Backyard Basketball

Atari's series of Backyard sports games hits the court with BACKYARD BASKETBALL. As with the other Backyard titles, players put together a team from over 30 of the Backyard kids and ten kid versions of top NBA stars. Players have a variety of characters to put on their team, including kid versions of Yao Ming, LeBron James, Shaquille O'Neal, Tracy McGrady, Dirk Nowitzki, and others. All 30 NBA teams are available along with several Backyard Teams like the Jumpin' Gym Rats. Players can also create their own kids and teams. Once the game starts, players direct the action as their team tries to score as many points as possible. Unlike other, more traditional, basketball games, BACKYARD BASKETBALL includes a number of power-ups players can grab to give them things like super speed or jumping power. There are a number of different courts, too, including one on the beach, a playground, and a street court. Players have several play options, including a season mode, quick game, and two different mini-games to play. The game tracks a number of statistics through the season, both for players and teams, and custom-created players will actually gain experience and improve with time. BACKYARD BASKETBALL includes everything that makes the Backyard series so much fun: crazy gameplay, fun characters, and all the excitement of a basketball game. With a game link, players can even go head-to-head with friends. BACKYARD BASKETBALL is a treat for basketball fans who are looking for a new challenge.