From HandWiki - Reading time: 5 min
| TV Sports: Basketball | |
|---|---|
| Developer(s) | Cinemaware |
| Publisher(s) | Mirrorsoft |
| Platform(s) | Amiga, DOS, TurboGrafx-16 |
| Release | 1989 |
| Genre(s) | Sports |
TV Sports: Basketball is a 1989 computer basketball game for the home computers. It was developed by Cinemaware and published by Mirrorsoft for the Amiga, MS-DOS, Commodore 64 and TurboGrafx-16. It is part of the TV Sports series that included TV Sports: Baseball as well as other games based on hockey and American football.
Cinemaware later re-released the game as freeware.[1]
The game features five-a-side basketball matches. Players can either play against computer (controlling the players or a coach) or with another person (in versus or cooperative mode). When playing the human could choose to control the same player during the whole match or the one currently in possession of the ball.[2]
The game shows a vertical view and has no NBA license.[citation needed] The in-game perspective is from half-court. When the ball crosses half-court, a short cutscene plays showing the players running to the other side of the court as the game transitions to the opposing basket.
Computer Gaming World said that TV Sports Basketball had good sound and graphics, and favorably noted its four-player option.[3]
In the May 1990 edition of Games International, Mike Siggins complimented the "slick" graphics and arcade/strategy options, but found the manual "inexplicably vague". He concluded by giving the game an above average rating of 8 out of 10 for game play, and an excellent rating of 9 out of 10 for graphics, saying that "it doesn't quite recreate the speed and excitement of a real game. However, there is sufficient variety and structure to make this game worth persevering with. Just don't expect a classic".[4]
Edits and submissions to the site (including screenshots, box art, developer information, game summaries, and more) go through a verification process of fact-checking by volunteer "approvers".[2] This lengthy approval process after submission can range from minutes to days or months.[3] The most commonly used sources are the video game's website, packaging, and credit screens. There is a published standard for game information and copy-editing.[4] A ranking system allows users to earn points for contributing accurate information.[5]
Registered users can rate and review games. Users can create private or public "have" and "want" lists, which can generate a list of games available for trade with other registered users. The site contains an integrated forum. Each listed game can have its own sub-forum.

MobyGames was founded on March 1, 1999, by Jim Leonard and Brian Hirt, and joined by David Berk 18 months later, the three of which had been friends since high school.[6][7] Leonard had the idea of sharing information about computer games with a larger audience. The database began with information about games for IBM PC compatibles, relying on the founders' personal collections. Eventually, the site was opened up to allow general users to contribute information.[5] In a 2003 interview, Berk emphasized MobyGames' dedication to taking video games more seriously than broader society and to preserving games for their important cultural influence.[5]
In mid-2010, MobyGames was purchased by GameFly for an undisclosed amount.[8] This was announced to the community post factum , and the site's interface was given an unpopular redesign.[7] A few major contributors left, refusing to do volunteer work for a commercial website.{{Citation needed|date=June 2025} On December 18, 2013, MobyGames was acquired by Jeremiah Freyholtz, owner of Blue Flame Labs (a San Francisco-based game and web development company) and VGBoxArt (a site for fan-made video game box art).[9] Blue Flame Labs reverted MobyGames' interface to its pre-overhaul look and feel,[10] and for the next eight years, the site was run by Freyholtz and Independent Games Festival organizer Simon Carless.[7]
On November 24, 2021, Atari SA announced a potential deal with Blue Flame Labs to purchase MobyGames for $1.5 million.[11] The purchase was completed on 8 March 2022, with Freyholtz remaining as general manager.[12][13][14] Over the next year, the financial boost given by Atari led to a rework of the site being built from scratch with a new backend codebase, as well as updates improving the mobile and desktop user interface.[1] This was accomplished by investing in full-time development of the site instead of its previously part-time development.[15]
In 2024, MobyGames began offering a paid "Pro" membership option for the site to generate additional revenue.[16] Previously, the site had generated income exclusively through banner ads and (from March 2014 onward) a small number of patrons via the Patreon website.[17]
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Warning: Default sort key "Tv Sports Basketball" overrides earlier default sort key "Mobygames".