One-on-One Basketball for the Atari 7800 is a classic half-court sports game where you hit the hardwood as either Julius “Dr. J” Erving or Larry Bird. Originally designed by Electronic Arts and released for this console in 1987, the game captures the intense, personal rivalry of streetball. Players must manage their stamina and use their chosen star’s unique strengthsโDr. J’s explosive drives to the basket or Bird’s deadly outside shootingโto dominate the paint.
How to play
The objective is to outscore your opponent in a half-court setup by reaching a set point total or leading when the clock runs out. Control your player using the arrow keys. On offense, tap Z to protect the ball or spin, and hold X to jump and release it at the apex to shoot. On defense, use Z to attempt a steal and X to jump for a block or rebound. Use Enter to start or pause the game.
Tips
- Keep an eye on the fatigue bar at the bottom of the screen; sprinting and jumping repeatedly will drain your energy, slowing you down and reducing your shooting accuracy.
- Play to your character’s strengths: drive aggressively to the basket for dunks with Dr. J, but rely on perimeter three-point shooting with Larry Bird.
- With enough spectacular dunks, it is possible to completely shatter the glass backboard, forcing a hilarious janitor clean-up animation.
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