What’s the greatest basketball video game of all time?

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What’s the greatest basketball video game of all time?

NBA Jam T.E. (1994)
33
26%
NBA Live 95 (1994)
15
12%
NBA 2k1 (2000)
4
3%
NBA Street Vol. 2 (2003)
21
17%
NBA 2k11 (2010)
28
22%
Other
25
20%
 
Total votes: 126

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Mean_Streets
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Re: What’s the greatest basketball video game of all time? 

Post#81 » by Mean_Streets » Sun Oct 5, 2025 2:47 am

Tracymcgoaty wrote:
Mean_Streets wrote:
Tracymcgoaty wrote:I just have to mention again ESPN 2K5...Aside from the fantastic gameplay for it's time....THE SOUNDTRACK....The **** soundtrack man...

This game introduced me to People under the stairs and honestly for that alone it's a 10/10...the soundtrack in that game is impeccable. I booted up 2k26 and the soundtrack is a damn war crime.


I appreciate your love for 2k5, but objectively speaking, it probably wasn’t even better than NBA Live ‘05. Both were very good games, could make a good case for both.

I wouldn’t call 2k5 grounding breaking the way NBA Live 95 and 2k11 were.



It's probably got a lot to do with nostalgia as well. I remember there was that gameplay mode where you were playing 1v1 streetball and could build your own player from ground up putting accesories and outfits which made it really dope! You'd go and battle against other elite streetballers 1v1. Days playing against my brother and him using Steve Francis because he was completely broken in that game lol. And the soundtrack.

Hieroglyphics
People under the stairs
abstract rude

I still remember the soundtrack two decades later lol. People under the stairs especially.


I get it. I’m the same way with NBA Live 03. The soundtrack was insane in that game. I actually looked up that game on YouTube right after I made this thread and the nostalgia came rushing back like crazy. From the cool sound the game makes when it hits halftime to the coaches reactions during random moments in games. I had forgotten about little details like that and had great memories come back to me. It was a trip.
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Re: What’s the greatest basketball video game of all time? 

Post#82 » by txusto » Sun Oct 5, 2025 8:28 am

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Re: What’s the greatest basketball video game of all time? 

Post#83 » by penggemar » Sun Oct 5, 2025 4:11 pm

"One on One: Dr. J vs. Larry Bird by Electronic Arts on Apple Iie. Loved that game so much.
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Re: What’s the greatest basketball video game of all time? 

Post#84 » by Mean_Streets » Sun Oct 5, 2025 4:21 pm

I'm pleased with the options I put in the poll. After reading some responses and doing some research I believe this might be the best basketball game that is not included in the poll. Much like 2k1, it seemed like it was a hidden gem.

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Re: What’s the greatest basketball video game of all time? 

Post#85 » by X-Man Cometh » Sun Oct 5, 2025 4:49 pm

Mean_Streets wrote:;t

This video single-handedly killed NBA Live. Still makes me laugh after all these years.
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Re: What’s the greatest basketball video game of all time? 

Post#86 » by Statlanta » Sun Oct 5, 2025 6:08 pm

Inside Drive 2003 Live 05 and 2K16 deserve mentions.

Ultimately it would be Street Vol. 2
The Greatest of All Time debate in basketball is essentially who has the greatest basketball resume of the player who has the best highlights instead of who is the best player
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Re: What’s the greatest basketball video game of all time? 

Post#87 » by bonita_the_frog » Sun Oct 5, 2025 7:47 pm

Ps1 games are the best and the lowest price!
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Re: What’s the greatest basketball video game of all time? 

Post#88 » by Mean_Streets » Mon Oct 6, 2025 3:43 pm

X-Man Cometh wrote:
Mean_Streets wrote:;t

This video single-handedly killed NBA Live. Still makes me laugh after all these years.

The guy who made that vid must get a free copy of 2k every year from 2k sports as a thank you.
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Re: What’s the greatest basketball video game of all time? 

Post#89 » by jojo4341 » Mon Oct 6, 2025 5:37 pm

meekrab wrote:NBA Hangtime was the best of the Jam series, it added spin moves and alley oops, five players on the roster from each team and you could create your own player. There was some other random bull too like hotspots on the floor where you could get up to 9 points for a shot. Imagine bringing your dog to the assfault and seeing that!


I agree with this. But the hotspots feature was added with NBA Showtime. My cousins and brother (4 of us total) would play Hangtime for hours. We'd make our own 7-game series and it would be close no matter how we paired up. It was so much fun! We were so used to pushing just at the right time and purposely getting Goal-tending just so we can keep FIRE. I know it's not a realistic simulation like the LIVE or 2K series but we loved it.
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Re: What’s the greatest basketball video game of all time? 

Post#90 » by jojo4341 » Mon Oct 6, 2025 5:38 pm

jojo4341 wrote:
meekrab wrote:NBA Hangtime was the best of the Jam series, it added spin moves and alley oops, five players on the roster from each team and you could create your own player. There was some other random bull too like hotspots on the floor where you could get up to 9 points for a shot. Imagine bringing your dog to the assfault and seeing that!


I agree with this. But the hotspots feature was added with NBA Showtime. My cousins and brother (4 of us total) would play Hangtime for hours. We'd make our own 7-game series and it would be close no matter how we paired up. It was so much fun! We were so used to pushing just at the right time to prevent dunks and alley-oops and purposely getting Goal-tending just so we can keep FIRE. There was even a difficult glitch to block a shot without being counted as Goal-Tending. I know it's not a realistic simulation like the LIVE or 2K series but we loved it.
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Re: What’s the greatest basketball video game of all time? 

Post#91 » by Showdown » Tue Oct 7, 2025 8:00 pm

Taito basketball
Drazen Petrovic basketball
Looney toons basketball
NBA Live 2003
NBA Live Mobile
NBA 2k Basketball Mobile
NBA Live 2019
NBA 2k 23
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Re: What’s the greatest basketball video game of all time? 

Post#92 » by Mr Ringer » Tue Oct 7, 2025 9:10 pm

Still and forever in love with the 07' NBA Live game.
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Re: What’s the greatest basketball video game of all time? 

Post#93 » by dWadeOwnzYou » Tue Oct 7, 2025 9:41 pm

NBA Shootout 96-97 by Sony was amazing on the original Playstation.
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Re: What’s the greatest basketball video game of all time? 

Post#94 » by indiegrind » Tue Oct 7, 2025 10:52 pm

Double Dribble on NES. Tom Chambers was a cheat code with the double pump two hand dunk from the 3 point line.
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Mean_Streets
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Re: What’s the greatest basketball video game of all time? 

Post#95 » by Mean_Streets » Yesterday 12:39 am

If anyone is interested, I did a football version of video games on the NFL forum. With a poll.

viewtopic.php?f=139&t=2476556
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Re: What’s the greatest basketball video game of all time? 

Post#96 » by Invictus88 » Yesterday 5:44 am

indiegrind wrote:Double Dribble on NES. Tom Chambers was a cheat code with the double pump two hand dunk from the 3 point line.

Ummm.. Double Dribble didn't have licensed NBA players in it. Wrong game

I think it's Lakers vs Celtics on the Genesis that you are thinking of.
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Re: What’s the greatest basketball video game of all time? 

Post#97 » by knicksfan974 » Yesterday 5:59 am

Lot of good ones have already been mentioned like NBA Jam, NBA Live 95 and Lakers vs. Celtics. One classic probably still missing is this:

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Re: What’s the greatest basketball video game of all time? 

Post#98 » by Daddy 801 » Yesterday 6:26 am

TwitterFingers wrote:Double Dribble


https://youtu.be/gw7poSD0adg?si=jQvcK4GIKoD40y3I


This is the way!
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Re: What’s the greatest basketball video game of all time? 

Post#99 » by OrlandoMagic198 » Yesterday 12:30 pm

ryan in Maine wrote:Nothing beats 2K on the Dreamcast for me lol. I'll Dreamcast my lone vote now.


Another vote on that, that was a very fun game! I loved NFL 2K too!
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Re: What’s the greatest basketball video game of all time? 

Post#100 » by indiegrind » Yesterday 4:16 pm

Invictus88 wrote:
indiegrind wrote:Double Dribble on NES. Tom Chambers was a cheat code with the double pump two hand dunk from the 3 point line.

Ummm.. Double Dribble didn't have licensed NBA players in it. Wrong game

I think it's Lakers vs Celtics on the Genesis that you are thinking of.


Ugh,, yes you are absolutely correct. My bad. That was it. Double Dribble was my 1st, Lakers vs Celtics was my favorite!

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