# TheJudge !! vs Backyard Baseball '97

The clearest difference is price: TheJudge !! at Free against Backyard Baseball '97's $4.99. TheJudge !! also leads on iOS requirement (8.0 vs 16.6). Backyard Baseball '97's advantage is rating (4.0 vs 2.2) and review sentiment (65% vs 27%). On update cadence, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

TheJudge !! is free to download; Backyard Baseball '97 costs $4.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Backyard Baseball '97 holds the better App Store score, 4.0 against 2.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Backyard Baseball '97 has 1.6K ratings behind it against 21, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 27% of TheJudge !!'s written reviews are positive against 65% of Backyard Baseball '97's.

TheJudge !! ships an update every 3 weeks, Backyard Baseball '97 every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | TheJudge !! | Backyard Baseball '97 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $4.99 |
| Rating | [2.2 (21 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/thejudge/id1350123005/reviews) | **[4.0 (1.6K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/backyard-baseball-97/id6740349666/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 21 | **1.6K** |
| Positive reviews | 27.3% of reviews | **65.4% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Every 10 days** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Paid |
| Best chart rank | — | **#6** |
| Size | 99 MB | 326 MB |
| Requires iOS | **8.0** | 16.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [TAKAAKI OOKI](https://appshunter.io/developer/900938033) | [Playground Productions LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1789636577) |

## What reviewers say

### TheJudge !!

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/thejudge/id1350123005)

A straightforward game where players act as a baseball umpire, judging pitches as strikes or balls. Compete globally to become the top referee.

**Highlights:** Judge pitches as strike or ball, Become a chief umpire, Global GameCenter ranking, Simple gameplay

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### Backyard Baseball '97

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/backyard-baseball-97/id6740349666)

**Currently charting:** #6 Top Paid · Sports, #11 Top Paid · Family, #169 Top Paid · Games (US App Store)

Relive the classic baseball game with iconic characters, fun power-ups, and intuitive controls. Play quick games, practice batting, or manage a full season with unique game modes and simplified rules.

**Highlights:** Iconic character roster, Power-ups and special pitches, Pick-up and single game modes, Full season management, Batting practice mode, Simplified T-ball mode

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Nostalgia and great memories
- 👍 Faithful recreation of the original game
- 💡 Potential for future updates and expansions
- 👍 Seamless mobile experience

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and bugs
- 👎 Difficult controls and input issues
- 👎 Limited screen size and visibility
- 👎 Lack of new features or modes

**Reported bugs**

- Gameplay freezes and crashes
- Inconsistent fielding and throwing mechanics
- Hitting mechanics feel unresponsive
- Inability to save progress after crashes

**Requested features**

- Full-screen mode
- Improved controls and input responsiveness
- New game modes (e.g., home run derby, playoffs)
- Ability to select home field
- Option to mute all sounds


## Frequently asked questions

### Is TheJudge !! free?

TheJudge !! is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Backyard Baseball '97 free?

Backyard Baseball '97 costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, TheJudge !! or Backyard Baseball '97?

Backyard Baseball '97 is rated higher. TheJudge !! averages 2.2 out of 5 from 21 ratings, while Backyard Baseball '97 averages 4.0 from 1.6K ratings.

### Do TheJudge !! or Backyard Baseball '97 have ads?

Neither TheJudge !! nor Backyard Baseball '97 shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, TheJudge !! or Backyard Baseball '97?

TheJudge !! ships an update every 3 weeks, and Backyard Baseball '97 every 10 days. Most recently, TheJudge !! was updated on October 24, 2026 and Backyard Baseball '97 on October 25, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*