[[quoteright:256:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/atari_basketball.jpg]]
''Basketball'' is an Creator/{{Atari}} UsefulNotes/ArcadeGame from 1979.

A [[TimedMission one-minute]], [[PlayerVersusPlayer one-on-one]] UsefulNotes/{{Basketball}} game begins with two bars of "Sweet Georgia Brown" and the jump ball. If you have the ball, your player automatically dribbles it, and you can shoot it with different arcs depending on how long you hold down the button. If you don't have the ball, you can steal it by going toe to toe with your opponent, or jump up and steal it as he's shooting it.

The Platform/{{Atari 2600}} port is known for being played by a couple of flight controllers in the movie ''Film/{{Airplane}}'' The Platform/Atari8BitComputers port is known for having one of the first clearly African-American video game characters. Both ports have a one-player mode, featuring a very aggressive computer player.

Also one of the first video games in which your character can jump.

!!''Basketball'' provides examples of:
* AttractMode: The game plays itself if you leave it alone.
* ColorCodedMultiplayer: The arcade game is black and white, one character is white with black clothes and one is gray with white clothes. The 2600 version uses green and purple (!) The 400/800 version uses realistic Caucasian and African-American skin tones.
* JumpPhysics: As stated, one of the first games to have them.
* PlayerVersusPlayer: Two real-life players controlling virtual basketball players. The home versions add a one-player mode with an AI opponent.
* PublicDomainSoundtrack: "Sweet Georgia Brown".
* ScoringPoints: Each player scores a point by shooting the ball into the basket.
* SideView / ThreeQuartersView: Viewed from the top of the bleachers.
* SportsGame: Basketball.
* TimedMission: The arcade version lasts one minute. The ports last four minutes.
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