View source for Backyard Baseball

{{short description|Video game series}}
{{more citations needed|date=July 2017}}
{{Infobox video game series
| title = Backyard Baseball
| image = Backyard Baseball '97 logo.png
| caption = The logo of ''Backyard Baseball '97'' (2024), a remaster of the original ''Backyard Baseball'' (1997)
| genre = [[Sports]]
| developer = [[Humongous Entertainment]] <br/ > [[Mega Cat Studios]]
| publisher = Humongous Entertainment <br/ > [[Atari, Inc. (1993–present)|Infogrames/Atari]] <br/> [[The Evergreen Group]] <br/> Playground Productions
| platforms = [[Nintendo DS]], [[PlayStation 2]], [[Wii]], [[Microsoft Windows|Windows]], [[iOS (Apple)|iOS]], [[Xbox 360]], [[Game Boy Advance]], [[GameCube]], [[Mac (computer)|Macintosh]], [[Nintendo Switch]], [[PlayStation 5]]
| first release version = ''[[Backyard Baseball (video game)|Backyard Baseball]]''
| first release date = October 10, 1997
| latest release version = ''Backyard Baseball '97''
| latest release date = October 10, 2024
}}

'''''Backyard Baseball''''' is a series of [[baseball]] [[video game]]s for children which was originally developed by [[Humongous Entertainment]]. It was first released in October 1997 for [[Mac (computer)|Macintosh]] and [[Microsoft Windows]]. Later games were featured on [[Game Boy Advance]], [[PlayStation 2]], [[GameCube]], [[Wii]], and [[iOS]]. It is part of the ''[[Backyard Sports]]'' series, of which this series serves as its first sub-series. 

The original game consisted of 30 neighborhood kids from which the player must build a team.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Kram|first=Zach|date=2017-10-10|title=How 'Backyard Baseball' Became a Cult Classic|url=https://www.theringer.com/features/2017/10/10/16451300/backyard-baseball-20-year-anniversary|access-date=2020-11-12|website=The Ringer|language=en}}</ref> Over the years, the idea of "Pro players as kids" became popular, and the original statistics and looks of the players changed. As the game progresses, there are some professionals that become available or "unlockable" including [[Randy Johnson]], [[Derek Jeter]], and [[Mike Piazza]].

In ''Backyard Baseball'', players take a managerial role by creating a team of different players to compete against opponents. In the different installments, one could choose to play a one-off exhibition game or a seasonal league, followed by the "Backyard Baseball League" playoffs, which contains the [[American League]] and [[National League (baseball)|National League]] [[division series]],{{efn|Known in the pre MLB-licensed game as the ''All-City BBL Playoffs''.}} the AL and NL [[League Championship Series|championship series]]{{efn|Known in the pre MLB-licensed game as the ''Super Entire Nation Tournament''.}} and finally the "Backyard Baseball [[World Series]]".{{efn|Known in the pre MLB-licensed game as the ''Ultra Grand Championship of the Universe''.}} Series games will vary per game.

This game has various playable modes, and they include: Single Game, Batting Practice, Spectator, and Season Game.

A remastered version of the first ''[[Backyard Baseball (1997 video game)|Backyard Baseball]]'' title was released for Windows (via [[Steam (service)|Steam]]) on October 10, 2024,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Silberling |first=Amanda |date=2024-09-25 |title=Backyard Baseball '97 is back, with a re-release coming soon on Steam |url=https://techcrunch.com/2024/09/25/backyard-baseball-97-is-back-with-a-re-release-coming-soon-on-steam/ |access-date=2024-09-25 |website=TechCrunch |language=en-US}}</ref> followed by ports for iOS and [[Android (operating system)|Android]] on March 27, 2025,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Straw |first=Mike |date=2025-03-27 |title=Original Backyard Baseball Released On Mobile For First Time |url=https://insider-gaming.com/original-backyard-baseball-released-on-mobile-for-first-time/ |access-date=2025-06-12 |website=Insider Gaming |language=en-US}}</ref> and for [[Nintendo Switch]] and [[PlayStation 5]] on June 12, 2025.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Frech |first=Ricky |date=2025-06-12 |title=Backyard Baseball '97 Reveals Console Launch Date |url=https://comicbook.com/gaming/news/backyard-baseball-console-release/ |access-date=2025-06-12 |website=ComicBook.com |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |date=2025-06-12 |title=Grab your bat! Backyard Baseball '97 heads to consoles |url=https://gamingtrend.com/news/grab-your-bat-backyard-baseball-97-heads-to-consoles/ |access-date=2025-06-12 |website=GamingTrend |language=en}}</ref> A remastered version of ''[[Backyard Baseball 2001]]'' is set to release for Windows and mobile devices on July 8, 2025.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Moore |first=Logan |date=2024-10-10 |title=Backyard Football, Basketball, and Soccer Remasters "Coming Soon" to PC |url=https://comicbook.com/gaming/news/backyard-sports-baseball-football-basketball-soccer-pc-steam/ |access-date=2024-10-12 |website=ComicBook.com |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Maas |first=Jennifer |date=2025-06-30 |title=‘Backyard Baseball ’01’ to Re-Release in July From Playground Productions |url=https://variety.com/2025/gaming/news/backyard-baseball-01-remake-release-july-1236440503/ |access-date=2025-06-30 |website=Variety |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Feldman |first=Jacob |date=2025-06-30 |title=Backyard Baseball 2001 Game Returns With 28 Original MLB Stars |url=https://www.sportico.com/leagues/baseball/2025/backyard-baseball-2001-game-release-date-mlb-players-list-1234858525/ |access-date=2025-06-30 |website=Sportico.com |language=en-US}}</ref>

==Legacy==
Pablo Sanchez, one of the fictional playable characters in the game, has been regarded as one of the strongest athletes in video game history.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Pablo Sanchez: The Origin Of A Video Game Legend|url=https://www.wbur.org/onlyagame/2017/06/23/backyard-baseball-computer-game-history|access-date=2020-11-12|website=[[WBUR]]|date=23 June 2017 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=The 25 Best Virtual Athletes In Video Games|url=https://www.complex.com/pop-culture/2013/03/the-25-best-virtual-athletes-in-video-games/|access-date=2020-11-12|website=[[Complex (magazine)|Complex]]|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Carson|first=Dan|title=The 15 Most Unfair and Terrifying Video Game Athletes to Play Against|url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/1990299-most-terrifying-video-game-athletes-to-play-against|access-date=2020-11-12|website=[[Bleacher Report]]|language=en}}</ref>

The game has also been noted for its diversity (gender, race, disability, etc.) of characters, both in ratio of white to non-white and male to female, as well as skill level and the distribution of the best characters.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Delayo |first1=Mike |title=The Inclusive Legacy of Backyard Baseball |url=https://tht.fangraphs.com/the-inclusive-legacy-of-backyard-baseball/ |website=Fangraphs|date=10 May 2019}}</ref>

===Players===
In ''Backyard Baseball 2001'', in addition to the 30 fictional kids, each team was represented by at least one MLB pro player,{{efn|The [[Cincinnati Reds]] were represented by two players: [[Barry Larkin]] and [[Ken Griffey Jr]].}} many of which were all-stars during the [[1999 Major League Baseball All Star Game|1999]] [[Major League Baseball All Star Game]]. Eventual Hall of Fame players featured include [[Barry Larkin]], [[Vladimir Guerrero]], [[Jeff Bagwell]], [[Larry Walker]], [[Chipper Jones]], [[Derek Jeter]], [[Mike Piazza]], [[Tony Gwynn]], [[Ken Griffey Jr.]], [[Cal Ripken Jr.]], [[Ivan Rodriguez]], and [[Randy Johnson]], who are all playable characters to choose from.

Other professional players from the later games included [[Chipper Jones]], [[Frank Thomas]], [[Alex Rodriguez]], [[Alfonso Soriano]], [[Ichiro Suzuki]], [[Sammy Sosa]], [[Jim Thome]], [[Albert Pujols]], [[Nomar Garciaparra]], [[Ken Griffey Jr.]], and [[Barry Bonds]].

Several of these players would be featured in multiple releases including [[Nomar Garciaparra]], Derek Jeter, and [[Alex Rodriguez]].

==Installments==
{{Timeline of release years
| 1997 = ''[[Backyard Baseball (video game)|Backyard Baseball]]''
| 2000 = ''[[Backyard Baseball 2001]]''
| 2002a = ''Backyard Baseball'' {{small|([[Game Boy Advance|GBA]])}}
| 2002b = ''Backyard Baseball 2003''
| 2003 = ''Backyard Baseball'' {{small|([[GameCube|GCN]])}}
| 2004a= ''Backyard Baseball'' {{small|([[PlayStation 2|PS2]])}}
| 2004b = ''Backyard Baseball 2005'' {{small|([[PC game|PC]])}}
| 2005 = ''Backyard Baseball 2006'' {{small|([[Game Boy Advance|GBA]])}}
| 2006 = ''Backyard Sports: Baseball 2007''
| 2008 = ''Backyard Baseball 09''
| 2009 = ''Backyard Baseball 10''
| 2010 = ''Backyard Sports: Sandlot Sluggers''
| 2015 = ''Backyard Sports: Baseball 2015'' {{small|([[Mobile game|Mobile]])}}
| 2016–2023 =
| 2024 = ''[[Backyard Baseball '97]]'' {{small|([[PC game|PC]])}}
| 2025 = ''[[Backyard Baseball '97]]'' {{small|([[Mobile game|Mobile]])}}
| 2025b = ''[[Backyard Baseball '97]]'' {{small|([[Nintendo Switch|NS]])}}
| 2025c = ''[[Backyard Baseball '97]]'' {{small|([[PlayStation 5|PS5]])}}
| 2025d = ''Backyard Baseball '01'' {{small|([[PC game|PC]])}}
| 2025e = ''Backyard Baseball '01'' {{small|([[Mobile game|Mobile]])}}
| compressempty = yes
}}
{|class="wikitable"
!width="150"| Title
!Year
!width="420"| Platforms
!Cover athlete
|-
| ''[[Backyard Baseball (video game)|Backyard Baseball]]'' ||October 10, 1997<ref>{{Cite web |title=Contact: Mike Salvadore, Communications Manager |url=http://www.humongous.com/about/pr/more/news/backyard.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19980525084756fw_/http://www.humongous.com/about/pr/more/news/backyard.html |archive-date=1998-05-25 |access-date=2022-10-04}}</ref>|| rowspan="2" | [[Mac (computer)|Macintosh]], [[Microsoft Windows|Windows]] || Original characters
|-
| ''[[Backyard Baseball 2001]]'' || June 6, 2000<ref>{{Cite web |title=Baseball 2001 Availability |url=http://humongous.com/parents/Pr/More/News/bybb_availability.html |access-date=2024-10-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20001120064100fw_/http://humongous.com/parents/Pr/More/News/bybb_availability.html |archive-date=20 November 2000}}</ref>|| [[Cal Ripken Jr.]]
|-
| ''Backyard Baseball'' || 2002 || [[Game Boy Advance]] || rowspan='2' | [[Mike Piazza]]
|-
| ''Backyard Baseball 2003'' || 2002 || Macintosh, Windows 
|-
| ''Backyard Baseball'' || 2003 || [[GameCube]] || rowspan='4' | [[Alex Rodriguez]]
|-
| ''Backyard Baseball'' || 2004 || [[PlayStation 2]]
|-
| ''Backyard Baseball 2005'' || 2004 || Windows
|-
| ''Backyard Baseball 2006'' || 2005 || Game Boy Advance
|-
| ''Backyard Sports: Baseball 2007'' || 2006 || Game Boy Advance, GameCube, PlayStation 2, Windows || [[Albert Pujols]]
|-
| ''Backyard Baseball 09'' || 2008 || [[Nintendo DS]], [[Wii]], PlayStation 2, Windows || rowspan='2' | [[David Ortiz]]
|-
| ''Backyard Baseball 10 '' || 2009 || Nintendo DS, Wii, PlayStation 2
|-
| ''Backyard Sports: Sandlot Sluggers'' || 2010 || Wii, Nintendo DS, [[Xbox 360]], Windows || rowspan="4" | Original characters
|-
| ''Backyard Sports: Baseball 2015'' || 2015 || [[iOS]], [[Android (operating system)|Android]]
|-
|''Backyard Baseball '97''
|October 10, 2024<ref>{{Cite web |last=Silberling |first=Amanda |date=2024-09-25 |title=Backyard Baseball '97 is back, with a re-release coming soon on Steam |url=https://techcrunch.com/2024/09/25/backyard-baseball-97-is-back-with-a-re-release-coming-soon-on-steam/ |access-date=2024-09-25 |website=TechCrunch |language=en-US}}</ref>
|Windows, iOS, Android, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5
|-
|''Backyard Baseball '01''
|July 8, 2025
|Windows, iOS, Android
|}

==References==
{{reflist}}
==Notes==
{{notelist}}
==External links==
{{Wikiquote}}
* [https://archive.today/20140215194033/http://www.backyardsports.com/sandlot_sluggers/ Official ''Backyard Baseball'' website]

{{Backyard Sports|state=collapsed}}
{{Humongous|state=collapsed}}
[[Category:Android (operating system) games]]
[[Category:Atari games]]
[[Category:Backyard Sports]]
[[Category:Baseball genres]]
[[Category:Baseball video games by series]]
[[Category:Classic Mac OS games]]
[[Category:Humongous Entertainment games]]
[[Category:Infogrames games]]
[[Category:IOS games]]
[[Category:Major League Baseball video games]]
[[Category:Nintendo Switch games]]
[[Category:PlayStation 5 games]]
[[Category:SCUMM games]]
[[Category:ScummVM-supported games]]
[[Category:Video games developed in Canada]]
[[Category:Video games developed in the United States]]
[[Category:Video game franchises]]
[[Category:Video game franchises introduced in 1997]]
[[Category:Windows games]]