$9.99Backyard Baseball '97 Backyard ball with the neighborhood kids
Pick a team of charming youngsters, step up to the plate and play everything from a quick game to a full season of lighthearted baseball.
Is Backyard Baseball '97 worth it?
Backyard Baseball '97 is worth it if…
- you grew up with Backyard Baseball and want that exact feeling back
- you want baseball with simple controls instead of a simulation that fights you
- you like chasing stats, home run counts and leaderboard bragging rights
- you want a funny, family friendly game you can hand to a kid
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Pick your team, then pick your moments
Everything starts in the backyard. In a pick-up game the computer hands both teams a random roster and you are playing seconds later. In a single game you take turns with the computer picking players from a random pool, so every matchup shakes out differently. And if you want the long version, build a team and manage it through a 14-game season: the best two teams make the BBL playoffs, then it is on through the Super Entire Nation Tournament and finally the Ultra Grand Championship of the Universe Series, which is exactly as grand as it sounds.
A cast of kids worth rooting for
The roster is 30 child athletes, each with their own personality, and the banter between them is a big part of why people remember this game so fondly. Getting him up to bat with the bases loaded is the moment every backyard veteran waits for. The characters are what set this apart from other sports games: goofy, diverse, and genuinely funny.
What should you know before playing?
Can you play it solo?
Yes, every mode is built around playing against the computer: random pick-up games, single games, and the full season with computer-generated opposing teams. There is also multiplayer, and Steam leaderboards let you compete with other players on home runs, strike-outs, grand slams and season wins without ever meeting them on the field.
Is it hard to learn?
Not really. The controls are simple enough that anyone can pick them up, and there is batting practice against Mr. Clanky where you learn exactly when to click to make your batter connect. The rules are a friendly hybrid of pro and Little League: no leading off, no injuries, but bunting and tagging up are allowed.
Does it track your stats?
It does, and more thoroughly than you might expect from a game this goofy. Games keep full baseball statistics, your season results carry through, and the game also lets you set your own rules if the defaults are not to your taste. It has the numbers of an adult baseball game with none of the seriousness.
Is it relaxing or competitive?
Both, depending on the mode you pick. A quick pick-up game is low pressure and over in a short session, good for unwinding. A season run or a climb up the global home run leaderboard is where the rivalry kicks in, and short sessions make it easy to come back for one more game.
