The arcade sports-loving world, including many of our readers, were ecstatic to learn that the beloved Backyard Sports games are coming back. Playground Productions and Mega Cat Studios are proud to announce that Backyard Baseball 01 will return to hit some grand slams July 8.
They were able to get 28 of the game's original 31 players, including Sammy Sosa, Derek Jeter, and Alex Rodriguez, to appear in this latest version. It will also feature real MLB trademarks, team logos, and likenesses.
“We’re honored to partner with MLB to bring this iconic game to modern gaming devices for the first time,” Playground Productions CEO Lindsay Barnett said. "Backyard Baseball ’01 was a game-changer in many ways—introducing some of the sport’s biggest legends into the Backyard universe. We can’t wait for fans to relive the joy of building their dream team with both our beloved original characters and baseball’s greatest pros from that unforgettable era.”
This effort will include 30 backyard kids, professional baseball legends, nine pitching powerups and four batting powerups. And yes, the kid, the myth, the legend, the playground GOAT himself, Pablo Sanchez will return.
There will be three settings: easy, medium, and hard. Modes include Single Game, in which you and the computer take turns picking your players just like the schoolyard, Random Pick-Up in which the computer picks its team and yours, and Season, in which you manage your team through a 14-game season to the championship.
If you keep winning, you'll advance to the Super Entire Nation Tournament and the Ultra Grand Champion of the Universe Series!