Reigning Champ has remastered a classic arcade game in a new collaboration with Canadian industrial designer Calen Knauf (following its 2023 partnership with Japanese label Junya Watanabe MAN on a motocross-inspired clothing collection). The Home Court Arcade Basketball Game is a contemporary take on the original, and unites elevated craftsmanship with playful functionality.
Reigning Champ Home Court Arcade Basketball Game
Knauf stripped back the classic arcade game to showcase a crisp, functional design constructed out of natural materials, and in tune with the Vancouver-based athletic-wear label’s minimalist design ethos.
No mere showcase for Knauf’s artistry, however, the Home Court Arcade Basketball Game also elevates the quality of gameplay. Throughout the year-long design process, Knauf perfected authentic acoustics, using wood panelling for the main foundation and backboard, specially crafted by Vancouver-based design studio Workbench to mimic the sound of a basketball on a hardwood court.
Tempered glass side panels allow for the ball’s easy return to the player. Below, a large storage space holds ten cream leather game balls (smaller than an average-sized basketball). Final details include stainless steel hardware, cotton and silk hand-knotted nets, and rubber wheels for manoeuvrability.
In a wireless world, Knauf decided to include visible cables as part of the design, a nostalgic nod to the original arcade game. Sensors are built in to keep an accurate track of points scored with each satisfying swoop of the net.
The Home Court Basketball Game is made to order, with a flat-pack composition for convenient assembly. It’s a slam dunk for the games room.
