As a longtime fan of baseball games, I was genuinely excited to finally try out and review Backyard Baseball ’97. I’ve heard about it for years and seen a few clips here and there, but I never actually got the chance to play it until recently, when I got lucky with a redeem code from a friend to download this premium game.
I’ve played plenty of licensed baseball titles over the years, but there’s something special about diving into an old-school game like this. It’s got that nostalgic, retro-toons-inspired charm that just hits differently. After spending several hours with it on my iQOO Neo 7 Pro, here’s my review of Backyard Baseball ’97.
Backyard Baseball ’97 offers a fun gameplay to begin with, although on the slower side
Right off the bat, the game hits you with this cinematic intro that sets the tone. It immediately reminded me of those classic ’80s and ’90s cartoons we used to watch on TV, be it the animations, the vibe, and even the music. The game screen isn’t your usual 1920×1080 res, but instead toned down to give a more old-school feel.
After that blast of nostalgia, you jump into the usual UI, which I’ll get into a bit later. For now, let’s talk about the gameplay. It’s not a strict, rule-heavy baseball experience, instead, it keeps things fun and simple. The mechanics are easy to grasp, but there’s a quirky twist to everything that gives the game its personality.
There are a few different modes, too, all accessible from the Pick-up Window alongside the League. You can jump into a Single Game, try out the Batting Practice mode, or even spectate a match. The character roster is pretty decent as well. I haven’t played with all of them yet, but the game mentions there are 30 characters in total.
I do have one complaint, though: the pacing of the game. It tends to move on the slower side. There is a skip button for animations and walk-ins, which helps a little, but honestly, it doesn’t feel like enough. Ball-to-ball, the flow just felt a bit too drawn out, with longer pauses between actions than I would’ve liked.
Easy on the eye colours on the graphics with ‘almost’ no-fuss controls
As I mentioned before, the game’s charm is in its art. Starting from the animations to the gameplay, everything looks artistic. I’m a huge fan of the cartoonish charm that this game brings, and that is an experience I suggest you.
When it comes to controls, the game keeps things mostly simple. You can get the hang of batting, pitching, and fielding pretty quickly. That said, there’s still a decent bit of depth packed in. While batting, you can choose between a Power hit or just go for a simple Bunt. You can also adjust your stance.
And pitching isn’t just about throwing slowballs, you’ve got multiple pitch styles to mess around with. However, I felt batting to be a little tricky, I couldn’t get the swipes right. You can tell me in the comments how this experience was for you.
An additional point to the top-class presentation of matches
The best part of the game for me. When you start a match, the commentary begins, and oh boy, how fun is it? It’s packed with these silly, over-the-top one-liners that match the game’s fun vibe. The music is really good, and that familiar retro-games hum can be heard.
I don’t remember the character exactly, but there was this line, “We want a batter, not a broken ladder“, and it made me laugh so much. Well, on the funny part, I did get three strikes and was out. So yeah, the joke was kind of on me.
You definitely will either love or hate “Swing, Batter!“ and “I’m rooting for the other team“ thrown at you every 10 seconds. The characters are designed in a fun and playful way, they steal your attention, so rarely do you use that skip option. When they walk out to bat, it is pretty funny; they all have different styles.
The goofy UI has charm, but it can test your patience
Okay, this is just my opinion, so if you feel the opposite after playing, that’s fair. But here’s how I felt about the UI. Right from the start, the presentation is pretty creative. You’re welcomed into a treehouse setup, complete with a little ladder and all, and I liked that vibe.
But my issue isn’t with how it looks, it is more about how it works. On the surface, everything seems accessible, but once you start digging a little deeper into the menus, the irritation kicks in. In trying to keep the UI quirky and different, it kind of ends up being confusing. No auto-save feature either, folks.
Even while exiting during my League campaign, I couldn’t navigate back to the home screen, the option is just to exit to the home screen. Not a fan of it either. Apart from that, there is a good amount of depth, the icon ideas are cool, and a nice overall look.
Free of ads and in-app purchases
Yes, easy to guess. The advantages of getting a premium game follows. No ads, no disturbance, no pay-to-win stuff. It’s just you and the game.
Final Verdict
Backyard Baseball ’97 is a fun experience one should try out. Yes, it has its flaws, but in the end, this game proves that simple gameplay can still be the best. With no flashy graphics, no unnecessary DLC, and no in-game purchases, it’s the kind of game that prioritizes what matters: having fun.
It has some issues that I feel shouldn’t be in a game releasing in 2025. Missing out on an auto-save feature is very 1990s, but let’s be honest, we all want that. A toned-up, faster gameplay could work wonders to keep the interest intact, but I don’t see these changes coming up.
Backyard Baseball '97 Review by GamingonPhone
Gameplay Mechanics - 7
Gamemodes - 7
Graphics and Music - 8.5
Controls and UI - 7
Value for Money - 8
7.5
Good
For me, it's that simple gameplay that really shines, an overall vibe that is set up by the stellar presentation, which takes a hit with slow gameplay.
That’s all from us for the Backyard Baseball ’97 Review! Did you find my Backyard Baseball ’97 review helpful? Let me know in the comments below!
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