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Double Dribble

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Finally, it's here! The basketball game you've dreamed of. The first home game with 5 on 5, full court, board-banging action. A contest with graphics so real, they'll knock your high-tops off. Ready to captain your team to the title, you bolt into the arena with electricity in your fingers and ic...

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Developer
Konami

Released on
1987

Size
1–2 Players

Version
NES

Requirements
Nintendo Entertainment System

Downloads
Sports

ESRB Rating
Not Rated

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Description

Finally, it’s here! The basketball game you’ve dreamed of. The first home game with 5 on 5, full court, board-banging action. A contest with graphics so real, they’ll knock your high-tops off. Ready to captain your team to the title, you bolt into the arena with electricity in your fingers and ice in your veins. Intensity builds. The crowd roars. The game is yours to win or lose. But to win you’ll need speed in the lane, touch for three-pointers, muscle to power past picks, and the skill to crash the glass. And, if you break free underneath – watch out! Because now you can power home a rim-rockin’ slam! So pull up your shorts and take a deep breath. It’s crunch time. Time to show your stuff!

Double Dribble

Overview & History

Developed and published by Konami, Double Dribble burst onto the Nintendo Entertainment System in North America in 1987, following its massive success as an arcade coin-op a year prior. As one of the earliest basketball video games, it set a high benchmark for sports titles on the 8-bit console. While it didn't feature officially licensed NBA teams—instead offering fictional, city-themed squads like the Boston Frogs, New York Nationals, Chicago Chi-Towns, and Los Angeles Lakers (stylized as the L.A. Sparks)—it captured the fast-paced energy of professional basketball. Its most famous innovation was the digitized speech samples ("Double Dribble!") and the unforgettable, dramatic cutscenes that triggered whenever a player executed a thunderous slam dunk, forever cementing its place in retro gaming history.

Gameplay Features & Mechanics

Unlike many rudimentary sports games of its era, Double Dribble offered robust tactical depth. Players could select from four distinct quarter lengths, choose defensive strategies like man-to-man or zone coverage, and pick from various passing formations. The core gameplay loop relies heavily on precision timing, quick lateral movement, and managing the shot clock. On offense, players must weave around defenders using crossover dribbles, execute bounce passes, and read the floor to find an open teammate. Shooting requires timing the release at the peak of a jump shot, though inside the paint, triggering a dunk transitions the game into a dynamic, zoomed-in animation showcasing spectacular aerial acrobatics. On defense, players can steal the ball, block shots, and contest opponents, though over-aggressive defense results in fouls. Overtime periods are included to break ties, ensuring nail-biting finishes.

Keyboard Controls

Arrow Keys / D-Pad: Move player on the court / Select menu options
Action Keys: Pass (B Button equivalent) / Shoot or Dunk (A Button equivalent)
Enter: Start / Pause the game