In this article, we compare two of the most popular arcade basketball games from leading brand Pop-A-Shot – the Home Dual Shot vs the Dual Shot Sport.
Both games are well worth considering if you want to treat the hoops fan in your family (or yourself!) to a well built game. But, although they look similar and share some of the same features, the Home version usually costs about a hundred bucks more than the Sport.
So, what do you get for the extra cash, and is it worth it? Our guide below will highlight the differences between both games and show which is the most suitable for you. First we’ve got a quick comparison table of the main features of each game.
Then we look at the main differences between them and the advantages of each game, in turn. Finally, we’ll summarize the extra 6 game modes that are included with the Home Dual Shot and you can make the right choice for your needs and budget.
Pop A Shot Home Dual Shot vs Dual Shot Sport – Quick Comparison
Both these games won our best in class awards when we reviewed the 9 best basketball arcade games in 2024 recently. The Home was our Ultimate Choice and the Sport was our Best Value for Money pick. Let’s take a closer look at how they compare against each other.
In the table below we’ve summarized the main features of each game in a side by side comparison, to make it easy to see the differences between them.
| Pop A Shot HOME Dual Shot | Pop A Shot Dual Shot SPORT | |
|---|---|---|
 |  | |
| Description | Ultimate dual shot version of the classic Pop A Shot arcade game | Budget choice - cheaper version of the Home Dual Shot |
| Price | $$$ Check Price | $$ Check Price |
| Size: W x D | 45" x 88" | 46" x 81" |
| Height | 82", 88" or 94" Adjustable | 81" Fixed |
| Folds up to | 37" deep | 29" deep |
| Weight | 58 lbs | 44 lbs |
| No. of Games | 16 | 10 |
| No. of Balls | 7 | 4 |
| LED Display | Large, 3 digits | Medium, 2 digits |
| Scoring Sensors | Infrared optical | Paddles |
| Mobility | Wheels on frame | No wheels |
| Outdoor version available | Yes | No |
| Frame | 1.5" powder coated steel | 1.5" powder coated steel |
| Backboard | 0.5" MDF | 0.5" MDF |
| Power | AC or Battery | AC or Battery |
| Audio | 6 options | 6 options |
| Control Panel | Front, easy to program | Front, easy to program |
Main Differences
As you can see from the table above, although both games look similar, there are a number of important differences between the Pop A Shot Home Dual Shot vs Sport models.
The Home Dual Shot is the big brother of the Dual Shot Sport. It is larger (7″ deeper and up to 13″ taller) and weighs 14 lbs more than the Sport but also has wheels for easier maneuvering. The height of the Home Dual Shot is adjustable (the Sport is fixed) and it includes 3 more balls and 6 more games than the Sport.
Thanks to better scoring sensors (infrared optical vs paddles) and a larger LED scoreboard (3 digits vs 2 digits) the Home Dual Shot also has more accurate scoring than the Sport and can display scores above 99. This means you can have a lot more shooting fun before the scoreboard count goes back to zero.
The Dual Shot Sport is the budget choice. It is smaller, lighter, has no height adjustment and includes only 4 balls and 10 games. Because of its smaller size and fixed height, it is ideal for kids and teens. Whereas the larger Home Dual Shot is adjustable to suit a wider range of ages – from kids to adults.
Advantages of Home Dual Shot
This is the best Pop A Shot arcade game in the range, it’s a premium model with several advantages compared to the budget Sport model:
- Height adjustable backboard and a longer ball return ramp make it more suitable for both kids and adults
- More balls (7 vs 4) are included
- It has more games (16 vs 10) too
- The larger scoreboard (with 3 digits vs 2 digits) can display scores up to 999, not just 99
- Better scoring sensors (infrared optical vs paddles) provide higher accuracy
- There are wheels at the back of frame for easier maneuvering
Tip: if you love these features but would like to be able to play outdoors, there is also an Outdoor version of this game. It is almost identical but is weatherproofed so can be used outdoors or indoors. See our full reviews of the best basketball arcade games for more details.
Advantages of Dual Shot Sport
- Cheaper – the MSRP is about $110 less than the Home version
- It folds up to a smaller depth for better space saving (29″ deep vs 37″)
- And it is lighter to move around (44 lbs vs 58 lbs)
Tip: you can easily buy a three-pack of official Pop A Shot balls if you want 7 balls in total – the same as you get with the Home Dual Shot.
Extra 6 Games in the Home Dual Shot
The Home Dual Shot includes 16 game modes whereas the Sport only has 10. So which 6 game modes does the Sport miss out on?
The answer is that the Home Dual Shot actually has seven extra games but does not include one that the Sport has. Here is a summary of the extra games found in the Home version:
- Intermediate: 2 Players – 45 seconds to score as many points as you can. If you reach 40 points you get 15 seconds bonus
- Cross Court: 2 Players – player 1 goes first and shoots at basket displaying score
- Double or Nothing: 2 Players – first basket counts for 2 points, then each subsequent basket counts for double
- Scoring Streak: 2 Players – if no shot made during 3 seconds, streak is broken
- Tug of War: 2 Players – for each made basket, that player gets 2 points and other player gets -2
- Around the World: 2-4 Players – first player to make 10 shots wins
- Tournament: 2-4 Players – player 1 vs. player 4, then player 2 vs. player 3; winners play in Finals
And this is the game, found in the Sport, that the Home version does not include:
- Climbing the Ladder: 2 Players – first basket is 2 points; each subsequent basket is an additional point (3, 4, 5, etc.) If no basket is made within 3 seconds, next basket is 2 points
Tip: Check out our complete review of Pop A Shot game modes to see all the games that appear in each model.
Conclusion
If you have the budget and the space, we’d recommend the Pop A Shot Official Home Dual Shot for the best possible game-play, features and durability. It has several key advantages that make it well worth the higher price – more accurate sensors, ability to adjust height, extra games and three more balls.
However, the Pop A Shot Sport is still awesome value for a dual shot arcade game – it comfortably beats its nearest rivals in the same price range.
Owner’s Manuals
The owner’s manual for the Pop A Shot Home Dual Shot is available in PDF format here.
The owner’s manual for the Pop A Shot Dual Shot Sport is available in PDF format here.