The Best Basketball Video Games

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Basketball-themed video games are a great way for basketball lovers to enjoy their favorite game without working up a sweat on the court. The NBA 2K franchise is probably the first video game that comes to mind when you think of basketball-themed video games, and that's no surprise. It's one of the most successful sports video games ever. Although fans love to watch NBA action live, video games are also a fun escape. 

With the first round of the NBA playoffs well underway, fans around the world are glued to their TVs and mobile devices, checking to see how their favorite teams are performing. Betting is one of the most popular ways for fans to take part in NBA action, and it takes on a new intensity as the NBA Finals approach. Fans new to sports betting can take advantage of promotions from websites like Caesars Sportsbook that off free bets to new clients. It's a great way to test the waters while enjoying NBA playoff action. When you're not watching the NBA playoffs, check out a few of these popular basketball-themed video games. 

NBA 2K11

Many sports gamers recognize NBA 2K11 as the best basketball-themed video game ever produced. Visual Concepts released the basketball simulation video game in 2010 on multiple platforms, including PlayStation 2, PlayStation2, Nintendo Wii, and XBOX 360. The arcade-style video game combined the successful elements of NBA Jam and NBA Street with the realistic gameplay of modern basketball simulation games and featured the greatest basketball player of all time: Michael Jordan. Although there are more realistic basketball video games in the NBA 2K series today, NBA 2K11 remains a fan favorite.

NBA Live

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EA's NBA Live video game franchise debuted in the 1990s and was the most successful basketball-themed video game until the NBA 2K franchise overtook it. NBA Live 95 was the first game in the franchise and blended elements of NBA Showdown and the NBA Playoff series, adding improved gameplay and better graphics. The game was available on Super Nintendo and Sega Genesis.

NBA Jam

If you're an NBA fan and owned a Super Nintendo, PlayStation, Gameboy, or Sega Genesis in the 1990s, you probably played NBA Jam. The game launched on arcade machines before Midway brought it to home consoles. This classic video game is one of the best-selling video games, having earned over $1 billion since its release. It also influenced many future basketball-themed video games.