Play NBA Hangtime Online Free for Arcade.
NBA Hangtime hits different when it boots instantly in your browser. Released in 1996 on the Arcade, this retro classic from Midway is ready the second you press start — no downloads, no setup.
NBA Hangtime is a 1996 basketball video game developed and published by Midway for arcades. Home versions were released for the Nintendo 64, PlayStation, Super NES, Sega Genesis, and Microsoft Windows.
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| Action | Keyboard | Controller |
|---|---|---|
| D-Pad Up | ↑ | D-Pad up |
| D-Pad Down | ↓ | D-Pad down |
| D-Pad Left | ← | D-Pad left |
| D-Pad Right | → | D-Pad right |
| B (bottom) | X | Bottom face |
| A (right) | Z | Right face |
| Y (left) | S | Left face |
| X (top) | A | Top face |
| L | Q | Left shoulder |
| R | E | Right shoulder |
| Start | Enter | Start |
| Insert Coin | V | Select |
⭐ Premium members can click any key below to remap this game's controls. Go Premium
| Action | Keyboard | Arcade input |
|---|---|---|
| Move | · · · · | Joystick (8-way) |
| Turbo | · | Button 1 |
| Shoot / Block | · | Button 2 |
| Pass / Steal | · | Button 3 |
| Start | · | Start |
| Insert Coin | · | Select |
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The Story Behind NBA Hangtime
Acclaim's NBA Jam Extreme was released the same year as Hangtime. A sequel, NBA Showtime: NBA on NBC, was released in 1999. NBA Hangtime is a 1996 basketball video game developed and published by Midway for arcades.
Home versions were released for the Nintendo 64, PlayStation, Super NES, Sega Genesis, and Microsoft Windows. In 2020, Tastemakers LLC, under its Arcade1Up brand, released a 3/4 scale arcade cabinet that included Hangtime, alongside its precursors NBA Jam and NBA Jam: Tournament Edition. Hangtime was the third basketball game by the original development team behind the NBA Jam series.
How NBA Hangtime Plays
Created players can be made more powerful as players earn additional attribute points by winning games. New to the game is a three-digit "combination lock" feature. The player can select from any of the 29 NBA teams and match them in four quarters of NBA basketball (three minutes each), with three-minute overtimes if necessary.
After beating all 29 teams, the player faces off against a number of secret characters. One of the most prominent additions is the "Create Player" feature, which allows players to create a custom basketball player, specifying height, weight, power, shooting, and defensive skills using a limited number of attribute points. Just as in the NBA Jam games, the game can keep track of the teams a player has beaten using a player's created ID and PIN.
Why Players Still Load It Up
However, they gave it a similar recommendation. Reviewing the Nintendo 64 version, GamePro concluded that "Jam-style hoops is nothing new, but Hangtime does it with enough flash and freshness to keep you happily dunkin' like a fool." They cited the selection of players, numerous secrets, smooth graphics, multiplayer matches, and create-a-player mode. Computer and Video Games dubbed Hangtime "the real, and quite worthy, successor to NBA Jam TE".
Doug Perry of IGN also praised the create a player feature, calling it "easily one of the coolest elements of the game, and separates it from the pack." Perry wrote that the port didn't make much use of the N64's capabilities, but called it a "fun, arcade-perfect port that will bring most basketball fans lots (sic) enjoyment." GameSpot was far more negative, with Jeff Gerstmann reviewing the N64 version and writing that the game only featured "minor changes" and concluding "Unless you've been shooting digital hoops in a cave for the past few years, you've seen it all before." A reviewer for Next Generation agreed: "Basically, if you've played NBA Jam, then you've played most of NBA Hangtime." He further criticized that aside from the support for four players without the use of a multitap, the game make poor use of the Nintendo 64's capabilities, with 2D graphics and a low frame rate. In 1997 Electronic Gaming Monthly listed NBA Hangtime as the 5th best arcade game of all time. The PlayStation version was criticized for its long loading times and rampant slowdown, and reviews uniformly recommended buying the Nintendo 64 version instead.
NBA Hangtime — Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a controller to play NBA Hangtime?
No. Keyboard controls work out of the box (see the controls panel), and any USB or Bluetooth gamepad is detected automatically.
Who developed NBA Hangtime?
Development was handled by Midway, with Midway publishing the release.
Where can I buy the original NBA Hangtime?
See the "Other Places You Can Get This Game" section below the article for legitimate places to buy real-world versions.
What console was NBA Hangtime released on?
Midway shipped NBA Hangtime for the Arcade back in 1996, and this page runs that release.