Backyard Football
Child versions of NFL players play backyard football.
Wikipedia / Wikimedia Commons
Backyard Football is a series of American football video games developed by Humongous Entertainment and published by Infogrames, Atari, Inc., and The Evergreen Group. It is one of several sub-series in the Backyard Sports franchise and the first to feature professional players as children, as well as the license of a professional sports league, the NFL. The series attempts to recreate the experience of playing American football as children and currently includes twelve titles, including one remaster.
- Notable feature
- First Backyard Sports sub-series to include child versions of NFL players and an NFL license
Lore & Background
Subsequent titles expanded the roster and platforms. Backyard Football 2002 added players like Donovan McNabb and Mike Vick, and the first title to support online play via the Junior Sports Network was Backyard Football 2004. The series standard from the beginning was 6-on-6 gameplay, with Tom Brady and Peyton Manning added in later entries. Later entries included Backyard Sports Football 2007 (which received negative reviews), Backyard Football '08, '09, and '10, and the main series title Backyard Sports: Rookie Rush in 2010, which continued the established Story Mode and Mini-Games. A live-action animated TV special, NFL Backyard Basics: Football Tips from the Pros, aired in 2002 featuring Donovan McNabb.
Reader's Guide
The Backyard Football series holds significance as a pioneering entry in the Backyard Sports franchise, being the first to license both professional players (as children) and a professional sports league (the NFL). This allowed young players to interact with kid versions of NFL stars, blending fantasy with real-world sports fandom. The series spanned over a decade, from 1999 to 2010, and appeared on numerous platforms, reflecting the evolution of gaming hardware. Its online play feature, though discontinued, was later revived by a fan in 2021 using open-source code. The remaster of the original game in 2025, while losing the NFL license, demonstrates the enduring appeal of the series. The series' legacy includes introducing many players to American football rules and strategy in a child-friendly context, and its various titles show a progression in gameplay features, from basic modes to story-driven content. The mixed critical reception of later entries, particularly Backyard Sports Football 2007, highlights challenges in maintaining quality across a long-running series.
Did You Know?
- Backyard Football is the first Backyard Sports game to feature child versions of NFL players and an NFL license.
- Online play was not available in the original Backyard Football; it was introduced in Backyard Football 2004 via the Junior Sports Network, which was later recreated by a fan in 2021 using open-source code.
- The remaster Backyard Football '99 replaced Brett Favre with a generic player whose name has not been officially confirmed.
- A live-action animated TV special based on the series, NFL Backyard Basics: Football Tips from the Pros, aired in 2002 featuring Donovan McNabb.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Backyard Football?
Backyard Football is a video game sub-series under the Backyard Sports umbrella, developed by Humongous Entertainment. It centers on American football and was published across Infogrames, Atari, Inc., and The Evergreen Group.
What makes Backyard Football different from other Backyard Sports titles?
It holds an official NFL license and lets you play as kid versions of real professional football players. No other sub-series in the franchise had that combination of a pro-league partnership and recognizable athletes rendered as children.
What's the basic premise of the games?
You step into the shoes of a kid playing pickup football in a neighborhood backyard. The tone is casual and nostalgic, mimicking how kids actually played football on their lawns rather than simulating a pro match.
How many games are in the Backyard Football series?
There are twelve entries in total, including one remaster. It is one of the longer-running sub-series within the broader Backyard Sports family.
Why do fans consider Backyard Football a landmark in the Humongous catalog?
It was the first time a Backyard Sports game partnered with a real professional sports league, bringing the NFL into the franchise. That license gave the series a unique identity among its siblings and tied it to a major cultural institution.
More in Humongous Entertainment games 1-24
Elsewhere in the Humongous Entertainment Games universe
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