Choose Backyard Baseball '97
Choose Backyard Baseball '97 if it matches what drew you to this matchup. 1,940 Steam reviews back the pick.
Backyard Baseball '97 vs Backyard Hockey '02
Backyard Baseball '97 and Backyard Hockey '02 both land in Sports, Casual on Steam, which is why they keep getting compared. The comparison below is built from each game's Steam metadata — release year, genres, categories, Steam Deck status, price, and review score — refreshed daily by imho.run's scraper. Headline differences: Both share Sports, Casual on Steam. Backyard Baseball '97 (2024) is 1 year older than Backyard Hockey '02 (2025). Backyard Baseball '97 scores higher on Steam reviews (97.6% positive) than Backyard Hockey '02 (77.4% positive). No login or purchase needed — scroll for the full table, the verdict FAQ, and links to ranked similar games for both titles.
Which should you pick?
Choose Backyard Hockey '02
Choose Backyard Hockey '02 if you want a Simulation and Free To Play experience. On Steam, it's free to play, so the barrier to trying it is zero. Backyard Hockey '02 launched in 2025.
Both Backyard Baseball '97 and Backyard Hockey '02 sit in Sports and Casual on Steam, so either pick lands in the same broad neighborhood. Use the side-by-side table for the feature view, or follow the "Games like" links below to see ranked alternatives for either title.
Side-by-side comparison
 Backyard Baseball '97 |  Backyard Hockey '02 | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2024 | 2025 |
| Genres | Sports, Casual | Sports, Simulation, Free To Play, Casual |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Verified | Deck Verified |
| Price | 9.99 USD | Free to play |
| Steam reviews | 97.6% positive (1,940 reviews) | 77.4% positive (84 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | Mega Cat Studios | Mega Cat Studios |
Side by side
- Both share Sports, Casual on Steam.
- Backyard Baseball '97 (2024) is 1 year older than Backyard Hockey '02 (2025).
- Backyard Baseball '97 scores higher on Steam reviews (97.6% positive) than Backyard Hockey '02 (77.4% positive).
- Backyard Hockey '02 is free; Backyard Baseball '97 is paid (9.99 USD).
- Both are Deck Verified.
Backyard Baseball '97 vs Backyard Hockey '02 — FAQ
- Should I play Backyard Baseball '97 or Backyard Hockey '02 first?
- If you want chronology, Backyard Baseball '97 (2024) came out before Backyard Hockey '02 (2025). If neither is a sequel to the other, order doesn't really matter — start with whichever fits your current mood, since both share enough on Steam to make either a reasonable opener.
- Are Backyard Baseball '97 and Backyard Hockey '02 similar?
- They overlap on Sports, Casual on Steam, so the catalogue groups them together — but "similar" depends on the specific mechanics. Use the genre + category rows above to decide whether the overlap matches what drew you to the one you've already played.
- Is Backyard Hockey '02 free?
- Yes — Backyard Hockey '02 is a free-to-play Steam title. Backyard Baseball '97 is paid (9.99 USD).
- Do Backyard Baseball '97 and Backyard Hockey '02 both run on Steam Deck?
- Yes — both are Steam Deck Verified, meaning Valve confirms they run with full controller support, legible text, and default settings out of the box.