Basketball Legends

About Basketball Legends

Basketball Legends is the two-player half-court game that a lot of people mean when they say "basketball game" — you choose a team, then either run a tournament against the CPU or play quick matches against whoever is sitting next to you. Dunks and three-pointers are both worth chasing, and blocking is a real defensive option rather than decoration.

What separates it from the ragdoll basketball games elsewhere on this site is that the controls actually reward practice. You can slap the ball loose from an opponent, and there is a super shot bar at the top of the screen that fills as you play, so a match can turn on one saved-up shot after a long stretch of trading baskets.

How to play

Pick a team, then choose tournament play against the CPU or a two-player quick match. Move your player toward the ball, shoot from range for threes or drive in for a dunk, and use the block and slap actions on defence to knock the ball loose. Keep an eye on the super shot bar at the top of the screen — it is the biggest single swing available to you. The control layout for both players is shown on the in-game controls screen.

Controls

• Player 1 and Player 2 — separate key sets, shown on the in-game controls screen
• Solo tournament vs CPU supported

Tips to win

• Slap on defence rather than jumping at every shot — a stolen possession costs your opponent more than a blocked shot does.
• Save the super shot bar for a moment you are behind; using it while level wastes most of its value.
• Drive when your defender commits to the three-point line and shoot when they crowd the paint. The CPU over-commits both ways.