Many late 90’s and early 2000’s kids likely remember the Backyard Sports series. Well guess what, game companies know that nostalgia sells. The original Backyard Baseball and Backyard Soccer were recently released on Steam, and now the original Backyard Football will be joining them.
Backyard Football on Steam
Backyard Football‘s Steam page says that the game will be coming to Steam on September 9, 2025. Originally developed by Humongous Entertainment, the makers of the Putt-Putt and Freddi Fish adventure games, the Backyard Sports series combined a cast of quirky neighborhood kids with accessible sports gameplay and wacky powerups. Backyard Football introduced new features such as kid versions of professional athletes like Steve Young and Barry Sanders, the ability to create your own player, and the ability to select the weather conditions.
Preserving the Classics
Retro gamers know how important it is to preserve classic games, so it’s special when gaming companies actually listen to them. The Steam page’s description includes the following statement:
“At our core, we are fans first – not just of video games, but of the Backyard Sports franchise. Fans have asked for accessible and legal ways to play their original Backyard titles for years, and we are excited to deliver . . . Backyard Football ‘99 runs well, looks better than ever, is stacked with Steam achievements to test your mettle, and creates a new installation for digital preservation within the Backyard Sports catalog that allows the next generation of fans to fall in love with the game.”
Game preservation is important not just for nostalgia, but for video game history. It’s easier for media to get lost to time than you might think, and every time a piece of media goes missing, a piece of history dies with it. Retro video games let people get an honest look at what life was like in times gone by. Of course, they also show people that you don’t need the latest high-tech graphics to have a fun time.
Conclusion
I have fond memories of playing the Backyard Sports games with my two little brothers when we were young. As such, I’ve got Backyard Baseball, Backyard Soccer, and now Backyard Football wishlisted on Steam. When I’ve got a little spare cash (or when they go on sale), I’ll be snatching up all three games and traveling back to those cherished memories.
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