Basket Random: basketball where the physics are the other team
You do not really control a player in Basket Random. You control a moment. Each team is two floppy figures on one key, and pressing it makes them hop and throw their arms forward. Whether that becomes a catch, a steal, a dunk or a face-plant depends on exactly when you press, where the ball is and which way your players happen to be leaning. It is the least precise sports game you will ever play, and that is the point.
Matches are short: the first side to five points wins. Between points the game shuffles things around — the players can change size or shape, the court can move from an indoor gym to a beach, a snowy yard, a city street or somewhere stranger, and even the ball changes. A tactic that worked on the last point may be useless on the next, so you are always adapting.
It is at its best with two people on one keyboard, one on W and one on the Up arrow, shouting at each other over ridiculous rebounds. Alone, the computer is a surprisingly awkward opponent. Either way, a full match fits in a couple of minutes, which is why Basket Random is a favourite for short breaks on school laptops.
Controls & mechanics
| Action | Control | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Player one | W | Your pair jumps and reaches; press again to throw |
| Player two | Up arrow | The same for the other team on the same keyboard |
| Against the computer | 1 Player on the menu | You use W; the CPU plays the other side |
| Throw | Press while holding the ball | The arm swing sends the ball towards the hoop |
| Winning | First to five points | Courts, players and ball can change after each point |
| Touch | Tap your side of the screen | On phones and touch Chromebooks |
Winning more in Basket Random
- Wait for the ball to come down: Pressing while the ball is still high makes your players jump too early. Let it drop towards them, then press.
- Tap, do not mash: Mashing the key keeps your players in the air and out of position. One well-timed press beats five random ones.
- Throw from close: The nearer you are to the hoop, the more forgiving the throw. If you catch it far away, a short hop forward first can help.
- Use the back player: Your two players move together but stand apart. The one behind often gets rebounds the front one misses.
- Adapt to the court: Some courts are bouncy, some slippery, some tiny. Spend the first second of each point seeing how the ball behaves.
- Steal on the throw: Opponents are most exposed right after they throw. A jump at that moment can knock the ball away.
Key features
- One button each: W for player one, Up arrow for player two.
- Solo or two players: Play the computer or a friend on the same keyboard.
- First to five: Matches take a couple of minutes.
- Always changing: Courts, players and balls change between points.
- Ragdoll physics: Floppy players make every rally unpredictable.
- Served from this site: The HTML5 game runs in a Chrome tab on a school laptop.
Game info
- Title: Basket Random
- Developer: RHM Interactive
- Category: Random & Ragdoll Sports
- Platform: Web browser (HTML5)
- Build: RHM Interactive · HTML5 build with box2d physics, served from basketrandom.click
Pro tip: After a point, do not press straight away. The players land and settle for a moment; the first press after they settle is much more controlled than one while they are still wobbling.
