Top 15 Basketball Video Games of All Time

By Jacob Kornhauser

Top 15 NBA Video Games of All Time

NBA 2K15 — With NBA 2K15 inciting plenty of excitement, let's look back at some other basketball video games that were pretty great. It remains to be seen how 2K15 stacks up with the rest, but as of right now, these are the best 15 basketball video games ever created.

15. NBA Street Volume 2

NBA Street 2

15. NBA Street Volume 2

NBA Street 2 — Purely because of how unique it was, NBA Street Volume 2 was awesome. NBA Street Volume 1 was better just because it was the original, but being able to play with expanded rosters in the second edition was clutch.

14. NBA 2K14

NBA 2K14

14. NBA 2K14

NBA 2K14 — At least from a gameplay perspective, NBA video games seem like they keep getting better year after year. As the newest version of the game before the release of 2K15, the 2K14 provides the best playing experience of any game.

13. NBA Street Volume 1

NBA Street

13. NBA Street Volume 1

NBA Street — The original always seems to be better, and that's the case here too. Nothing before or since has equaled the streetball gameplay of NBA Street. It's just a shame the game is no longer produced.

12. NBA 2K1

NBA 2K1

12. NBA 2K1

NBA 2K1 — First of all, AI is on the cover of this game, which automatically makes it awesome. Also, the gameplay was the first of its kind. As games progressed further, they modeled themselves on this trend setting title.

11. NBA Live 2000

NBA Live 2000

11. NBA Live 2000

NBA Live 2000 — The NBA Live franchise lasted a long time because it was so entertaining for video game enthusiasts. It was unlike 2K Sports in the way that it had more of an arcade style of play. Sometimes that can be more fun than the more realistic versions of the game nowadays.

10. NBA Live 2003

NBA Live 2003

10. NBA Live 2003

NBA Live 2003 — Another classic NBA Live game, 2003 really ushered in more realistic gameplay to go along with its arcade style. Therefore, gamers got the best of both worlds and seemed pretty satisfied with the result.

9. NBA Inside Drive 2002

NBA Inside Drive 2002

9. NBA Inside Drive 2002

NBA Inside Drive 2002 — A short-lived franchise, NBA Inside Drive was actually pretty great. It provided the best graphics of the time and introduced more realistic playing motions for all of the players. It was a sign of things to come in basketball video game development.

8. NBA 2K13

NBA 2K13

8. NBA 2K13

NBA 2K13 — "My Player" mode improved by leaps and bounds in 2K13 and provided an added aspect to the game. Sure, playing games is fun, but creating a player can be really fun as well. With improvements to the "My Player" mode, such as adding contracts, it became a better overall game.

7. Kobe Bryant in NBA Courtside

NBA Courtside

7. Kobe Bryant in NBA Courtside

NBA Courtside — A Nintendo classic, NBA Courtside was the last real gem of the first generation gaming systems. In that way, you could call it the best old school game that just barely preceded the modern basketball gaming market.

6. NBA Live 95

NBA Live 95

6. NBA Live 95

NBA Live 95 — Much like the early Madden games set the tone for later football video games, this game set the tone for later basketball games. It set a standard for gaming that has laid the groundwork for the amazing basketball video games of recent memory.

5. NBA Jam

NBA Jam

5. NBA Jam

NBA Jam — Nothing can match the arcade style of play that NBA Jam uses. It's just plain fun to play because you can "get on fire" and do dunks that are worth more than three points. It's way out there, but NBA Jam is one of the most fun basketball video games of all time.

4. NBA 2K9

NBA 2K9

4. NBA 2K9

NBA 2K9 — NBA 2K9 was the first of the modern 2K Sports basketball video games and it set the stage for some pretty great games. With improved gameplay and the introduction of a whole new "My Player" setup, this game increased expectations for basketball video games for years to come.

3. NBA 2K11

NBA 2K11

3. NBA 2K11

NBA 2K11 — 2K11 set itself apart in its game modes other than just normal games. Being able to play "Jordan Moments" was one of the coolest game modes in the franchise's history. What could be more fun than trying to recreate history as the greatest to ever play the game?

2. NBA The Life

NBA The Life

2. NBA The Life

NBA The Life — This game cracks the top five of this list because it is so unique. You became a player in the NBA and actually lived out his life outside of basketball as well. Only a few people actually liked dealing with the non-basketball aspects, but it definitely provided a different experience for basketball gamers.

1. NCAA Basketball 2010

NCAA Basketball 2010

1. NCAA Basketball 2010

NCAA Basketball 2010 — This is the only college basketball game on this list, but it's the best of all time. Being able to recruit in dynasty mode and build a winning program is one of the best feelings in basketball gaming. With expanded teams in NCAA compared to NBA, there are just so many other opportunities to try new game modes in this game than any other before or after.

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