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In this Backyard Baseball 97 Review, we take a look at the classic baseball experience brought back by MegaCat Studios. Backyard Baseball 97 brings the original experience to both PC and mobile devices. But how does the classic experience fare over 25 years later? Let's find out as we review Backyard Baseball '97
Backyard Baseball 97 Review – What is Backyard Baseball 97?
Backyard Baseball 97 is a faithful remake of the original 1997 game of the same name, developed by Humongous Entertainment. Mega Cat Studios developed the remake, but has kept everything nearly identical to the original game. Furthermore, MegaCat even brought the game to mobile devices, letting players take their experience to go.
The game is available on Steam and Mobile devices (iOS and Android)
Backyard Baseball features 30 characters, but these aren't the same pros you see in MLB The Show. Instead, Backyard Baseball's roster consists of child baseball players that all come with their own strengths and weaknesses. Some players are great fielders, while others specialize in pitching. But you also have a player like Pablo Sanchez who can do anything.
Player skill is determined by their ratings across four different categories:
- Batting
- Running
- Pitching
- Fielding
Each player has a rating in each of these categories. For example, Angela Delvecchio is a great Pitcher with a 4/4 rating, but her fielding and running (1/4) are not great. However, these ratings only influence a character so much. Don't think Angela can't get on base, or she can also bunt to make a play.
Each kid has their own background, too, giving you more info about them. It all adds to the charm that made the series so popular. After 27 years since the original release, people still love Backyard Baseball. But is the remake any good?
Gameplay – Backyard Baseball 97 Review
The Backyard Baseball 97 experience is the same on both PC and mobile devices. However, the main difference here is the controls. On PC, the controls work exactly like they used to, so seasoned vets of the game need not worry. But on mobile, it works a bit differently.
Batting works pretty well on the mobile version. Just like the PC version, you tap to swing and hopefully send the ball flying. Overall, batting feels great on mobile, and on PC it feels just like it used to. The same also applies to fielding, which also feels exactly like it did in the original product.
Pitching, on the other hand, can be difficult on mobile at times. On something like an iPad, you'll see the strike zone and pitch region much easier when aiming your pitch. But if you're on iPhone, it may be hard to aim that perfect pitch. Sometimes my pitch does not go where I intend it to, or my finger might slide across the screen by accident. Overall, it just doesn't feel as precise as it does on PC.
But that being said, it does genuinely work for the most part. If you own both an iPhone or iPad, I definitely recommend the latter. And if you're on PC, you won't need to worry about any of this, as pitching works exactly like it used to.
27 years after the original release, the simplicity of Backyard Baseball still feels fun. It does not feel simplistic, nor does it feel complicated. When batting, you have multiple strategies at hand to help you get on base. Whether you want to change the direction of your hit, bunt, or aim for a line drive, there's a variety of moves at your disposal to hit the ball.
While your player stats determine how effective you are, it's fun to see players thrive in areas they typically struggle in. Kenny Kawaguchi might not be the best batter, but that makes it all the more fun when you see someone like him make a play. Over the season, you slowly find yourself obsessing over how great these kids are at baseball.
Pitching offers the same level of challenge and excitement. Each pitcher has a juice meter, which acts as their stamina. Normal pitches drain less stamina, but don't do anything particularly special. But you can use special pitches like Slowballs or Heaters at the cost of more juice to catch batters off-guard. Although simple, it feels fun and each at bat feels unique enough to keep the experience fresh.
In terms of content, Backyard Baseball 97 features three main modes, all accessible from the Club House.
Firstly, you can play random pick-up with the AI to just jump right in. If you just want to play the game without any team planning, this is a great way to jump in and learn the mechanics. However, we recommend Single Game. Essentially, it works the same, but you'll be able to select your players. This provides a much better way to learn the game, once you know your favorite lineup.
Lastly, and most importantly, Season Mode acts as the game's Franchise mode. Here, you create a team, picking players from the available cast of characters. Although Backyard Baseball is a simple game, it's actually fun and challenging when deciding who you want. Sure, Pablo Sanchez and Pete Wheeler feel like no-brainers. But when you're looking for those last 1-2 players, things get pretty interesting.
Each season consists of fourteen games before the playoffs. And the playoffs consist of three different stages:
- BBL Playoffs (Best of 3)
- Super Entire Nation Tournament (Best of 3)
- Ultra Grand Champion of the Universe (Best of 5)
The best part about Seasons is how quickly it moves. A 14 game season feels much less intimidating than the 162 games needed in a MLB The Show Franchise. And sure, you could sim those games in The Show, but then you miss out on opportunities to break records, and actually play the game.
Essentially, you can finish a season in 21 games if you're good enough, but a season's max will only be 25 games. Overall, Seasons alone makes Backyard Baseball 97 more than worth it. The season length and great gameplay of Backyard Baseball 97 makes it an addicting experience, just like the original.
The latter one feels like a hard-hitter. Single Game lets you choose from seven different maps to play on, and it would be nice to see these maps in Season mode. Playing on the same field can get kind of boring to the eyes, and it would be cool to see some of those other maps in Season. Even an option toggle which maps are allowed would be appreciated.
The cool thing about these maps is that they all provide their own unique challenges. Depending on the field material and the stadium size, you may need to change up your strategy. Again, an option to toggle which maps you want would at least give the player control over which maps are used in League Play.
I'm no developer, so I don't know how much MegaCat could even change from the original product. But there does seem to be a missed opportunity to just make slight tweaks and improvements to the game. Fortunately for them, there's very little wrong with the original experience, which I still love to this day.
But beyond those issues, Backyard Baseball feels like a perfect recreation of the original. And whether you play on PC or mobile, you're sure to have lots of fun.
Audio & Visual – Backyard Baseball 97 Review
Backyard Baseball '97 retains the same classic look as the original. You'll still hear the classic sounds of each player, as well as the game's commentators. Everything is just the way you remembered it in terms of sights and sounds. Overall, there's not much else to say, other than we appreciate MegaCat not really changing or removing anything.
What I love about Backyard Baseball's visuals is it's colors and art-style. Everything just pops out, from the colors to the logos to the players. Furthermore, the character design in the early entries of the series were just full of soul and charm. I love Achmed Khan's overly-large headphones, and Tony Delvecchio's “tough-guy” look.
We encourage players to dry out all the different characters and fields, all of which made Backyard Baseball so memorable after all this time. The sights and sounds from this classic are still great today.
Furthermore, I love the game's commentators, Vinnie the Gooch and Sunny Day. Some players might not like all the dialogue between the players and commentators. Thankfully, the game options menu allows you to cut out any audio you do not want to hear. This is pretty convenient for players who know what they want to hear.
Verdict: Is Backyard Baseball 97 Worth Your Time & Money?
Whether you're playing on a computer or on the go with your phone, Backyard Baseball 97 is a faithful port that brings the charm and beauty of the first game to modern devices. It doesn't need to add any new content to be fun, and I'm glad that MegaCat didn't make any major changes to the gameplay. Furthermore, the controls translated beautifully (for the most part) onto mobile platforms.
However, the remake isn't without some minor faults. The pitching on mobile could be slightly better. And I feel MegaCat could've maybe incorporated some slight tweaks to improve the experience. But this remake also provides players a legal way to play this game on modern devices. So in that sense, I'm grateful to see the game make a comeback.
Additionally, the game is only $4.99 on mobile, and $9.99 on Steam. And with the official MLB season now underway, who knows if there'll be any special sales. Regardless, the experience and fun to be had here is more than worth your time and money.
Long live Pablo Sanchez!
Score: 9.5/10
That wraps up our Backyard Baseball 97 Review. For more gaming news, visit ClutchPoints. Furthermore, subscribe to our gaming newsletter for more weekly info.
