The best basketball games on Switch and mobile
Our list of the best basketball games on Switch and mobile is a free throw for you to find your next balling obsession. Whether you’re up for shooting hoops with the pros, or taking the kids that were picked last in gym class to the big leagues, there’s something for everyone to pick up, play, and get their first three-pointer.
For more ball sports, be sure to take browse our picks for the best cricket games, golf games, and football games on Switch and mobile. Or, if you prefer a slower-paced afternoon with a little less athleticism, check out our lists detailing the best golf games and fishing games on Switch and mobile.
With that out of the way, let’s step up to the free-throw line for the best basketball games on Switch and mobile.
NBA 2K23 Arcade Edition
The latest NBA game, and one that you can access right away if you’re an Apple Arcade subscriber. Not only does it provide what is probably the most realistic basketball experience on mobile, but it also gives you the chance to build out your own basketball team, while progressing through contests and carving out your own NBA career.
The game gives plenty of options for online play, but there’s just as much to do if you prefer to play against CPU players. You’ll likely spend a lot of time hunched over your players’ stats, making tweaks here and there to ensure you’ve got them all in the best shape possible. It’s fun, it’s addictive, and it’s worth a try.
NBA 2K22 – Switch
NBA 2K22 is yet another instalment in the iconic basketball series, with a bunch of new additions for another year of balling. Whether you want to create your all-time fantasy line-up in the MyTEAM mode and test them out online, or try your luck taking your favourite team to the play-off finals, it’s a must-play for the basketball obsessive with a penchant for realism.
Check out our Locker codes list for some in-game goodies.
NBA 2K Playgrounds 2 – Switch
Basketball is one of the few sports to really embrace an arcade mode, and NBA 2k Playgrounds 2 is the best way to play 2-on-2 with a cartoon Lebron. There’s more than you might anticipate in this animated package, so don’t find yourself thinking there isn’t some serious competition waiting in the online lobbies, or even if the game’s surprisingly challenging solo mode.
Desktop Basketball – Switch
Ok, think of a basketball court, make it super teeny tiny, shrink down the players too, and you’ve got Desktop Basketball. It’s a game that proves that size really doesn’t matter, with tight controls, approachable gameplay, and a handful of charming minigames, it’s easy to lose a few hours shooting hoops and taking names.
Basketball Arena – mobile
If two-on-two sounds a little too much like teamwork to you, go solo on the court with Basketball Arena. While it lacks the mechanical depth of some of the other entries on the series, it almost makes it easier to have fun, with little to no learning curve for new players. It’s also got basketballing monsters, and we can’t begin to tell you how onboard we are with that.
Dunk Shot – mobile
Do you remember Doodle Jump? Dunk Shot is Doodle Jump with basketballs. It’s fun, more fun than it should be, and that’s all we can really say about that.
NBA 2K Mobile – mobile
It’s rare that you find the type of realism and quality of both graphics and gameplay in a mobile game when compared to console releases, but with NBA 2K Mobile, EA has hit the nail on the head. Now in its sixth season, there’s a whole lot of content to get through if you want to take your side all the way to the playoffs, and with it being free-to-play, you’ve no excuse to not be shooting hoops on the go. Plus, you can grab some freebies with our NBA 2k Mobile codes.
With that, you’re up to date on all the best basketball games on Switch and mobile. Or, if you prefer grass courts to wooden ones, why not take a browse through our list of the best tennis games on Switch and mobile.
