When the basketball season gets underway or if a big game is taking place on the weekend, you can bet your bottom dollar that some basketball fans turn to basketball-themed games at some point. Whether it’s through playing with their favorite Miami Heat stars or simply because the temptation to silence an arrogant friend is there, basketball games are hugely entertaining. Over the years, we have seen some truly memorable releases, too.

Many of the games which came before have helped shape the basketball gaming options of today. Of course, we have been on the receiving end of some shoddy releases over the years, but, on the whole, this particular sporting genre has served up numerous gems. As such, today’s offering is better than ever before. Fans are rushing to buy the latest releases like NBA 2K22, alongside attempting to win one of the five jackpots available in the Basketball Star on Fire slot game. It’s what has come before that we’re focussing on, though. Fans of the sport undoubtedly grew up with a basketball title they regularly played with friends or a sibling, forming a huge part of their basketball-supporting life. So many games are simply iconic.

Let’s take a look at some of them below.

NBA Street

Released on PS2 and GameCube in 2001, NBA Street was a game many fans of today grew up with. An attempt by EA Sports to revamp 90s fan-favouriteNBA Jam, NBA Street was a blast to play. Instead of serving up the traditional points-scoring method by slamming the ball in the net, the game focussed on three-on-three battles where players would aim to get the highest score possible with the best and most unimaginable tricks ever. You could do some pump-faking or slam-dunking is this classic title.

NBA 2K13

As we’ve touched on already, fans might be flocking to snap up the latest 2K22 release, but it’s the titles that came before it that many gamers remember fondly. In the case of NBA 2K13 – which was actually produced by rapper Jay-Z – it offered some of the most entertaining All-Star Game events ever. Players would tackle the Slam Dunk Contest, the Three-Point Shootout, and the Rising Stars Challenge, as well as having the opportunity to design and then create their own sneakers to wear on court. Its online gameplay was a particular highlight, too.

NBA Street Vol. 2

With its selection of classic hip hop tunes, four game modes, and 29 unlockable players, NBA Street Vol. 2 is a game that many basketball gamers will never forget. Released in 2003, the game was adored in particular for its Be A Legend Mode, which essentially tasked players with climbing up through the rankings and cementing themselves as a basketball legend. NBA Challenge mode was a great feature also.

NBA 2K1

It might’ve been released on Halloween in 2000, but NBA 2K1 was far from horrifying. In fact, as basketball games go, it’s up there with the best ever. A Sega Dreamcastrelease, it was the first in the series to offer online gameplay. Street courts were a popular feature regularly accessed, too, as well as its impressive Franchise Mode, which enabled fans to manage a team.

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NBA 2K2

The debate will rumble on for years to come over which NBA 2K title is best, but for those who aren’t backing the aforementioned NBA 2K1, the follow-up to it is even better. In NBA 2K2, familiar faces were added to the game. You could play with the likes of Jordan, Johnson and Bird, while also making use of a whole heap of modes.