At the start of each game, the song "Sweet Georgia Brown" is played.

Players must first gain possession of the ball and move towards their opponent's goal.

When in position for a shot, the pushbutton is held until the player's arm is at a suitable height and the button is released.

[4] Cashbox magazine praised the game for its fast action and realistic animated player characters.

[5] Basketball appeared in the top 10 video arcade games rankings for several months in 1979 according to Play Meter magazine.