French
DeutschBackyard Soccer MLS Edition
| Backyard Soccer MLS Edition | |
|---|---|
 Original cover art featuring kid versions of Brandi Chastain and Cobi Jones (both foreground), and Backyard Sports character Reese Worthington (background). | |
| Developer(s) | Humongous Entertainment |
| Publisher(s) | Infogrames |
| Series | Backyard Sports |
| Engine | SCUMM |
| Platform(s) | Macintosh, Windows |
| Release | October 3, 2000[1] |
| Genre(s) | Sports |
| Mode(s) | Single-player, multiplayer |
Backyard Soccer MLS Edition is a children's soccer video game developed by Humongous Entertainment and released on October 3, 2000, for Macintosh and Windows as part of the Backyard Sports series.[2][1] It is the second game in the Backyard Soccer subseries and the fifth Backyard Sports title overall. Unlike the first Backyard Soccer, this game features Major League Soccer (MLS) teams and players,[3] as well as three women from the United States women's national soccer team that won the 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup,[2] making this the first time that female professional athletes were represented in the Backyard Sports series.[2][3] Brandi Chastain and Cobi Jones both appear on the game's cover, redrawn as children.
A planned release for the Game Boy Color was cancelled.[4] In 2003, a third Backyard Soccer title called Backyard Soccer 2004 was released.[5]
Gameplay
[edit]The gameplay of Backyard Soccer MLS Edition is mostly the same as the original Backyard Soccer game, with a few additional features. The biggest addition is the inclusion of 12 Major League Soccer players as children, which represent each of the 12 MLS teams, along with three USWNT players.[6] Another new feature is a two-player mode on a single computer which allows players to control their respective teams with either the computer mouse, keyboard, or gamepads.[1]
Development
[edit]At the 1999 E3 event, Humongous Entertainment announced license deals with several professional sports leagues, including Major League Soccer.[7] The following year, Backyard Soccer MLS Edition was formally announced with the reveal that it would be the first game to include female professional sports players as playable characters.[6] To promote the game, Humongous Entertainment organized a sweepstakes with the top prize being a trip to Los Angeles and a meeting with Los Angeles Galaxy player Cobi Jones.[1]
Reception
[edit]The Dallas Daily News noted that the game only offered three female soccer stars to play as, but they appreciated the game's replay value.[3] GameZone gave the game an overall score of 8 out of 10, praising its graphics, audio, and overall concept.[8]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d "Backyard Soccer MLS Edition In Stores Now!". web.archive.org. Retrieved 2025-04-25.
- ^ a b c "Female Athletes in New "Backyard" Sports CD-ROM". The Journal of Physical Education, Recreation & Dance. October 17, 2000. Archived from the original on September 24, 2015. Retrieved Nov 30, 2012. (subscription required)
- ^ a b c Johnson, Linda Stallard; Johnson, Rebecca (November 21, 2000). "Electronic adventures: video and computer game reviews". The Dallas Morning News. Archived from the original on September 24, 2015. Retrieved Nov 30, 2012. (subscription required)
- ^ "Humongous Sports on Playstation & Game Boy". Archived from the original on 20 November 2000. Retrieved 2024-11-02.
- ^ "Backyard Soccer 2004™ (PC CD-ROM)". Archived from the original on 3 October 2003. Retrieved 2024-08-02.
- ^ a b "Backyard Soccer MLS Edition!". web.archive.org. Retrieved 2025-04-25.
- ^ "HE Announces License Deals". web.archive.org. Retrieved 2025-04-25.
- ^ "Backyard Soccer MLS Edition - PC - Review - PC - Review | GameZone". gamezone.com. Archived from the original on 2023-02-08. Retrieved 2025-05-03.