Have you ever wanted a simpler sports game? One free of all those complex stat charts and complex controls, making you feel like you’re back on the playground in elementary school, taking turns choosing your team. Well, luckily there’s a game on Steam that has you completely covered, which also happens to be a real throwback to a bygone era. In the 90’s, a little game called Backyard Baseball launched a mega-franchise that endured for over a decade, and now it’s back on in all its glory on Steam. It’s the perfect all-ages baseball game for anyone and everyone.
First released on PC in 1997, Backyard Baseball was the first game in what would become known as Backyard Sports — featuring an eclectic roster of 30 different kids duking it out on the pitch. The first game catapulted into an entire franchise that spanned multiple sports across two decades — including Soccer, Basketball, Football, Hockey, and even Skateboarding. The winning formula was really defined by two vital aspects — simplicity and charm.
Backyard Baseball is a game that’s absolutely overflowing with personality, easily the biggest strength it has. The colorful art style looks like a Saturday morning cartoon from the 90’s, and each and every one of the playable kids has a distinct personality. It also needs to be said Backyard Baseball was surprisingly diverse for a game in the 90’s. Each kid has their own theme song as they go up to bat, which also plays during home runs — and everyone has their own stats and positions that they excel at. Every bit and piece of Backyard Baseball leans into its quirky personality, from the way kids pepper you with “Swing batter batter” barbs while you’re waiting for a pitch, to the way the game’s different fields including parking lots and kids’ backyards, where the ball can careen into cars and set off alarms.
There are multiple different modes to play through, including single games and a season mode where you get to design the name and logo for your very own team. What’s really fun, however, is how you choose your team — with all the kids sitting on the bleachers as you choose your team one by one, playground style. You’ll quickly have some favorites that pop up, like the headphone-wearing Achmed Khan who plays his bat like a guitar whenever he steps up to the plate. Of course, you’ll also learn that Pablo Sanchez is quite literally the greatest of all time, the most elite athlete to ever grace video games. Make sure he’s on your team or suffer the consequences.
That rich art style and charm makes Backyard Baseball easy to get into, almost familiar in a way. It’s like an idealized version of elementary school, where every kid gets to be cool in their own way. But on top of that, Backyard Baseball has sports gameplay that’s easy for anyone, of any age, to grasp.
Backyard Baseball is basically a point-and-click game grafted onto a sports experience, and it’s done brilliantly. While batting you have a batter’s box that pops up, and need to click in the right spot with the right timing to hit the ball. You also have a selection of wacky power-ups, like the “Crazy Bunt” that makes the ball zig-zag through the field. You also get power-ups while pitching, to try and throw off the other team, like a “Spitball” that covers the ball in spit to alter its direction at the last second.
Fielding is also played through pointing and clicking, with zones appearing for where a hit ball is going to land, requiring you to click your kids to run over and try to catch it, then direct them on who to throw it to afterward.
It’s not the most complex of sports games, but it’s a chill laid-back experience that really bolsters the game’s sense of personality. Backyard Baseball is simply a good time, it’s a game with no frills or extras, just that core experience of playing a good game of baseball.
If you’re an adult with nostalgia for the ‘90s you’ll find a lot to love in Backyard Baseball, but it’s also the perfect game for parents and children to bond. Baseball is America’s timeless sport, a staple of culture, and Backyard Baseball hits that timeless feeling out of the park.
