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Backyard Baseball '97
Rediscover the joy of the original Backyard Baseball 1997, now updated for modern systems! Build your roster from among the iconic Backyard Kids, aim for those home runs, and various game modes. Relive the magic of this classic baseball game!
What players say
Steam review score and the most-helpful voices, which may include critical ones. Score via Steam as of 2026-09-04 · quoted reviews as of 2026-05-13.
What reviewers agree on
61 of the 82 reviews raise this.
“a fun game from my childhood that im so happy is back. highly recommend for anyone but especially for anyone wanting a good first game for their kids”
“Really addicting gamplay loop and infintely replayable, could probably play well on a toaster.”
“Used to play this in 4rd grade, 30 years later Petey Pablo still OP RIP Mr. Bloom”
3 of the 82 reviews raise this.
“Backyard Baseall '97 is pure nostalgic fun, The game keeps everything that made the original special, simple controls, charming characters, and the classic backyard atmosphere. It's easy to pick up, but still…”
“very cool style of game fav character PABLO SANCHEZ!!!!!”
3 of the 82 reviews raise this.
“Really addicting gamplay loop and infintely replayable, could probably play well on a toaster.”
“Backyard Baseall '97 is pure nostalgic fun, The game keeps everything that made the original special, simple controls, charming characters, and the classic backyard atmosphere. It's easy to pick up, but still…”
“The moment I learned what a strikezone was, it was over for me. I was hooked. A delightful little game that's charming for casual sports fans and has a lot of depth in its mechanics. The moment you finish a game, you…”
6 of the 82 reviews raise this · 5 of them still recommend the game.
“Oh, the nostalgia! 25 years after first playing this game, I have finally played a full season. I definitely recommend playing the 6-inning version, unless you just want to spend so much time playing this game. The…”
“After attempting to play this when I first bought the game, and giving up immediately because I didn't know what I was doing, and trying again a year later because I've become horribly addicted to watching the Reds and…”
“This game is SO FRUSTRATING. (It's also very fun, and I will be continuing to play it). If you enjoy getting angry, buy this game. You will be very mad at yourself, at the computer, and the kids. It's a game full of…”
3 of the 82 reviews raise this · 2 of them still recommend the game.
“a truly classic childhood experience. still one of the best baseball games even though it’s fairly simple”
“Great game overshadowed by Backyard Baseball '01. Before '01 was released and this was the only game available on steam, perfect fun little game to play. Now that '01 is out? Money is better spent on the improved…”
“I was up 8-1 against the medium difficulty computer and lost 13-8 because the games just made my fielders trash and then they got powerups because when the batter gets power ups from the pitcher throwing their power up…”
Counted across 82 English reviews, sampled to match this game's 97.2% positive rating · as of 2026-05-13
“I am a batter. I am not a broken ladder.”
— a player, Steam review · 14 hrs played“This game, despite it being a game from almost 30 years ago, still holds up. This game actually looks like it was made way more recently, and with 30 of the iconic kids, there's always one you can just pick as your favorite. and with the new game coming out in July, this game is…”
— a player, Steam review · 20 hrs played“I had gotten a free version of this game as a CD that was in my Cereal box from 1997. I loved it then and I love it now, and I am aware of the New Backyard Baseball that is being remade. I'm stoked and I still play this Gem as well. This is by far the best of all the Backyard…”
— a player, Steam review · 2 hrs playedPlayer activity
Monthly average concurrent players. Live data self-collected from the Steam API · history through 2026-06 via SteamCharts.
Achievement stats
Global completion rates across all Steam players — a data view of how far people actually get. Source: Steam official stats · as of 2026-09-05.
Price tracking
US-region pricing (USD), sampled twice daily by our own tracker since 2026-07-11. Steam prices vary by region — always confirm your local price on Steam.
Regional prices at last sample, in local currency — Steam sets each region's price independently.
Cheapest → most expensive, converted to USD at ECB reference rates (2026-09-04). Relative comparison only.
Latest official news
Developer announcements via the Steam news API — links go to the original posts. More across all games on the news hub.
The New Backyard Baseball Launches TODAY!
Today we are ready to play like kids -- Backyard Kids! The New Backyard Baseball officially launches today for Steam, and we are so excited for you to play. With enhanced game mechanics, an expansive
JUST LAUNCHED: Backyard Baseball Demo
The new Backyard Baseball doesn't officially drop until July 9th, but you won't have to wait until then to experience the action. Today we're launching a free-to-play demo and we think you're going to
Backyard Baseball '97 Steam Spring Sale
Summer is just a few months away! Enjoy a discount on Backyard Baseball '97 during the Spring Sale and get ready to play the new Backyard Baseball -- coming out July 9th. Click here and add it to your
Welcome to the Brand-New Backyard Baseball!
BACKYARD BASEBALL IS BACK! We are thrilled to announce that the all-new Backyard Baseball game will arrive this summer, launching July 9th across platforms. Steam players (both PC & Mac) will be able
Watch Backyard Baseball at IGN Fan Fest!
Hello Backyard Baseball fans! Please mark your calendars for Day 2 of IGN Fan Fest on 2/26/26. We're excited to be sharing an update on the new Backyard Baseball game that we think you'll really enjoy
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Screenshots
Official Steam store screenshots — click any shot to enlarge.
Facts & details
From the Steam store record, snapshot 2026-05-13.
| Genres | Casual, Sports |
| Player tags | Sports · Casual · Baseball · Cute · Arcade · Pixel Graphics · 1990's · Cartoon · Retro · Simulation · Colorful · Comedy (SteamSpy community voting) |
| Features | Single-player · Steam Achievements · Partial Controller Support · Steam Cloud · Family Sharing |
| Languages | English * * |
| Achievements | 25 |
| Official site | https://backyardsports.com/ |
Minimum system requirements (PC)
Minimum: OS: Windows 10 32bit Processor: 2.0+ Ghz Memory: 512 MB RAM Graphics: AMD Radeon HD 5670 1GB DDR3 Sapphire Storage: 200 MB available space