Few are the brands that offer you a basketball game rich on features while keeping its price low. Giantex have made one of the best products for this year in the face of their Foldable indoor basketball arcade game. It is everything your kids would want, as has competitive game modes, accurate sensors, and is actually suitable for adults as well. In this review I will go over what makes this such a great addition to your living room, and what might be a deal-breaker for some people…
My Verdict: If you are looking for a basketball arcade game that won’t burn a hole in your pocket and is almost as good as some of the premium models, then the Giantex Basketball Arcade Game is a solid choice. It is sturdy, durable, and big enough to accommodate both kids and adults in a competitive game of ball. For such a feature-rich model, it is priced very competitively and is actually class-leading in terms of features and dimensions.
If you want to check out other good basketball arcade games before you make your final decision, head over to my full Buyer’s Guide on the topic. There I’ve compiled a list of some of my favorite models for this year and have gone in-depth into the features you need to pay attention to.
Overview & Features
Even though I didn’t rank this game for the best value for your money, it certainly has a great price to value ratio considering what it brings to the table. Even though it is affordable, there are some things that I cannot overlook like some design flaws but more on that later.
Our Rating:
- Very cheap
- Great for both kids and adults
- Sturdy and durable
- Comes with 4 basketballs and a pump
- The scoring sensors are accurate
- Has remote control for the sound effects
- Foldable space-saving design
Dimensions
By far the biggest issue some people have with this kids arcade game is how big it is. Don’t get me wrong, I love that it is big enough for adults to play as well but little kids might struggle to hit the rims at first. It is 80 inches front to back and 42 inches wide with a height of 81 inches.
Another thing that is missing from the whole construction is that it isn’t really height adjustable which is mostly bad for adults since usually these games start around that height and adjust to higher settings to accommodate taller players.
It does fold though, and quite practically so, which is a great space-saver if you plan on putting this arcade in your kid’s room where space is valuable.
Materials and Durability
The construction core is made out of powder-coated steel which is the material of choice nowadays since it is difficult to scratch, peel, or chip it when playing and is also a rust-free material that will extend the life expectancy of the arcade. The return ramp is made out of nylon, though it isn’t really thick so careful with leaning into it too much. The stitches on both sides are solid and the safety nets are going to stop most wild balls.
The nets on the rims are an issue since they often get caught up on the scoring sensors and aren’t that well-made either. The hoops are 11 inch ones so you can find better nets online and just swap them. The rims themselves have a solid feel and give a good bounce to the ball when it hits them. They are connected to the MDF backboard which isn’t the sturdiest but will endure your kid’s throws for quite some time.
Scoring System
Most of the good basketball arcade games today have decent scoring systems that have triple digit capabilities allowing you to set a high score as high as 999 points. The Giantex arcade has dual displays, one for each player, and one smaller display above those that displays other settings. These scoring displays are connected to the two infrared optical sensors on each rim and to the front control panel that controls all the functions.
The whole system is battery operated but doesn’t come with the batteries included so make sure you prepare those if you want to try it out as soon as you set it up. The sensors are fairly accurate, up there with the 98% accuracy claim by Giantex.
Basketballs
The basketballs here are yet another feature which isn’t that bad but you see how it was used to cut down on costs a bit. While other models offer you 6 or 7 well-made basketballs, this arcade comes with only four. Now, don’t get me wrong, they are of very good quality and are decently sized (6.7 inches) but whenever you are playing competitively 4 balls will feel a few balls short of what would be ideal.
Still, they work well with the 11 inch rims and can be easily handled by kids as little as 5 years old. The balls come with a hand pump which is a good touch but is also something that you will often need since they aren’t the best at retaining air. If you are only going to play once or twice every weekend, you will need to pump the balls every time before you start playing.
Setting It Up
Although setting this arcade is easy, it can get rather tricky if you don’t follow the steps. The assembly process takes around 2 hours and you can cut that in half if you have someone to help you. A few things worth mentioning are the front contact points with the ground which don’t always align well with each other and the nets on the hoops which have the tendency to get stuck on the sensors. Apart from that, everything else is pretty standard, following a similar design-language which is shared by almost all modern basketball arcades.
Additional features and accessories
The additional features on this model aren’t that many and are primarily focused around the arcade part of it all. There are sound effects which you can choose during the game. You can also control their volume through the command console upfront. There is also a buzzer that adds to the arcade experience.
There are 8 playing methods you can choose from, again from the buttons on the control panel. They are:
- Beat the time clock
- 3-pointer beat the clock
- Battle-back
- Horse
- Check point
- Around the world
- Right shoot, left shoot
- One-to-one
Design and Practicality
In terms of design, there isn’t much to discuss about this particular arcade. It is pretty bland in its approach which doesn’t make it particularly appealing to kids but makes for a great living room game for your friends when they come over. If you want something far more interesting in terms of its design and colors, I suggest checking out my Harvil Double-Swish basketball arcade review. It is perfect for little kids as it will make them feel like they are on a real wooden court and will further develop their passion for the sport.
Price
The price is one of the strongest features of this arcade and is the reason so many people choose to get it for them or as a gift for their kids. It is one of the cheapest basketball arcade games you can get currently and has the full list of features that its competitors have at twice the price.
Let’s check out some of the major pros and cons of this Giantex arcade game now…
Advantages & Disadvantages
Pros
- Very cheap
- Great for both kids and adults
- Sturdy and durable
- Comes with 4 basketballs and a pump
- The scoring sensors are accurate
- Has remote control for the sound effects
- Foldable space-saving design
- Comes with 8 games
Cons
- A bit tricky to set up if you are alone
- Won’t fit into smaller rooms since it is quite bulky
- The hoop nets get caught on the sensors occasionally
Having a bunch of your friends come over to play some basketball arcades is fun but knowing some basketball trivia might really make the whole experience more interesting. Check out my article on some of the major events in basketball history that shaped the sport as it is today.
Conclusion
Our Rating:
As a whole, there aren’t many models in this price class with which I can compare the Giantex Foldable Indoor Basketball Arcade Game to. This is because this game is priced extremely competitively and is a great value for your money. The powder-coated steel frame and versatile game options and sounds make it an ideal addition for any living room, given that you have the space for it. Space might end up being the deciding factor above everything else since this game is quite bulky and will eat up into any room you put it in, unless there is plenty of space.
