The 3-Point Contest — In 3D
Five racks, 25 balls, 60 seconds. Swipe to shoot, find your rhythm, and chase the money balls in a real 3D arena with real arcs, rim rattles and net-snapping swishes.
3-Point Contest Game: Shoot the All-Star Racks in 3D
This free 3-point contest game puts you on the floor for the most famous shooting event of NBA All-Star Weekend. You get 60 seconds to work your way around the arc, from the left corner to the right corner, firing 25 balls at a regulation 10-foot rim. Every shot is simulated in real 3D with real court dimensions, so the ball follows a true arc, rattles around the rim, kisses off the glass and snaps the net when it drops.
How the Three-Point Contest Works
- Five racks: left corner, left wing, top of the key, right wing and right corner. You shoot every ball on a rack before moving to the next one, and the clock keeps running while you walk.
- Five balls per rack: four regular orange balls worth 1 point each, and a gold money ball worth 2 points as the last ball on every rack.
- 60 seconds: 25 balls in a minute leaves you about two seconds per shot, including the walk between racks. Rhythm matters as much as accuracy.
- Perfect score: 30 points in Classic mode. The Daily Challenge adds an all-money rack and a 3-point deep ball, for a maximum of 37.
How to Shoot
On a phone, swipe up from the bottom half of the court. The length of your swipe sets the power, and the angle of your swipe sets the aim, so a straight swipe sends the ball straight at the rim. After every shot, a ring shows where your power landed against the gold sweet spot.
On a computer you can drag up with the mouse the same way, or hold the Space bar to charge a power meter and let go inside the gold zone. Each new ball comes with a slightly different aim, so tap the left and right arrow keys to center the aim marker before you release.
Tips for a Higher Score
- Find one swipe length and repeat it. The power target is the same at every rack, so muscle memory pays off.
- Don't wait for the ball to land. The next ball is in your hands about a third of a second after release. Great shooters fire the next shot while the last one is still in the air.
- Protect the money ball. It's the last ball on each rack and worth double, so take a breath before it.
- Get hot. Three makes in a row sets you ON FIRE, and every swish while you're on fire adds a bonus point.
- Watch the last 15 seconds. Fatigue kicks in late, the sweet spot gets a little smaller and the Space meter speeds up.
How Scoring Works
Contest points follow the real event: 1 point for a regular ball, 2 for a money ball and 3 for the deep ball in the Daily Challenge. On top of that, swishes are tracked as their own stat, and fire bonuses are added to your final score. Your result is ranked from Shootaround all the way up to Record Territory, and you can download a score card to share.
Pick your difficulty before you start. Rookie gives you a forgiving sweet spot, Pro is the standard challenge, and All-Star demands near-perfect power and aim on every ball.
A Short History of the All-Star Three-Point Contest
The NBA introduced the three-point shootout in 1986 as part of All-Star Saturday, and it quickly became one of the weekend's most-watched events. The format of racks around the arc with a two-point money ball on each one has stayed remarkably stable, which is why the contest is so easy to compare across generations.
The modern version added new wrinkles: an all-money rack that each shooter places on the spot of their choice, and two deep shots from well behind the line worth extra points. Our Daily Challenge borrows that idea, with today's all-money rack and deep ball chosen the same way for every player.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the 3-Point Contest game free?
Yes. It's completely free with no sign-up and no download. It runs right in your browser, and your best scores are saved on your device.
Does it work on phones?
Yes. The game was built for touch first: swipe up to shoot. It works in modern mobile browsers that support WebGL, which covers nearly every recent iPhone and Android phone. If your phone struggles, the game automatically lowers its graphics quality to keep the frame rate smooth.
What is a money ball?
The money ball is the special ball on each rack worth 2 points instead of 1. In this game it's the gold ball and always the last ball on the rack. An all-money rack, used in the Daily Challenge, has five money balls.
What is the Daily Challenge?
Every day, everyone gets the same setup: one all-money rack and one 3-point deep ball between two racks. Your first round of the day is your official score. You can keep playing afterwards, but replays don't count, so make the first one count.
Why did my perfect-looking shot rim out?
Every shot runs through a real physics simulation. A ball that's a few centimeters long hits the back rim, and one that's slightly short catches the front. Land inside the sweet spot and you'll hear the swish.