Based on Takehiko Inoue's manga and anime, Slam Dunk: Shouri e no Starting 5 has both a story mode and a CPU match mode The player can pick one of four teams for the Slam Dunk tournament. Before starting the game, the player decides what roles the six team members will be and their exact positions in the basketball court. The gameplay shows the players from an overhead perspective, highlighting who is dribbling the ball and the opponent in pursuit. Close ups show major movements such as starting the match, defending a basketball hoop and scoring a goal.