 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
Backyard Baseball 2005
Common Sense Media says
A great baseball simulation for kids.
Parents say
QUALITY
Kids say
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that this baseball simulation, which blends competition and whimsy, includes a diverse group of "neighborhood kids."
What's it about?
BACKYARD BASEBALL 2005 can be played on the PC (Backyard Baseball 2005) or PlayStation 2 (Backyard Baseball). It is not your traditional baseball simulation. The players are kids, and some are even kid-versions of baseball stars including Alex Rodriguez, Carlos Delgado, and Sammy Sosa.
The pitching and hitting do not always follow your baseball expectations. While you can choose to deliver traditional pitches, you can also throw wacky ones, including the "Splitball," which sends two curveballs at the batter -- one of which is fake. Fielders will go crazy when batters use the "Pinata Bat" that turns the hit into dozens of bouncing baseballs.
Is it any good?
The players are all kids who are as diverse as the American youths who will control them. When little Vicki Kawaguchi comes up to bat, she pirouettes her way to the plate. Marky Dubois plays with a pet frog in his overalls. Kenny Kawaguchi is in a wheelchair.
New to these editions are 3-D graphics and more challenging gameplay. Hardcore baseball fans might find the game too whimsical, but younger kids and the average sports fan will find Backyard Baseball to be a hoot.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about the players. Do you prefer to play as one of the neighborhood kids, or as a young version of familiar baseball stars? Why? What's the appeal of playing as someone well-known?
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AGE
Lots of fun for young baseball fans
Our son, 9, loves this game, as do our neighbor's boys, ages 5,7, and 10. The graphics are relatively unsophisticated, but the kids don't seem to mind. Until my son's team made it to the World Series (and won it, of course) all other games were forgotten. We limit him to one hour of computer per day, and now that he's got the hang of it, he's able to play an entire game in that time. To us this is a huge plus -- less fuss when time's up. The game reinforces fundamental baseball rules and introduces some strategy.
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AGE
My kids have worn out their disk
This game is the most played game we own--in fact, my kids would rather play this game than watch TV. We started with the first Backyard Baseball and have owned every version released for both the PC and the Playstation 2. All three boys (ages 5,7 & 9) create their own fantasy teams (including creating themselves as players), play seasons, discuss strategy. They play alone and together. This game is worth every penny for playability and good clean fun.
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| Topics: | sports and martial arts |
| Platforms: | Windows |
| Available online? | Not available online |
| Genre: | Sports |
| Developer: | Atari |
| Release date: | August 31, 2004 |
| Price: | $20 |
| ESRB rating: | E |
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