Basketball is one of the most popular games in the US, but finding a great basketball game for your Android phone is tricky. The mechanics of basketball make it difficult to translate over to the small screen, as the game is pretty complex (unlike something like golf).
However, there are still plenty of basketball games for Android that you can download – we filtered through the best ones so that you can have some fun pretending you’re Giannis.
NBA 2K20
NBA 2K is the most popular game on console, and it only makes sense that the simulation game is equally as popular on mobile. It’s a game that can be easily played on smartphone, in both pick up and play style but also long term via career mode too.
This is definitely the most complete NBA game you can download, with a wide number of game modes that you can play. This includes playing through seasons but also 2 v 2 and 3 vs 3 games as well, and short 7-game tournaments as well.
Nonetheless, players are allowed to play with character from the actual NBA, which is a massive bonus over other basketball games. If you want to play with your favourite basketball stars, NBA 2k is the one for that.
There are various options within the game that can be customized, from your clubs and their players through to a mentoring system based on the cards that you collect. The game also includes legends like MJ, with both online and local multiplayer PVP game modes you can play.
So, if you’re looking for tourneys and solid gameplay that feels like real basketball, NBA 2k is one of the best basketball games for Android phones.
NBA Jam
NBA Jam is another great basketball app for Android. This is an adaptation of the classic arcade game, and as it’s licence by EA Sports, many of your favourite basketball players will be playable in game.
Your team plays 2v2 basketball though the rules are relaxed a little, more like when you play street basketball. You have the option to steal and dunk your way to victory, and the gameplay is impressive making this a challenging game.
The game includes multiplayer support for both online multiplayer but also for local multiplayer too if you want to play against those near you. You can also play against other teams in a classic campaign mode, where you can unlock legends of the game.
If you like retro NBA games, this is definitely worth downloading from the Google Play store to shoot some hoops.
Stickman Basketball Game
Stickman games are extremely popular, and if you play Stickman Basketball, it’s easy to see why. It’s full of fast paced gameplay that’s easy to control with various game modes to choose from.
You get a variety of game with the Stickman basketball game, which includes everything from Quick Game mode and training mode through to Seasons and knockout tournaments.
The difficulty levels can be adjusted for a greater variety of difficulty, which is useful if you find basketball games too easy (which many of them are).
There’s 31 different teams to play basketball with in game, and clean animation make Stickman basketball at great game to spend a few hours burning some time on.
Basketball Battle
Another game that doesn’t really match the realistic player characters of NBA 2K is Basketball Battle. However, the game is fun in its own way, as you play 1v1 against a variety of different characters.
The game play involves well.. not much, as the game is extremely simple, and you just need to score more points than your opponent. It’s a simple basketball game that makes use of old school arcade style gameplay.
Over time you can customize your character as you unlock more and more items, and you can even compete with others in tournaments within the game.
Overall, it’s a fun basketball game that’s available on Android – though it’s unlikely to win any awards, it’s pretty addictive and a good choice for a freemium game.
Bouncy Basketball
Bouncy basketball is another popular basketball game that has solid gameplay – you play 4 quarters between 30 and 90 seconds long, and for simplicity the game is reduced to just one button gameplay and 2D graphics.
It has 30 teams that you can customize down to player level – you can play both against the computer or in split screen multiplayer mode if you want to beat a friend.
You can score 2 and 3 pointers in the game or dunk if you’re through on an open net. Though the gameplay is extremely simple, it’s quite satisfying outplaying your opponent and making the right moves.
The visuals for Bouncy Basketball aren’t amazing, but it’s a fun way to get some basketball dunks over your opponent. It’s another fun game to download if you want time killing arcade games for Android.
Conclusion
Basketball is a great sport that’s very fun to play, but this is unfortunately difficult to apply to mobile games that have limited realism – it’s much easier with other sports like golf.
However, there are some excellent games on Android that offer a fun basketball experience for your smartphone. Hopefully our list of the best basketball games above helps you find the right one for your needs so you can slam dunk your way to success.
