Basketball is one of the most popular sports in the world, and many fans love to play basketball games on their respective consoles. The most popular baseball game is “NBA 2K” which is a series mainly played on Playstation and Xbox.
With that being said, there are still plenty of great options for gamers who want to play basketball games on their mobile devices.
This list will explore the 7 best basketball games on Android and iOS right now.
1. Freestyle Mobile
- Price: Free
Freestyle Mobile is a 3 on 3 game with MOBA elements which adds extra strategic and mechanical depth to the game of basketball. It plays on the street basketball aesthetic and utilizes a hip-hop theme to give players that “in the park, pick-up” feeling!
You can team up 3 on 3 with friends or random players to dominate the court and earn in-game virtual currency which can be used to customize your character’s in-game costume. There is also a 1 on 1 game type which can be used to do the same.
You can also use the virtual currency to unlock new, flashy basketball moves for your character. From dribble moves, to dunks, to unstoppable layup packages – you can use the moves of pros and legends in Freestyle Mobile.
There is plenty of expression allowed in the customization part, which adds a lot of flair and personality to the game. Want to dress up as a superhero? How about hooping in a full denim outfit? Or even a mascot?
No matter what you want your character to look like, Freestyle Mobile has you covered.
Pros:
- Large playerbase with all skill levels
- Great tutorials to teach you
- Can easily team up with friends
Cons:
- Game can be prone to frame drops if your phone isn’t powerful enough
- Not many character customization items for free-to-play users
2. Rival Stars Basketball
- Price: Free
Rival Stars Basketball is a free-to-play basketball game on mobile where you manage a fantasy basketball team and battle players across the world in multiplayer matches. It has gacha elements – utilizing a card draft system to build the strongest team possible.
The game itself is very strategic. You need to play the right cards and choose to make the right plays to lead your team to victory. It can take one decision on a risky shot or pass to win you or lose you the game!
Rival Stars Basketball also splices in real-time basketball elements, allowing you to use your touch screen to line up shots or thread the needle on assists.
If you’re pressed for time and just want to rank up, that’s fine as well. The game has an auto play function which allows the AI to make the strategic decisions for you and guide you to victory.
Pros:
- Great graphics and animation
- Smooth controls
- Can earn extra currency watching ads
Cons:
- Can’t play long without microtransactions to refuel stats
- Can be grindy as a free-to-play player
3. Bouncy Basketball
- Price: Free
Bouncy Basketball is a 2D mobile basketball game where you only need one button to play. Make no mistake, it is still a blast to play as it utilizes physics-based gameplay to create exciting basketball plays.
You must time your button presses extremely well to precisely knock down your jump shots, dunk over your defenders, or make timely defensive plays and deny your opponents from points.
Bouncy Basketball lets you play vs the CPU or against a friend online in 1v1, 2v2, or 3v3 formats. It has a sleek, pixelated sprite-based style, reminiscent of SNES and Sega Genesis titles.
There are up to 30 teams to unlock – all of them being from the NBA! There are also plenty of settings to play as well as the game lets you play anywhere; from the front of the White House, to the beaches of San Francisco with the Golden Gate Bridge in the background.
Pros:
- Wide variety of customization options
- Easy to pick up and play with friends
- Great design
Cons:
- CPU is very tough to beat on all difficulties
- Can be challenging to learn mechanics of shooting
4. Street Basketball Association
- Price: Free
Street Basketball Association is similar to Freestyle Mobile, being a street style basketball game where you can team up with friends or random players across the world to play 3v3 games. You also have the option to take it easy and play against the CPU.
Playing games allows you to gain virtual currency which you can use to upgrade the stats of your player – allowing you to become stronger overall.
Street Basketball Association features simple but intuitive controls which allow you to dribble and pass around your opponents, letting you outplay the other team on your way to a win.
The game features a lively online player base, with online leagues and special events happening frequently. There’s no shortage of competition in Street Basketball Association, making it a great game to try out and level up!
Pros:
- Easy to pick up and play with friends
- Character progression is free-to-play friendly for character strength
- Smooth controls for dribbling
Cons:
- Shooting can be inconsistent, even when times right
- Character customization items are hard to get without microtransactions
- Can be glitchy, but developers are responsive
5. NBA Jam by EA SPORTS
- Price: $4.99 USD
NBA JAM by EA SPORTS is a brand new edition of the classic NBA Jam title which revolutionized basketball games in the early 90s on consoles and arcades. It features brand new gameplay with contemporary players – letting you experience the classic NBA Jam feel with your favorite players of today.
As the only non free-to-play game on this list, NBA Jam is extremely polished for a mobile game and shows its worth through its gameplay.
While the game still does feature microtransactions, the pre-paid nature of the game allows for you to still be strong in the game without needing to spend any extra money.
Utilizing the classic 2v2 format of NBA Jam, you can play with up to 3 other players online or against the CPU. There’s also a “Classic Campaign” mode which lets you play against CPU-controlled teams on your way to the NBA championship. In this mode, you can unlock legends, hidden players, and cheats!
NBA Jam on mobile definitely scratches the nostalgia itch of the old title, and brings some new stuff to the table as well. It is highly recommended for anyone looking for an arcade-style basketball game, and is well worth the price.
Pros:
- Has the classic NBA Jam gameplay that made the game famous in the 1990s
- Plenty of players to unlock
Cons:
- Game tends to crash if your phone isn’t powerful enough to run it
- $5 pay wall and there are still microtransactions
6. NBA Live Mobile Basketball
- Price: Free
Another EA Sports title on this list, NBA Live Mobile Basketball is a free-to-play basketball game which features up-to-date NBA rosters and exciting simulation-style gameplay.
Featuring daily challenges for player and resource unlocks and a two month “mobile season”, EA Sports has been very dedicated in updating this game and improving it for its players. With how consistent events are, there is always plenty to do in NBA Live Mobile Basketball.
There are weekly tournaments which contain gameplay events and stories. There is never a shortage of content with this game!
You can play in campaigns each season which lets you unlock exclusive players, as well as upgrade your current ones. The game lets you unlock both current players, as well as historical players (eg. 2001 Vince Carter).
In terms of gameplay, the game features the classic NBA Live gameplay from consoles that many players know and love. But this time, it has been adapted to mobile controls.
NBA Live Mobile Basketball does a great job with its dribbling, passing, and shooting control schemes to allow you to be expressive despite using a touch screen.
Pros:
- Frequent updates and responsive developer
- Lively playerbase, easy to find matches
- Simple to learn, hard to master controls
Cons:
- Hard to level up as a free-to-play player, quite grindy
- Sometimes ads don’t work, so it’s hard to get stamina to play more
7. NBA 2K Mobile Basketball Game
- Price: Free
NBA 2K Mobile is the mobile version of the #1 basketball video game franchise on the planet. Fully utilizing its NBA license, NBA 2K mobile lets you build teams with both current and historical players – using daily challenges and events to allow you to collect in-game currency.
It has many features similar to NBA 2K on consoles, letting you play 5v5 matchups on NBA courts, as well as 3v3 games in the park. You can also run practice drills to update your player’s overall rating.
Did I mention that they brought MyPlayer to mobile as well? Yes that’s right, the famous MyPlayer features from NBA 2K are in 2K Mobile! With deep customization features and a storyline, you can get the console experience on your mobile device.
You can play the dedicated MyPlayer mode and work your way up the NBA ranks, or use your character against other MyPlayers online as well.
The gameplay has similar controls to NBA Live Mobile – with sleek dribbling, passing, and shooting mechanics. It also adds a layer of depth as it allows you to call for on-ball screens, letting you run pick-and-roll or pick-and-pop plays just like all of the modern NBA offense are doing.
Pros:
- Large playerbase, never wait to find matches
- Smooth controls with expressive ballhandling system
- Simple to learn, hard to master controls
Cons:
- Seasons restart each year and you lose your cards, meaning microtransactions are wasted
- Game tends to crash on older phones
What’s The Verdict?
While most people might recognize the NBA 2K series on Playstation and Xbox as the best way to play basketball video games, there are still plenty of ways to enjoy basketball action on the go as well!
This list featured 7 of the best basketball mobile games for Android and iOS, with many different gameplay styles and aesthetics being showcased.
From street ball-style gameplay to professional simulations, Android and iOS offers no shortage of games which can give you that basketball fix.
Looking for a strategic management simulation? Rival Stars Basketball offers unique gameplay in that regard, allowing you to unleash basketball strategy in a card-game fashion.
Looking for street-style gameplay with plenty of expression? Freestyle Mobile and Street Basketball Association can both give you the feeling of playing at the park with your friends and unleashing street ball moves that will turn the heads of NBA pros.
Lastly, if you’re looking for that classic console basketball feeling of the NBA 2K and NBA Live franchises, both titles offer mobile gameplays which are updated daily and have massive player bases.