players virtually via the Hoop Shot Online App. The first is the Multi-Player mode which is an arcade format where you play another player who is online on the app at the same time as you are. The Offline Mode allows you to “challenge” another player who is not online at the same time as you. Once your competitor logs in they will see they’ve been challenged by you and play their game to see who wins.
Overall, the interactivity of this hoop makes it way more fun than the others on this list as it opens you to competition world wide. There are rankings that show were you stack up against other players from the world and your country. All these features add up to an experience that cannot be had with any other arcade basketball system, and it keeps you coming back for more.
Update:
Since writing this review we’ve read additional customer reviews of the Shaq Cyber Hoop Shot and have had more time to use this arcade basketball system. If we were writing this review today we would rate this hoop lower due to faulty welding on the rims. We used the unit for some time and noticed the left rim weld completely failed after a couple months. For this reason we now rate the Pop-a-Shot Basketball Arcade Game as the number one choice for best arcade basketball game.
We stand behind the rest of the content in this review.
4. Sportcraft 2-Player Basketball Arcade
Materials: 3/5
Features: 4/5
Value: 4.3/5
Overall: 3.8/5
The second Sportcraft basketball arcade to make the list (they also make the Shaq Cyber Hoop Shot) is the 2-Player Basketball Arcade.
The biggest advantage this basketball arcade has compared to the others is that it is much easier to assemble.
In fact, assembling this basketball arcade game only took me ~20 minutes. For comparison it took me just under 2 hours to assemble the Shaq Cyber Hoop Shot.
Having such a short assembly time will certainly save dads out there a lot of headaches and fits of rage.
We were a bit concerned about the weld quality of the rims given our issues with the Shaq Cyber Hoop Shot, but it appears that Sportcraft fixed the issue with this model.
The biggest weakness of this basketball arcade is the remote control that attaches to the frame of the arcade. This remote has a tendency to malfunction in our experience. Making matters worse there is no other way to select a game mode.
Overall, at the price of under $100 this is a good value. At the same time realize that you won’t be getting the quality from this basketball arcade that you would from the Lifetime Double Shot or Pop-a-Shot.
5. Atomic Deluxe Basketball Shootout
Materials: 4/5
Features: 3.5/5
Value: 4/5
Overall: 3.7/5
This arcade basketball system is made by Escalade Sports, which is the company that also makes Silverback, Goalsetter, and Goalrilla basketball hoops. These are some of the best basketball hoops made today and it is good to see Escalade put their efforts into a recreational arcade basketball system.
The Atomic Deluxe Basketball Shootout has one of the highest ratings for a arcade basketball game on Amazon. This unit comes with four basketballs and two hoops and features electric scoring and timer. Baskets are counted using infared sensors, which detect the basketball as it goes through the hoop.
The structure of this arcade basketball game is made of 1 and a quarter inch steel which enhances the overall stability of the system. An added bonus that comes with the Atomic Deluxe Basketball Shootout is that it comes with an air pump. Some users have commented that this system is quite large and you should take that into consideration when deciding if this is the right arcade game for your home.
As with many basketball products, assembly is required, so be prepared to spend an hour or two to put this system together. One critique is that the parts are not the highest quality, but this is somewhat expected considering the Atomic Deluxe Basketball Shootout is priced very reasonably (~$130).
6. Spalding Dual Shot Electronic Basketball Game
Materials: 3.5/5
Features: 3.5/5
Value: 4/5
Overall: 3.5/5
Spalding has for many years been a leader in the basketball apparel and equipment industry. From their high quality basketballs to their heavy duty hoops, you know Spalding’s quality can be trusted. Now they have made our arcade basketball game list with this product.
Their dual shot unit is sturdy, made with a powder-coated steel frame. We also like that even when you are shooting by yourself you can still compete against a 60 second countdown shot clock. The clock also changes its tone depending on how much time your have left to get that coveted high score. The unit also comes with 6 mini basketballs so when it is assembled you won’t have to wait to enjoy this fun game.
7. HLC Sports Double Shot 8-in-1 Two Player Arcade Electronic Basketball System
Materials: 3/5
Features: 3.5/5
Value: 3/5
Overall: 3.3/5
The HLC Sports Double Shot 8-in-1 Two Player Arcade Electronic Basketball System offers some unique features compared to their competitors in the arcade basketball game space. To start, this system is extra large with dimensions of 82″x90″x47.5″.
The HLC Electronic Basketball System also has the ability to fold up so that when not in use it does not have to take up half the room. Also, this system’s electronic scoring system has 8 different game options for players allowing for near endless entertainment. The HLC Electronic Arcade Game does require 3 AA batteries, which unfortunately are not included with the unit.