Backyard Basketball '01

Released Nov 2025

Return to the blacktop with your favorite Backyard athletes! The original Backyard Basketball 2001 is back and now enhanced to run on Steam. Dribble, shoot, and take that ball to the hoop!

86% positive · 166 reviews

Done

All announced content has been released

High confidence

Done

All announced content has been released

High confidence

Where to get it

Free on Steam

Steam Free

Evaluation

Backyard Basketball '01 launched on November 13, 2025 as a free-to-play Steam re-release of the classic 2001 title, enhanced to run on modern hardware. The store description presents a fully defined, self-contained package: 30 athletes, 9 courts, multiple game modes, power-ups, bloopers, and commentary — all consistent with a faithful port of a finished legacy game rather than a live, evolving product. All three developer news posts on this game's Steam page are promotional communications about a separate title — the new Backyard Baseball game — covering its IGN Fan Fest appearance (February 24, 2026), its free demo launch (April 9, 2026), and its full release (July 9, 2026). None of these posts announce any new content, patches, updates, or additions for Backyard Basketball '01 itself. There are no DLC listings, no roadmap, no season pass, and no developer statements indicating further content is planned for this game. The developer's attention has clearly shifted to Backyard Baseball as the next major franchise release. Backyard Basketball '01 shipped as a complete, finished product and shows no signs of a post-launch content cycle.

Evidence

Store description presents a fully defined, fixed-content package: 30 athletes, 9 courts, multiple game modes, power-ups, and commentary — a faithful port of the 2001 original with no mention of planned additions or live content.

description · Nov 13, 2025 source content shipped

high

Developer announces the full launch of the new Backyard Baseball game — a separate title in the franchise. No content updates or announcements for Backyard Basketball '01.

news post · Jul 9, 2026 source ambiguous

low

Media

Details

Developer

Mega Cat Studios

Publisher

Playground Productions

Achievements

Platform

Windows

Controller

—

Steam Deck

Not rated

Players

Single-player

Sports Casual Basketball Arcade Cute Simulation Cartoony Colorful Pixel Graphics Comedy Free to Play 1990's Retro

About this game

HOOP DREAMING

Slip on those high tops and hit the courts with the first basketball game in the award-winning Backyard Sports Franchise, Backyard Basketball ‘01, now enhanced to run on Steam.

The Backyard athletes are teaming up with the kid version of hoops legend Lisa Leslie in Backyard Basketball ‘01! Customize your uniform, pick your fab five, and get ready for four quarters of hoops! Play single games or a whole season. Track stats in Season play and create custom players to watch their skills improve over time!

HOOPS FOR EVERYONE

Ball like it’s 2001!

30 Iconic Kid Athletes
9 Unique Basketball Courts
Comical Power-ups
Hilarious Bloopers
Lively commentary from Sunny Day and Barry Dejay

THE GOAT

Backyard Basketball featured arguably the most iconic video game athlete of the 90s or any era - Pablo Sanchez. Play with the legend himself or choose your favorites and relive what made Backyard Basketball 2001 an award-winning classic.

Game Modes include:

Pick-up Game: Instant play! The computer chooses a random team for you and itself and the game starts immediately.
Season Play: Pick your team name, uniform colors, and players to compete in the Backyard Basketball League. Manage the team through a basketball season for your chance to win the Championship!

We’re talking about practice! Hone those basketball skills while getting a feel for every court in practice mode! Then, it’s game time! Play a Pick-up Game or a Full Season with your favorite players.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

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.

Without having access to the source code, there are hard limitations on the experience we can create. As an example, we can’t use the original 32bit code to support modern macOS, as even with an incredibly clever wrapper, macOS can’t execute the binaries.

Backyard Basketball ‘01 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.