Pop-A-Shot Basketball Arcade Review

All fans of the game of basketball have gone down to their local arcade and been hooked in to the magic that is “Pop-A-Shot”.  These basketball arcade games are fast paced, fun, addictive, and can actually help you develop your basketball skills.

What you might not have realized is that Pop-A-Shot is not the name of the basketball games found in the arcade, but the original brand and inventor of the arcade basketball game back in 1981!  An old college basketball coach was recovering from a surgery and invented the game during his recovery.  It caught on quickly and the Pop-A-Shot brand began selling their basketball arcade to arcades and bars around the country.

However, the company’s growth slowed as competitors came in to the space with cheaper units.  Because of this the iconic Pop-A-Shot brand has begun to develop and sell premium quality basketball arcades meant for home use.  Their newest recreational model, the “Home Dual Shot” hit stores and ecommerce sites recently.  Luckily, we had a chance to check it out and give our take on this new basketball arcade game.

Assembly

The Pop-A-Shot basketball arcade is not the easiest basketball arcade game to put together.  That accolade goes to the 2-Player Sportcraft, however, Pop-A-Shot made their assembly reasonably easy thanks to clear directions.

One thing I would like to see changed in the direction steps is that they should have you place the hoop on the frame earlier in the assembly process.  Pop-A-Shot does not tell you to complete this step until after the frame is set up meaning you have to lift the hoop onto the frame, which is unnecessary.

In the end, it took me around 2 1/2 hours to put this basketball arcade together.  Certainly not a fast process, but the final product is definitely worth it.

Features of the Pop-A-Shot Basketball Arcade System

Let’s start with the quality of the Pop-A-Shot Home Dual Shot Basketball Arcade System compared to other home basketball arcades.  Simply put, the Pop-A-Shot is the highest quality basketball arcade for home use that we have reviewed.

The difference in quality starts with the rims.  Pop-A-Shot Home Dual Shot features two steel rims that may look similar to those found on other units, but they perform much better.  These rims are more firm making it challenging to make shots compared to softer, weaker rims.

A large screen digital scoreboard sits between the two rims attaching to the backboard.  The numbers really pop on this screen and again you can tell that this scoreboard is higher quality than those found on the average home basketball arcade.

We also like the control panel that attaches directly to the frame of the Pop-A-Shot making game selection a breeze.  From this control panel you can do everything including turning the system on and off, game selection, and audio options.

Pop-A-Shot Basketball Arcades come with seven mini basketballs, which is more than the four found with most other basketball arcades.  These are basic rubber basketballs and no different than the mini basketballs found on the lower priced arcades.

Game Modes

Ten different game modes can be played on the Pop-A-Shot Dual Home Shot Basketball Arcade.  Here is a summary of each game mode:

1. Standard Play– Two players get 30 seconds to score as many points as possible.  Last 10 seconds each bucket is worth 3 points
2. Solo– Same as Standard Play, but single player
3. Crisscross– Players shot at opponent’s basket.  :30 seconds on the clock.
4. Skeet Shooting– Announcer says “shoot”.  Player has three seconds to make a basket.  Game continues until player/s fail to make basket in allotted time.
5. Sharp Shooter– Announcer will says “left” or “right”.  Player has 3 seconds to make basket in corresponding hoop.  Game is over when player fails to make basket in allotted time.
6. Double of Nothing– A two player game where each consecutive made basket counts as double (2, 4, 8, etc.).  If no basket made within 3 seconds scoring goes back to 2.  :30 seconds on the clock.
7. Overtime– Same as standard play but with a full minute on the clock
8. Sudden Death– :15 seconds on the clock, same as standard play
9. Free Play– No clock, each basket worth 2 points
10. Team– :30 seconds on the clock, scores of both players added together.

Price

Pop-A-Shot is a top quality home basketball arcade system and its price reflects this fact.  Usually the price comes in around $275, with incremental price increases seen during the holiday season.

Summary

What I Like About The Pop-A-Shot Basketball Arcade System

1. The best all around quality found on a home basketball arcade system
2. 10 game modes that make playing fun whether by yourself or with a friend
3. Control panel allows for easy game selection
4. Rims are firm making for a greater challenge

What Could Be Better

1. Price is a relatively expensive compared to other basketball arcades, but you get what you pay for
2. Would like to see them create an interactive app so that you can play against others across the globe