Backyard Baseball '09

I provide this grim intro to show how far the series has come. Backyard Baseball '09, the latest in a string of Backyard games for Nintendo DS, is much closer to the vision brought on by its concept. Using equal parts of the D-pad and the touch screen, the gameplay is a nice mix of classic and modern gameplay styles. The controls are surprisingly smooth, allowing players to jump in without having to sit through a torturous tutorial. Ken Griffey Jr., Alfonso Soriano, Vladimir Guerrero, Alex Rodriguez, and other pros have been brought on board as kid athletes. As with the Fantasy All-Stars edition of MLB 2K8, released exclusively for Nintendo DS, BB09 is very much a play-and-repeat kind of game. But if you're a kid or have a kid to shop for, this is not a bad buy. Read on to find out why.

The kids of Backyard Sports will never grow up. However, their series finally has. Simplicity is still the primary rule of development (or so it appears). But when compared with the console iterations, there are instant and significant differences between the way the games were designed. For starters, this version moves at a quick and steady pace. I'm not even referring to slowdown or other gameplay issues, which there aren't any of. But some of the Backyard Sports games tend to lag. This was most noticeably a problem on Wii, where Backyard Football was sluggish and did not utilize the hardware's sophisticated design. There again we come to an area where BB09 stands apart from its predecessors – this game uses the DS technology to its advantage. It does not, however, take things too far by making everything touchable.

Right off the bat there's batting. One simple stroke of your stylus equals one swing. You'll also notice that players swing if you merely tap the screen, but that's not recommended since your power will be severely reduced. Your movement does not determine the type of swing you execute. Four swings – Power, Line Drive Left, Line Drive Right, and Bunt – are offered just before you bat. These are insanely basic, and there isn't much of a way to adjust their strength. Home runs are more likely with power swings but are essentially random. After swinging at the same speed hundreds of times, I couldn't tell you the key to scoring a home run. If there is one, it must be well hidden.

Despite the lack of depth or variety, the game is unusually rewarding. Credit this to the urgency of each player, who isn't guaranteed to react smartly but almost always reacts quickly. When the ball goes flying, you can bet the three fielders will head for its anticipated dropping point. Run to second base, steal another if you're gutsy (as with most sports games, base running is tied to the four face buttons), and the play is over in just a few seconds. And it's not just how the game moves, but how it feels. When pitching, you can use the stylus to throw the ball precisely (drag the ball anywhere within the pitching area and tap it twice), or use the D-pad to satisfy your inner old-school gamer.

Need an extra boost of energy? Don't turn to some over-caffeinated drink, just use a power-up. There are 16 of 'em to choose from, including Popcorn Bunt (confuses the defense with the image of multiple balls) and Free Radical (ball bounces and is harder to catch) on the batting side, and Meteor Ball (super fast) and Vaporizer (disappears) on the pitching side. Power-ups are gained by – no need for a drum roll, you know what I'm about to say – running bases and by striking out your opponents.

BB09 is one of the most well-rounded titles in the series, no question. But the simplistic features lead down one path: repetition and a mediocre challenge. You'll score six runs without breaking a sweat. Also, since the touch controls aren't anywhere near the depth of MLB 2K8 Fantasy All-Stars, there are fewer performance options to choose from. However, the game meets its kid-targeted requirement of being quick and easy to pick up, and won't bore moms and dads that like to game with their kids. (Note: multiplayer games require two game cards and two DS systems.)