12 MiniBattles — Play Free Online

12 MiniBattles is a party game for two people sharing one keyboard. Instead of a single sport, it strings together a set of very short duels, each with its own simple rule, and the game picks which one you get next. A round is over in seconds, so the fun is in the rematch rather than in mastering one long match.

If you came to Basket Random for the loose, slightly chaotic head-to-head feel, this is the same kind of game with the sport stripped out. There is no court to learn and nothing to unlock. You sit down with a friend, pick a side of the keyboard each, and see who wins the first few mini-games. It was made by Mad Puffers and runs in the browser with nothing to install.

How to play

Both players use the same keyboard, with one key or a few keys each. The game's own description puts it simply: quick rounds and instant rematches. The listing says the duels come up at random, twelve in all, and that the first player to take enough rounds wins the set (five, per the catalogue description). Each mini-game shows what to do when it starts, and the controls stay small enough to read at a glance.

Agree before you start which half of the keyboard belongs to whom, so nobody ends up reaching across the other player's hand. A full-size keyboard is much more comfortable than a laptop one for this.

Tips

• Read the instruction at the start of each duel before touching a key. Hammering buttons in a game that rewards timing is the quickest way to lose a round.
• Keep your fingers resting on your own keys. With only one or two buttons each, a stray press costs more than a slow one.
• Play a handful of sets in a row. Because the order is random, you will see each duel several times and learn which ones reward speed and which reward patience.

Similar games on Basket Random

If you like the shared-keyboard format, try Rowdy Wrestling or Wrassling for physics-driven grappling, or Get On Top for a flailing, climb-the-opponent style of duel. Soccer Random takes the Basket Random formula to football, while Bumper Cars Soccer puts the ball in the hands of small cars. For something closer to straight basketball, Slime Dunk and Street Ball Jam are the places to look.

12 MiniBattles suits short breaks and visits from a friend: a set takes a few minutes, and nobody needs to learn rules in advance.