Backyard Baseball is a
baseball sports video game designed for and aimed at children. There are three main modes: Pick-Up Game, League Play and Batting Practice. A spectator mode exists which pits two randomly chosen computer-controlled teams together. The player can also view their trophies won, their records and view
baseball cards of the characters. Before playing a pick-up game or starting a season, the user can change the set difficulty, toggle
tee-ball (in Pick-Up Play only), switch from 6- or 9-
inning games, and toggle
errors. In both modes, a player can create their own team by customizing their team's name and color and drafting 9 players from a pool of thirty characters. During the game, there are many
powerups that can be used either by a pitcher, which can be achieved by recording a strikeout, and by the batter, which can be achieved by getting a
hit on a power-up pitch when playing offense. In the pick-up play mode, the player can choose a field from seven different fields of varying size and field material: for example, the field Tin Can Alley makes it unique, due to its hard surfacing and difficulty to score a usual home run. After creating their own team, the player takes turns drafting their players against a computer. In league play, the player is restricted to Parks Department Field No. 2. In league play, the player signs a coach in the Backyard Baseball League. The player guides their chosen team through a 14-game season against 7 other league teams. At the end of the season, once the team wins enough games to place first or second in their league, their team plays against the other qualified team to win the league pennant in the best-of-3 All-City BBL Playoffs. Once the team wins the pennant, the team is invited to play in the postseason tournament, starting with the best-of-3 Super Entire Nation Tournament, and then the Ultra Grand Championship of the Universe (analogous to the real-life
World Series). The game has been notable for its wide range of diversity within its cast. ==Development==