NBA Dunk City Launches Today With Yuki Kawamura and Original Character Aila
The inclusion of an original character like Aila, with extensive costume customization, is positioned to draw in players who normally avoid sports games, potentially expanding the NBA license's audience beyond existing basketball fans.
Key Facts
- NBA Dunk City launched on August 6 for iOS and Android as a free-to-play game.
- The game holds official licenses for all 30 NBA teams and includes more than 40 real players, including Yuki Kawamura.
- The 11-point match mode is a 3-on-3 battle on a half-court with a three-minute time limit, where the first team to 11 points wins.
- An original character named Aila, voiced by Ten Aoi, is available with multiple costumes and exclusive animations.
- The game includes modes such as Championship, Dynasty Mode, 5-on-5 full-court battles, and custom modes for 1-on-1 and 3-on-3 play.
Reporting from 3 sources: GAME Watch (Impress), Automaton, Inside.
NetEase Games released NBA Dunk City for iOS and Android on August 6. The free-to-play 3-on-3 street basketball game carries official licenses for all 30 NBA teams and includes more than 40 real players, among them Stephen Curry, LeBron James, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Japan's Yuki Kawamura. The game also introduces an original character named Aila, voiced by Ten Aoi, whose costumes and animations are a central draw. Preview coverage from Automaton and Inside highlights the 11-point match mode, where two teams of three compete on a half-court for three minutes, with the first to 11 points winning. The game includes additional modes such as Championship ranked matches, Dynasty Mode, 5-on-5 full-court battles, and custom modes for 1-on-1 and 3-on-3 play. A gacha system called Surprise Box provides new players, costumes, and development materials, and a shoe customization feature lets players design their own footwear. The developers told Inside that the game avoids a pay-to-win design, with paid items mainly streamlining development and offering costumes.
NBA Dunk City launched on August 6 for iOS and Android as a free-to-play title. The game holds official licenses for all 30 NBA teams and features more than 40 real players, including Stephen Curry, LeBron James, and Giannis Antetokounmpo, alongside Japan's Yuki Kawamura. The original character Aila, voiced by Ten Aoi, is a shooting guard skilled in drives, and her costumes include sets like Midnight Whisper, Wonder Trip, Blue Lost, and Wave Splash, some with exclusive animations.
The 11-point match mode is the centerpiece, with 3-on-3 battles on a half-court lasting three minutes. The first team to 11 points wins, or the team with more points at the end. Controls use a virtual stick on the left and action buttons on the right that change between offense and defense. A fan-shaped check zone around the ball handler lowers the opponent's shot success rate, making defensive positioning intuitive for beginners.
Beyond matches, the game offers a Practice Ground with modes like Street Debut, Street Rules, Skill Practice, and Free Practice. Players can strengthen characters through Talent and Potential systems, and a Celebration feature allows up to four motion sets, such as Pianist and Wild Dance. The gacha system, called Surprise Box, provides players, costumes, and development materials, with a pity system for specified scout players. The developers stated the game avoids pay-to-win design, with paid items mainly streamlining development and offering costumes.
Synthesized by Yomimono from the 3 cited sources below, including Japanese-language reporting where cited, then editorially reviewed before publishing.