Backyard Football

• Release Date: 1999
• Genre: Sports
• Style: Football (American)
• Similar Games: Backyard Soccer (Hybrid PC/Mac), Backyard Baseball (Hybrid PC/Mac)

Game Description

Football moves from the arenas and stadiums to the backyard as players assemble a team of seven kids to play either a single game or an entire season of Backyard Football. In addition to regular kids, players can choose several NFL players, represented as kids, to add to their team. The game includes a number of female players with the option to field an entire female team if so desired.

As players win games, they are rewarded with special plays that can be used against the other teams. For instance, one play will knock the opposing team down while another one makes the team's jerseys and helmets into duplicates of the opposing team to confuse the quarterback.

Players can choose not only where they play, but the weather as well: sunny, rainy, or snowy. The games are announced by Sunny Day and Chuck Downfield who report on how the plays were executed and show statistics. Players have an entire playbook and can make their own custom plays as well.

Other features in the game include a choice of all 31 NFL team names and logos, custom trading cards, a point-and-click interface, and a tracking system for lifetime game and season statistics. Backyard Football is targeted at players in the 5- to 10-year-old range.

Roots & Influences

Backyard Football is a continuation of the series of "backyard" games and the variation of football seen here is based roughly on actual football, NFL and arena. The variation focuses on teams with only a few players, in the same mode as that played in pickup backyard games.

Review: Overall

Kids love to play football, whether it is Pop Warner or back lot-type games, or even school team football. Well, now the excitement and fun of those school days' football games comes to your computer in the shape of Backyard Football by Humongous Entertainment.

Players can choose from among a group of neighborhood kids and NFL players (as kids) including such names as Jerry Rice, Randall Cunningham, Drew Bledsoe, Dan Marino, John Elway and Brett Favre. In fact, a 1999 football card set is included that depicts the NFL players featured within the game. Also included are two cards showing neighborhood kids.

To begin, players must choose a color and symbol for their team. These include NFL teams like the New England Patriots and the New York Giants as well as made up teams such as the Mighty Pigs. Then, it's off to choose players for your team with first pick going to the player who correctly chooses leather or laces, one of which is revealed after a concealing arm is moved.



Each player picks seven kids for their team, five players and two alternates. As players choose team members, statistics on each football player are shown. They can then choose to add that player to the team or pick another kid. Once players have chosen a team, they'll get to see the playbook and create custom plays.

Finally, players get to choose where they will be playing and what the weather will be like. They can choose sunny weather, rainy weather or snow and have a choice of six playing fields, ranging from a sandy beach to an arena.

To play, you choose a play from the playbook. Then, the offensive team makes the play against the opposing team's chosen play. Players can choose to direct one of their players by clicking on him or her or to pass to a teammate by clicking on them with a ball cursor.

Play continues through four quarters, with sacks, interceptions and touchdowns shown on the big game board. Players can take their team through one game or an entire season and can play against either the computer or another player. There is even a place at the Humongous Games website where players can register as a coach and play against players from just about anywhere.

Players who want to relive their glory days in the backyard or end lot football field or even players who just enjoy football will love this game. Play is fast and easy but challenging as well. Putting together a good team will take players a while but completing an entire season with a string of wins is an uplifting experience.

Review: Enjoyment

Extremely enjoyable. Makes football accessible to all.

Review: Graphics

Really good, though cartoonish, of course.

Review: Sound

Sounds are wonderful and each stadium has its own background noises.

Review: Replay Value

Replays are endless and tremendously varied.

Review: Documentation

Explains the game and gives good tips.