Basketball games are a genre of sports video games that simulate the experience of playing basketball, often featuring realistic or stylized representations of professional teams, players, and arenas. These games typically allow players to control individual athletes or entire teams in matches that mimic the rules and dynamics of real-life basketball, such as dribbling, shooting, passing, and defending. They may include various modes, such as career, tournament, or multiplayer, where players can compete against AI or other users. Basketball games emphasize strategy, timing, and skill, offering a blend of fast-paced action and tactical decision-making, with many focusing on both arcade-style gameplay and realistic simulation of the sport.