Partake in a single game, homerun derby, or create a team and explore the rigors of season play. If you can get beyond its 'kiddy'? image, believe it or not the game actually provides a decent-playing rendition of our favorite pastime. Everything feels incredibly easy to figure out, and the overall gameplay is welcoming and cheery. If a ball is hit, you direct one of your team members to catch it and throw it at a chosen base. When pitching, you simply choose the type of pitch you want (including fastballs, intentional walks, etc) and click to throw. Pitching and playing outfield is similarly easy. You can also adjust your stance while at bat. When you're at bat, you simply choose the kind of swing you want to take, wait for the pitch, and try to click at the right time. It's your job to carry your team to victory throughout the season, winning the award trophy. In the Team Dugout, you can arrange players on the field, see your schedule, and check match records.

Once you've crafted your team, it's time to take on your opponents in the Backyard Baseball League. For those who don't care, you can also let the game choose for you. Pitching, Batting, Running, and Fielding are all taken into account, so you'll want to pick a good spread of strengths for your team. Each kid has their own stats to check out, ranging in power in four categories. Kids from all walks of life are ready to play humble farmhands, Spanish-speaking sluggers, nervous nerds, and more. You'll have to choose nine, and there's a wide variety of characters to pick from. There are around 30 different neighborhood kids you can draft onto your team.

After that, it's time to draft your team! Once you've signed in as coach, you'll get to create your own team and pick their colors.

The League mode is the main focus of the game, and where you'll find the most customization and gameplay.

From the main menu, you're able to hop into a pick-up game, check out your coach trophies, and join the Backyard Baseball League.

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