- Release Date: 1984
- Genre: Sports
- Style: Basketball
- Similar Games: Double Dribble (Arcade)
Game Description
"There's a minute left and the home team trails by eight. They're going to need a miracle, folks."They inbound the ball and move down the court quickly, passing it with efficiency. There goes a shot from the top of the key ... It's good! The other team inbounds and - Wait a minute! They've stolen the ball. Smith feeds it out to Jones at the three-point line and ... Nothing but net!
"It's now 78-75, folks. Anything could happen here. The visitors move down the court, milking the shot clock. Smith applies the pressure ... Loose ball! Jones scoops it up and goes the other way for a lay-up. It's in! 78-77!
"Time's winding down. One point game. The home team goes for the full court press. The visitors run down the shot clock, but there's still enough time on the game clock to win the game. A shot goes up ... It's off the rim. Smith with the rebound. He throws downcourt to Page, who goes in for the shot at the buzzer..."
Super Basketball asks you to draw on everything you've got as a video basketball player to overcome an 8-point deficit with just a minute to go in the game. Can you do it?
~ Brad Cook, All Game Guide
Roots & Influences
This is the earliest basketball game in the arcades. Once designers were able to move beyond the simplicity of Pong-style graphics, they were able to create games like this one.~ Brad Cook, All Game Guide
Review: Overall
Super Basketball ranks as probably one of the worst basketball games. It is extremely difficult to control, and the game play was poorly thought out.The idea seems to be that you're the home team, down by eight points with a minute left to play. You control your team until you either make a basket or the other team gets the ball back. Then, instead of playing defense against them, you get the ball back again. Huh?
Another bizarre feature of this game is the "dribble" button which you have to hit repeatedly in order to dribble the ball down the court. In every other basketball game I've ever played, dribbling is automatic as you move your player. Not in this game, and that was a strange move by the designers. Since it's against the rules to take a step without bouncing the ball, it is very hard to synch the movement of the joystick with that button.
And why the designers decided to have you play offense over and over without giving the ball to the other team is beyond me. Not only does that go against how the game is played, but it also takes away any dramatic tension. If you can figure out how to score (and maybe that's the real secret to unlock with this game), you have a pretty good chance of coming back to win the game. Why not simply have it be a one minute game, you against the computer?
Avoid this one if you can.
~ Brad Cook, All Game Guide
Review: Enjoyment
ugh~ Brad Cook, All Game Guide
Review: Graphics
decent for the time they were created~ Brad Cook, All Game Guide
Review: Sound
see above~ Brad Cook, All Game Guide
Review: Replay Value
double ugh~ Brad Cook, All Game Guide
Review: Documentation
nothing provided on or in the game~ Brad Cook, All Game Guide
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