Backyard Baseball 01 Review – Welcome to The Big League

In this Backyard Baseball 01 Review, we take a look at Playground Production and Mega Cat Studios’ revival of another classic Backyard Sports games. Growing up, Backyard Baseball 2001 was my favorite in the entire series. It offers the ability to play as real MLB athletes, use real MLB teams, and brings tons of gameplay and quality of life improvements. With that said, how does it all feel roughly a quarter-century later?

Backyard Baseball 01 Review – What is Backyard Baseball 01?

Backyard Baseball 01 is a faithful remake of the original 2001 game (Backyard Baseball 2001), developed by Humongous Entertainment. It’s a baseball video game, and thanks to Playground Productions CEO Lindsay Barnett, we learned that these were also edutainment games, meaning they were also designed to teach kids about the real sport.

Backyard Baseball 2001, as well as many of the classic Backyard Sports titles were a major success, due in large part to its fun roster and exciting gameplay. Mega Cat Studios, the developers behind the reboot, have kept almost everything identical to the original experience. Furthermore, they even brought it on mobile platforms, letting players enjoy the game on the go.

The game features all 30 characters from the original Backyard Baseball game, including the GOAT, Pablo Sanchez. But that’s not all, it also features 28 real MLB players, as well as every MLB team from the 2000 season. Unfortunately, not every MLB player returned (specifically, Ken Griffey Jr., and Barry Bonds). Furthermore, two of the team names have been changed to reflect the current 2025 MLB season:

• Cleveland Guardians (formerly Cleveland Indians)
• Washington Nationals (formerly Montreal Expos)

All players have their own background, as well as stats across four categories:

• Batting
• Running
• Pitching
• Fielding

Some players specialize in some stats, making them perfect for certain positions. For example, Vicky Kawaguchi is a terrible batter, with a 1/10 rating. However, she’s a fantastic runner (9/10) and fielder (10/10), making her a tough defensive presence.

Most players possess balanced stats, encouraging you to create different team competitions across the game’s various modes. But then there’s people like Pablo Sanchez, who can do everything, except maybe pitch.

Backyard Baseball 01 is available on Steam and Mobile devices (iOS and Android).

Gameplay – Backyard Baseball 01 Review

As we mentioned before, Backyard Baseball 01 is a baseball edutainment video game. As the sequel to BYB 97, it offers a very similar gameplay experience, but with a lot of upgrades over the previous title. But if you loved Backyard Baseball 97, or the original game, you’ll feel right at home with ’01.

Overall, the experience on both PC and mobile platforms is mostly the same. The only major difference is how the controls work on mobile. On PC, it works as you’d expect, and is very easy to get used to.

But I was hoping to see better improvements for the mobile version’s controls this time around. I kind of forgave it with Backyard Baseball 97, because it was their first attempt at getting it right on mobile devices. But the controls still feel awkward.

Perhaps its my big hands, but Pitching can feel like a nightmare. Aiming your pitch can be difficult, and for me, it almost never went 100% where I wanted it to. It’s still possible to earn strikeouts, but it can be annoying to watch your opponent hit a home run all because the ball didn’t go where you wanted it to.

Hitting, on the other hand, felt fine on both mobile and PC. It still revolves around tapping where you want to swing. Fielding also feels good, even if I need to tap an extra time to re-adjust where I want my player.

Overall, the game feels great on PC, but “fine” on mobile versions. If you have big hands like me, you might want to consider playing the game on a tablet. Or, you can also purchase the game on PC for $5 more for what I would consider a smoother experience.

On PC, Backyard Baseball 01’s Gameplay feels exactly like it used to. Its fun, quick to pick up and play, and offers a lot of variety.

A lot of my fun with the game comes from the players themselves. I often spend a lot of time just browsing through the game’s roster to see everyone’s background and stats. And with MLB players now in the game, the roster is even bigger and better than ever.

I also love the ability to play as real MLB teams, but the game still lets you create your own, too. Regardless of what you do, I appreciate the level of control you have over your experience. Want Derek Jeter and Pablo Sanchez playing together on the Philadelphia Phillies? Go right ahead!

The other great thing about Backyard Baseball 01 is its simplicity. It’s easy for everyone to pick up and play, making it a great title for both kids and returning fans.  I would actually recommend this game to newcomers to baseball, regardless of their age.

Although the game is simple, that doesn’t mean you can’t use a variety of moves to get on base. Line Drives to Grounders to Bunts, and regular Power Hits, you have a ton of ways to just bat the ball. On the other hand, Pitchers can use a variety of pitch types, all of which drain their juice meter.

So while the game is simple, you’re actually constantly thinking about what to use next. Do you use a special pitch type to strikeout a good batter like Pablo? Or do you save your Juice to keep your best pitcher in the game? The level of strategy is actually quite deep in a game intended for children.

Furthermore, you can sometimes only use special moves after meeting certain criteria. So there’s enough depth to provide a high level of replay ability. With 13 total power-ups (9 pitching, 4 batting) there’s enough variety to keep things fresh.

Backyard Baseball 01 offers the same three modes as the original: Random Pick-Up, Single Game, and Season

Random Pick-up is the easiest way to just jump into the game. The computer chooses a random team for you to start the game ASAP. While it’s fun, I recommend starting with Single Game. You take turns with the computer, picking players to make up your roster. This gives you a good idea of team building.

Lastly, Season is the best mode, as you get to take your created team through a 14-game regular season. Win enough games to make the playoffs and play even more games.

Overall, what I love about Season mode is its length. 14 games is the perfect amount, and it prevents the experience from getting boring. Going to the playoffs doesn’t feel like a slog, making each season feel quick, fresh and fun.

Thankfully, 01 allows you to play on different fields in Season mode. This increases the variety of what you can encounter, making each season feel more different than the last.

Overall, Backyard Baseball 01 offers a much more upgraded experience than 97. It has a bigger roster, real MLB teams, and an improved season mode, thanks to there being more stadiums.

Audio & Visual – Backyard Baseball 01 Review

Backyard Baseball 01 Review looks almost exactly like the original product. However, there are a few obvious differences. For example, the absence of Barry Bonds and Ken Griffey Jr. is obvious. They’re replaced by generic child characters with completely replicated stats. I’m not exactly sure why they couldn’t be in the game, but their absence is felt.

Furthermore, two of the MLB teams have obviously changed since 2000, and the changes have been reflected in the new title. But besides that, Backyard Baseball 01 looks and sounds exactly like the original.

Graphically, the game still looks the same, and that’s a good thing. I love the original look of Backyard Baseball. The colors pop out, the characters, fields, and custom logos all have personality, giving it a very iconic look.

There have been dozens of baseball games launched over the years, but not many succeeded like Backyard Sports did. That’s because of its charming cast of characters and fun, unique design. Humongous found a way to create an edutainment game that was equally fun as it was educating.

And let’s not forget the audio, which just adds to the fun of the game. Sunny Day and Vinnie the Gooch return, providing the same fun commentary they always have. And in between their audio is a lot of other fun sounds that just take me back to my childhood days.

I encourage people to try out the different fields, too. Overall, the game offers eight total fields, which all offer different challenges that will shakeup your play style.

Verdict: Is Backyard Baseball 01 Worth Your Time & Money?

Backyard Baseball 2001 was my favorite game of the series growing up, and its remake offers that same experience. On PC, it’s an absolute blast to play, and feels just like the original.

Of course, if you’re expecting something 100% like the original, you may be somewhat disappointed. If you wanted to play with Ken Griffey Jr., or perhaps wanted to play as the Indians or Expos, you’re out of luck. But for the most part, I’m satisfied with what’s offered here.

The important thing is that Playground Productions and Mega Cat are bringing back a long-lost but not unforgotten series of memorable games. Before Backyard Baseball 01 came to Steam, there wasn’t a legal way to own these games on modern devices.

Thanks to both of these companies, new players now have a way to finally play these games without having to go around loopholes. And for that, I, and a lot of other people are grateful.

However, my only gripes with the game comes from its mobile version. While I don’t think the controls are terrible, I wish they had been improved upon. Nevertheless, I still give credit to Mega Cat for actually bringing these titles back to modern devices.

If you’re on the fence about what version to pick up, I recommend the PC port. I know it won’t be playable on the go, but the controls feel a lot smoother. But regardless of which version you own, you’re sure to have a great time.

Once again, long live Pablo Sanchez!

PC Score: 9.5/10

iOS and Android Score: 8/10

That wraps up our Backyard Baseball 01 Review. Lastly, for more gaming and MLB news, visit ClutchPoints. Lastly, subscribe to our gaming newsletter for more weekly info.