Backyard Baseball

The original 2D Backyard Baseball on the PC is actually split up into three different games. The first one, released in 1997, is the one everybody knows and loves. The selection of characters are all original. The second game, Backyard Baseball 2001, uses the same graphics as the first. However, it also includes bug fixes, custom character creation, an updated baseball animation, and a selection of real life players to choose from. The third game, Backyard Baseball 2003, is almost identical to the second one. The big difference is the graphical upgrade to a higher resolution. Because of this, you'd expect the third game to be the best version of the three. Except there's one problem: Every voice and sound in the third game was re-recorded, and I don't like it! It sounds like a cheap knockoff of itself, leading me to prefer the 2nd game over the first and third ones. However, from a gameplay perspective, all three are essentially the same, so it doesn't entirely matter which version you pick up for yourself. I'd recommend the 2001 version.

As far as sports games go, they don't get much more simple than the original Backyard Baseball. One team throws the ball, the other team hits it with a bat. The magic lies in its mouse controls. The player can easily pick which area they want to swing the bat at, or where they want to throw the ball, making this far more accessible than its console counterparts. The only trouble comes out on the outfield, where the player must use quick reactions to try and select which character runs to which base, or which outfielder runs to catch the ball. This outfield control will continue to be a bit of an annoyance throughout the entire baseball season, as the player will always have to deal with accidentally sending the wrong character running in the wrong direction.

Aside from that control gripe, everything else works as intended. All characters are memorable, including their quips, their looks, as well as their batting style and stats. Everybody knows Pablo Sanchez as the home run king, though I'm sure those who have played this remember how good Pete Wheeler is as a runner. If you want, you can stack your team with all the best hitters and completely steamroll the competition. I've also had fun by purposely choosing weaker players and trying to get them to work as a team by strategizing their batting order and field placement. Another way to up the difficulty is by turning off all the assists. I wouldn't recommend trying to wrangle this without a pitch indicator, but the option is there!

Even with the best teams, getting perfect plays will prove to be challenging. Everyone makes mistakes. which will become very apparent by the amount of errors your characters will make on the field. Expect many dropped baseballs. The same applies to the batting itself. Some characters, like Pablo, can hit homers somewhat consistently. Trying to get a single play out of Kimmy, on the other hand, will require some strategy. Thankfully, Backyard Baseball allows room for some unique tactics. If you have a runner who is too slow, you can put a quick runner ahead of them in the batting order. The faster runner can run back and forth between bases, keeping the outfield busy while your slow runner crawls to first base. Otherwise, the player can also make use of power-ups to give weaker players an extra boost. These crazy swings are difficult to obtain (especially in the first game), but once you have them, they turn any character into a home run machine. Crazy pitches are far easier to obtain (you only need to strike out someone while pitching), though the player has to be careful not to accidentally drain all of the pitcher's energy when using them.

Doing a full playthrough of the League mode takes a surprisingly long time for a kid's game. In order to win the whole championship, the player has to get through around 20 games, which could last dozens of hours depending on whether the player decides to go with 6 inning games or 9 inning games. Even if you're rushing through it, that's a lot of cartoon baseball to digest!

The player gets a few customizable options, including choosing a team name and team colors, as well as the option to make their own character (in the 2001/2003 versions). The options are limited, though the customizable character stats let the player do some silly things such as giving someone absurd running speed with horrible batting power. Even if you only want to stick with the basics of the game and mess around with free play, this game will be a fun experience. Now if only it had local multiplayer!