Backyard Sports
Series Logo
Genre(s)Sports
Developer(s)Humongous Entertainment
Publisher(s)
Platform(s)Microsoft Windows, Macintosh, Xbox 360, PlayStation 2, Android, Game Boy
First releaseBackyard Baseball
1997
Latest releaseBackyard Sports: Baseball 2015 and Backyard Sports: Basketball 2015
2015

Backyard Sports (originally branded as Junior Sports)[1][2] is a video game series released for consoles, computers and mobile devices. The series is best known for starring kid-sized versions of popular professional sports stars, such as Albert Pujols, Paul Pierce, Barry Bonds, Tim Duncan, Clint Mathis, Kevin Garnett, Tom Brady, David Ortiz, Joe Thornton and Andy Macdonald. The Backyard Sports series is licensed by the major professional U.S. sports leagues: Major League Baseball (MLB), the National Basketball Association (NBA), the National Football League (NFL), the National Hockey League (NHL), and Major League Soccer (MLS).

The series includes Backyard Baseball, Backyard Basketball, Backyard Football (American football), Backyard Soccer (association football), Backyard Hockey (ice hockey), and Backyard Skateboarding. In the games, players form a team consisting of Backyard Kids and pro players, which they take through a "Backyard League" season, attempting to become the champions. Gamers can "Create-A-Player", starting in Backyard Football (1999). Another aspect of the games is the use of Power-Ups, allowing players to gain "Super-abilities". For instance, "Super Dunk" allows a basketball player to make a dunk from nearly anywhere on the court, "Leap Frog" allows a football player to jump over the entire defensive line, and "Ice Cream Truck" causes the other team to be distracted for a brief period.

Some of these games are playable with ScummVM.[3]

History

The series began in late 1997 when Humongous Entertainment, owned by GT Interactive, created the first game in the franchise: Backyard Baseball.[4] Later, GT Interactive was purchased by Infogrames.[5] Infogrames allowed Humongous Entertainment to expand the series, and Humongous developed more titles such as Backyard Soccer, Backyard Football, Backyard Basketball, Backyard Hockey, and Backyard Skateboarding. Following the buyout by Infogrames, these titles from the Backyard series were released for game consoles, including the GameCube, Game Boy Advance, PlayStation 2, Xbox 360, and Wii. Infogrames in North America eventually changed its name to Atari Interactive.

In July 2013, private equity firm The Evergreen Group bought the Backyard Sports franchise during the Atari bankruptcy proceedings for its portfolio company Epic Gear LLC.[6] It was later sold by Epic Gear to Day6 Sports Group.

In December 2014, Day6 Sports Group began to relaunch the Backyard Sports series with Backyard Sports NBA Basketball for smartphones and tablets, with Golden State Warriors point guard Stephen Curry as the cover athlete.

In 2016, Day6 Sports Group was acquired by a European investment group.[7]

In April 2019, Humongous Entertainment tweeted an image of the original Junior Sports logo, hinting at a possible re-release of the original games and/or the developer having re-secured the rights to the series proper.[8][1][2] However a week prior, Humongous replied to a Twitter post saying they didn't own the rights to the franchise.

Games in the series

Title Released Sport Developer Publisher Platforms
Backyard BaseballOctober 10, 1997BaseballHumongous EntertainmentHumongous EntertainmentMacintosh, Microsoft Windows
Backyard Soccer
(Backyard Football in UK)		September 24, 1998
1999 (UK)		Association footballHumongous EntertainmentHumongous EntertainmentMacintosh, Microsoft Windows
Backyard FootballOctober 28, 1999American footballHumongous EntertainmentHumongous EntertainmentMacintosh, Microsoft Windows
Backyard Baseball 2001June 6, 2000BaseballHumongous EntertainmentHumongous EntertainmentMacintosh, Microsoft Windows
Backyard Soccer: MLS EditionOctober 3, 2000Association footballHumongous EntertainmentInfogramesMicrosoft Windows
Backyard Football 2002September 19, 2001American footballHumongous EntertainmentInfogramesMicrosoft Windows
Backyard Soccer
(Junior Sports Football for PAL)		September 28, 2001 (US)
November 3, 2001 (PAL)		Association footballRunecraftInfogramesPlayStation
Backyard BasketballOctober 30, 2001BasketballHumongous EntertainmentInfogramesMacintosh, Microsoft Windows
Backyard BaseballMay 30, 2002BaseballGame BrainsInfogramesGame Boy Advance
Backyard Baseball 2003June 7, 2002BaseballHumongous EntertainmentInfogramesMacintosh, Microsoft Windows
Backyard FootballSeptember 25, 2002American footballTorus GamesInfogramesGame Boy Advance
Backyard FootballOctober 10, 2002American footballLeft Field Productions / Humongous EntertainmentInfogramesGameCube
Backyard HockeyOctober 18, 2002Ice hockeyHumongous EntertainmentInfogramesMicrosoft Windows
Backyard Soccer 2004March 18, 2003Association footballHumongous EntertainmentInfogramesMicrosoft Windows
Backyard BaseballMarch 31, 2003BaseballHumongous EntertainmentInfogramesGameCube
Backyard Football 2004September 4, 2003American footballHumongous EntertainmentAtariMicrosoft Windows
Backyard Basketball 2004September 4, 2003BasketballHumongous EntertainmentAtariMicrosoft Windows
Backyard HockeyOctober 9, 2003Ice hockeyMistic SoftwareAtariGame Boy Advance
Backyard NBA Basketball
(Junior Sports Basketball for PAL)		September 4, 2003 (US)
November 19, 2004 (PAL)		BasketballHumongous EntertainmentAtariPlayStation 2
Backyard BaseballMarch 23, 2004BaseballHumongous EntertainmentAtariPlayStation 2
Backyard Baseball 2005June 22, 2004BaseballHumongous EntertainmentAtariMicrosoft Windows
Backyard Hockey 2005September 21, 2004Ice hockeyHumongous EntertainmentAtariMicrosoft Windows
Backyard BasketballSeptember 22, 2004BasketballMistic SoftwareAtariGame Boy Advance
Backyard SkateboardingSeptember 27, 2004SkateboardingHumongous EntertainmentAtariMicrosoft Windows
Backyard Baseball 2006March 16, 2005BaseballGame BrainsAtariGame Boy Advance
Backyard Football 2006September 20, 2005 (Windows)
October 4, 2005 (PlayStation 2)		American footballHumongous EntertainmentAtariMicrosoft Windows, PlayStation 2
Backyard SkateboardingOctober 4, 2005SkateboardingFull FatAtariGame Boy Advance
Backyard Skateboarding: Game of the Year EditionOctober 4, 2005SkateboardingHumongous EntertainmentAtariMicrosoft Windows
Backyard Football 2006October 18, 2005American footballTorus GamesAtariGame Boy Advance
Backyard Sports: Baseball 2007June 12, 2006BaseballGame BrainsAtariGame Boy Advance
Backyard Sports: Baseball 2007September 5, 2006 (PlayStation 2)
September 11, 2006 (Windows)
April 3, 2007 (GameCube)		BaseballGame BrainsAtariMicrosoft Windows, PlayStation 2, GameCube
Backyard Sports: Football 2007September 26, 2006American footballTorus GamesAtariGame Boy Advance
Backyard Sports: Basketball 2007November 14, 2006BasketballMistic SoftwareAtariGame Boy Advance
Backyard Sports: Basketball 2007February 13, 2007 (PlayStation 2)
February 20, 2007 (Windows)		BasketballGame BrainsAtariMicrosoft Windows, PlayStation 2
Backyard BasketballSeptember 25, 2007BasketballMistic SoftwareAtariNintendo DS
Backyard HockeyOctober 9, 2007Ice hockeyMistic SoftwareAtariNintendo DS
Backyard Football 08
Backyard Football (Wii)		October 16, 2007 (PlayStation 2 and Wii)
October 23, 2007 (Windows)		American footballFarSight StudiosAtariMicrosoft Windows, PlayStation 2, Wii
Backyard FootballOctober 23, 2007American footballTorus GamesAtariNintendo DS
Backyard Baseball 09March 25, 2008 (Windows)
June 10, 2008 (PlayStation 2, Wii)		BaseballFarSight StudiosAtariMicrosoft Windows, PlayStation 2, Wii
Backyard Baseball 09March 25, 2008BaseballMistic SoftwareAtariNintendo DS
Backyard Football 09October 21, 2008 (PlayStation 2, Wii)
October 29, 2008 (Windows)		American footballFarSight StudiosAtariMicrosoft Windows, PlayStation 2, Wii
Backyard FootballOctober 21, 2008American footballTorus GamesAtariNintendo DS
Backyard Baseball 10March 27, 2009 (Wii)
April 28, 2009 (PlayStation 2)		BaseballFarSight StudiosAtariWii, PlayStation 2
Backyard Baseball 102009BaseballMistic SoftwareAtariNintendo DS
Backyard Football 10October 20, 2009American footballFarSight StudiosAtariWii, PlayStation 2
Backyard Sports: Sandlot SluggersMay 25, 2010BaseballHB StudiosAtariMicrosoft Windows, Wii, Xbox 360
Backyard Sports: Sandlot SluggersMay 25, 2010BaseballPowerhead GamesAtariNintendo DS
Backyard Sports: Rookie RushOctober 20, 2010American footballHB StudiosAtariWii, Xbox 360
Backyard Sports: Rookie RushOctober 20, 2010American footballPowerhead GamesAtariNintendo DS
Backyard Sports: Baseball 2015February 6, 2015BaseballDay 6 Sports GroupFingerprint NetworkiOS, Android
Backyard Sports: Basketball 2015February 6, 2015BasketballDay 6 Sports GroupFingerprint NetworkiOS, Android

Film

In 2016, Cross Creek Pictures and Crystal City Entertainment were reportedly in development of a film based on Backyard Sports with producers Brian Oliver and Ari Daniel Pinchot.[9]

References

  1. 1 2 Schmidt, Eugene (April 24, 2019). "Humongous Entertainment coming to consoles". Barrelrolled. Retrieved May 17, 2019.
  2. 1 2 Frech, Ricky (April 24, 2019). "Humongous Entertainment is Bringing Their Collection of 90s Classics to Consoles". DualShockers. Retrieved May 17, 2019.
  3. ↑ "Games Database". Gamesdatabase.org. Retrieved 9 December 2021.
  4. ↑ "COMPANY NEWS;GT INTERACTIVE ACQUIRES HUMONGOUS ENTERTAINMENT (Published 1996)". The New York Times. 1996-07-11. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2020-12-31.
  5. ↑ "History of Infogrames Entertainment S.A." Fundinguniverse.com. Retrieved 2020-12-31.
  6. ↑ "The Evergreen Group Has Agreed to Acquire Backyard Sports Video Game Franchise". Businesswire.com. 24 July 2013.
  7. ↑ Kram, Zach (2017-10-10). "How 'Backyard Baseball' Became a Cult Classic". The Ringer. Retrieved 2020-12-31.
  8. ↑ Humongous [@HumongousEnt] (April 19, 2019). "[Image-only tweet; image shows a red exclamation point on a transparent background overlaid with the words "It's Junior Sports" in blue.]" (Tweet). Retrieved May 17, 2019 – via Twitter.
  9. ↑ Fleming, Mike Jr. (March 30, 2016). "'Backyard Sports' Video Game In Movie Deal With Cross Creek & Crystal City". Deadline.
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