Basketball

About

Basketball, released by Atari in 1977, is a straightforward one-on-one basketball game for the Atari 2600. Players control a single on-screen figure, using directional inputs to move and shoot. The game mirrors Pong’s blocky, top-down style but adds basic dribbling and scoring mechanics. It can be played solo against a rudimentary AI or with a friend, though the AI version stands out as an early example of single-player functionality on the platform. As part of the Video Olympics launch pack, this game holds a niche place in early gaming history. While the graphics and controls feel unavoidably primitive by today’s standards, its inclusion of a solo mode earned it a quiet reputation among retro enthusiasts. The simplicity is total, but the novelty of facing an automated opponent in 1977 made it a small step forward for the medium.