“I believe I can fly.”
Blacktop Hoops is a VR streetball simulator that will allow you to showcase your hoop skills by performing flashy trick shots, sweet dunks, and fancy dribbling on the basketball court. In this upcoming game, you’ll go 1-on-1 against a variety of opponents in a way that would please even streetball luminary The Professor.
Created by the Berkeley, CA indie game studio, Vinci Games, Blacktop Hoops was built from the ground up to deliver an authentic streetball experience that feels natural in VR. The company used motion capture technology to capture the movements of streetball pros and dunkers like Jordan Kilganon and King Handles.
You can pull off some sweet buttery smooth crossovers and break ankles using the game’s groundbreaking dribbling system. Get ready to break a sweat because all the mechanics of real-world dribbling are represented here. Shooting will let you knock down three-pointers from downtown and hit fadeaways, stepbacks, and floaters with an intuitive shooting experience that makes you feel like streetball royalty; if your opponent doesn’t school you first that is. There’s even a dunking mechanic, allowing you to soar over your opponents and dip your hand in the cookie jar.
Play Mode will have you going head-to-head against an advanced AI system. Beware, however. These AI opponents are no joke. They’ll break your ankles and finish you off with the flush, floater, or fade. A little embarrassing, yes. But live and learn, baby!
Authenticity was important for Vinci Games. Blacktop Hoops features a sweet 90’s soundtrack along with over 30+ iconic sneakers from independent streetball brands and designers. No spoilers! You’ll have to play to find out!
To ensure maximum authenticity, Vinci Games recruited legendary baller Bobbito Garcia AKA Kool Bob Love and WNBA All-Star Renee Montgomery to emcee the game. Actor Dante Basco (Zuko in Avatar: The Last Airbender) is also there to help you through some streetball tutorials.
Blacktop Hoops will be available on April 19th on Steam and the Meta App Lab as an Alpha demo. Here’s what you can look forward to:
- 1vs1 single-player mode with open Online Park multiplayer coming soon.
- Four different game modes (Play Mode, Practice Mode, Shooting Training, and Tutorial).
- Play against one AI opponent with dynamic-responsive mocap animations across four difficulties.
- Over 1,500 lines of unique narration from emcees Bobbita Garcia and Renee Montgomery.
- Over 30+ digital collectibles and a level progression system up to level 75.
If you’d like to learn more about Blacktop Hoops you can join their Discord or check them out on Twitter, TikTok, Twitter, and Facebook.
Image Credit: Vinci Games
