 | 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 Football '10
- Nintendo Wii, Xbox 360, PlayStation 2
- Price: $19.99–$39.99
- Genre: Sports
Common Sense Media says
Even the youngest armchair quarterback can tackle this game.
Parents say
Kids say
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that this cartoony, kid-friendly sports sim caters nicely to younger gamers. It never gets overly technical and focuses on the fun of the sport. There's a lot going on within the game to sell the NFL, though -- more so than in previous incarnations of Backyard Football. Still, this is a game kids play for the love of football, not for lots of bells and whistles -- because there aren't many. It's simple, but in a very good way.
What's it about?
BACKYARD FOOTBALL '10 is the latest in a series of sports games that allow kids to play sports with other kids. Youthful versions of many real-life NFL players are also in the game. Settings, like the characters, are cartoony and unrealistic, including a construction yard, a snowy mountainside, and a desert complete with UFOs abducting cows in the background. Playing well gives kids power moves, like a flipping over tacklers, growing bull horns to charge through a defensive line, or turning briefly into a mini-twister. Kids can play a single game or a 16-game season. Two-player cooperative mode also allows up to four kids to challenge each other, two on two.
Is it any good?
Backyard Football '10 is as fun as it is easy to pick up. Older kids who relish the realism of the Madden football games will likely find this one too childish. But younger gamers will be easily wooed by its bright colors, simple control scheme, and silly humor (the endearingly dimwitted commentator will elicit plenty of laughs from the SpongeBob set). The new ability to play cooperatively is a very welcome addition to the series. Kids playing football sims have longed to pass the ball to one another -- finally the have the chance.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about good sportsmanship. Is showboating and dancing in the end zone something real football leagues allow? Why is it frowned upon by most school sports teams?
Parents can also ask their kids about the special "power moves" in the game. Are they cheating? Gluing the ball to the quarterbacks hand would never be allowed in real football, so why is it included here? Can rules be bent for fun sometimes?
Kids can create custom avatars in this game. Parents can ask children why they created avatars that look the way they do.
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| Topics: | sports and martial arts |
| Platforms: | Nintendo Wii, Xbox 360, PlayStation 2 |
| Available online? | Not available online |
| Genre: | Sports |
| Developer: | Atari |
| Release date: | October 20, 2009 |
| Price: | $19.99–$39.99 |
| ESRB rating: | E for (No descriptors) |
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