Soviet Arcade Machine Basketball

Soviet Arcade Machine Basketball recreates a two-player arcade machine in which you try to score more balls in your opponent’s basket than they score in yours. You can play against AI at varying difficulty levels or against another player.

The arcade machine

The original machine’s playing field sits beneath a transparent dome and is divided into holes. Each hole has a pair of numbers, one for each player. Pressing the corresponding key triggers a spring that sends the ball toward a basket. The force of the spring depends on how long you hold the key.

Play the machine

You use the mouse to press the hole that contains the ball; there is no simplified control. The game currently has two modes: single-player against AI and play against another player.

Background

The first Soviet arcade machines appeared in the early 1970s and remained in use until the end of the 20th century. They were mainly produced by enterprises in the defense and military complex, and each machine cost about as much as a new Zhiguli car. Around 70 kinds of arcade machines were made during the 1970s to 1990s. Basketball was one of the machines designed for two players.