Basketball Shot

How to Play

• Each round lasts 60 seconds, with unlimited balls. A ball already in the air when time runs out still counts.
• A swish (nothing but net) scores 3; a basket that touches the rim scores 2.
• From the third basket in a row onward, each basket earns a bonus point. A miss resets the streak.
• After your third basket the hoop starts moving side to side, and it speeds up with every basket after that.

Strategy and Tips

• Find one pull that swishes and repeat it. Muscle memory beats guessing each shot.
• Arc the ball high rather than firing it flat; a steep drop into the hoop is more forgiving on the rim.
• Once the hoop moves, shoot when it's heading toward the centre, and lead it slightly.
• Missed shots cost time, and so does waiting. Take your next shot as soon as a new ball appears.

Controls

With a mouse or touch screen, press anywhere, pull back away from where you want to shoot, and release; the further you pull, the harder the shot. With a keyboard, aim with the left and right arrows (or A and D), hold Space to charge power, and release to shoot.

Background

Basketball was invented by James Naismith in 1891 with a peach basket nailed to a balcony. Arcade shootouts, a basketball and a hoop against the clock, have been a games-room favourite since the 1980s.