What arcade basketball is
Arcade basketball is basketball boiled down to one thing: shooting. There is no defence, no dribbling and no team, just a hoop, a rack of balls and a clock. You shoot as many baskets as you can before the buzzer, and the score is all that counts. The machines in game halls work the same way, with a ramp that rolls each ball back to the player, and a good round depends on a smooth, repeatable shot more than on strength.
Playing Basketball on AllFun
AllFun Basketball puts you behind the ball, facing the hoop. Put your finger on the ball and flick it up; a longer swipe sends it further, and swiping towards one side of the hoop sends it that way. On a computer, drag up from the ball with the mouse and let go. The ball flies in a real arc, rattles round the rim and rolls back to the rack.
Play Arcade is a 60-second round. Reach 60 points for 15 more seconds, 150 and 260 for ten more each, and every 140 after that for eight. Later in the round the hoop starts to slide. There are also 45 Challenges and a Daily challenge. More sports games are on our sports games page.
How a round is scored
Baskets and swishes
On AllFun a basket scores 2 points and a swish, a shot that drops through without touching the rim or the backboard, scores 3. A shot that is still in the air when the buzzer goes counts if it drops.
Streaks and the charged ball
Shots made in a row charge the ball with a neon trail. Three makes in a row double the points, and six triple them. A swish counts twice towards the charge, so two swishes and a basket already reach ×2. A miss drains the charge.
Bonus time
Arcade machines reward a fast start with extra time, and so does AllFun: the score targets add seconds to the clock, so a good first half buys you a longer round.
The real hoop
A regulation rim is 3.05 metres off the floor and 45.7 centimetres across, while a ball is about 24 centimetres wide. Two balls could almost pass through side by side. That spare room is why a shot with a high arc, coming down into the hoop, goes in far more often than a flat one.
Six shooting tips
- Find your swipe. Practise until one swipe length scores from the middle, then repeat it. Consistency beats power.
- Go for swishes. They score 3 instead of 2 and charge the ball twice as fast. A shot that clears the front of the rim with room to spare is usually a swish.
- Use the glass on the sides. From an angle, a bank shot off the backboard drops in more easily than a shot aimed straight at the rim. In real basketball, players aim at the top corner of the painted square.
- Protect the charge. A miss drains it, so when the ball is charged, take your surest shot rather than a hurried one.
- Time the moving hoop. The hoop swings at a steady rhythm. Watch one swing, then shoot at the same point of every swing, so the ball meets the hoop as it passes the middle.
- Hit the score targets early. Bonus time comes from your score, so a strong first 20 seconds makes the whole round longer.
Arcade basketball FAQ
How long is an arcade basketball round?
Usually 60 seconds. In AllFun Basketball a round starts at 60 seconds and grows with bonus time each time you reach a score target.
What is a swish?
A shot that goes through the hoop without touching the rim or the backboard, also called nothing but net. On AllFun it is worth 3 points.
Why do I keep missing short?
The swipe is too short or too slow. Swipe a little longer and keep the same direction; a shot that goes long can still bounce in off the backboard.
What are the challenges?
Forty-five goals with a limit of balls or time, such as swishes in a row, bank shots or a shot from every spot. Later ones add wind, a sliding hoop or a defender's hand.
Ready for a game? AllFun Basketball is free and opens right here in your browser.
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