Common Sense Media Review
By Jinny Gudmundsen
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
A great baseball simulation for kids.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 7+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Play
Videos and Photos
Backyard Baseball 2005
Parent and Kid Reviews
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.
Talk to Your Kids 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?
Game Details
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
Suggest an Update
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate