The NBA's Pixel Arena Adds Customization and New Mini-Games to Enjoy

Test your skills and trivia knowledge, and show off your personal style

By
Rob Rich
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Rob Rich
News Reporter
  • College for Creative Studies
Rob is a freelance tech reporter with experience writing for a variety of outlets, including IGN, Unwinnable, 148Apps, Gamezebo, Pocket Gamer, Fanbolt, Zam, and more.
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Published on March 27, 2023 12:33PM EDT
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Jerri Ledford
Jerri Ledford
Fact checked by Jerri Ledford
  • Western Kentucky University
  • Gulf Coast Community College
Jerri L. Ledford has been writing, editing, and fact-checking tech stories since 1994. Her work has appeared in Computerworld, PC Magazine, Information Today, and many others.
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The NBA's Pixel Arena is expanding with new personalization options, added freedom of movement, and more ways for users to interact.

While not a sports app in the strictest sense, Pixel Arena is meant to be a virtual space for NBA fans to 'join in' on past games, watch 3D recaps, and play mini-games with a custom avatar. Today it's still all of those things, but now Google has given it a big update with two new mini-games, details, and other features.

Pixel Arena avatars standing in front of a phone displaying Pixel Arena

Google

Avatar customization has been more fleshed-out (no pun intended) with a larger variety of skin tones and a large assortment of new clothing options. A digital rendition of a Pixel 7 Pro has also been added to act as each avatar's in-app navigation tool. Avatars also have a renewed purpose. You can now walk around the virtual Pixel Arena space—and encounter other user avatars to compare wardrobe choices.

A new Highlight (Re)Mixer tool has also been added, which turns players from select video highlights into 3D models. The purpose of the (Re)Mixer Tool is to revisit the available classic NBA moments and create your own custom highlight video with your own camera angle and special effects choices. However, you won't have control over the players themselves.

Two new mini-games have also joined the roster, offering single- and multiplayer modes—with both NBA Shot Trivia and Baller Blitz involving shooting and scoring using your avatar. Though NBA Shot Trivia pushes the idea further by incorporating multiple choice trivia into the mix, so you have to choose the right net before you take your shot. And Google explained in its blog post that these questions are being generated via machine learning, so future standout moments in live games could appear as new questions come down the line.

These new Pixel Arena changes are live today, with highlights continuing to update during the current season. You can access Pixel Arena directly through the Discover tab of the NBA app, which is free through Android, iOS, Amazon, and Roku.

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