Comparison

Backyard Baseball '97 vs Simply Match It!

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Backyard Baseball '97

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
Read full description

Rediscover the joy of the original Backyard Baseball 1997! Build your roster from the iconic cast of 30 characters stacked with charming personalities and witty banter, and get the edge on the competition with power-ups, fireball pitches, super strength, and Pablo Sanchez! Play pick-up games, practice batting, and compete in single games or a whole season with simple, intuitive controls that anyone can master! Game Modes: Random Pick-up: A quick way to jump right in! The computer chooses a random team for you and itself, and the game starts immediately. Single Game: You take turns with the computer to choose players from a random pool of characters. Season: You create a team and manage it through a 14 game series. The opposing teams are computer generated. At the end of the season the best two teams advance to the BBL playoffs (best of 3). The winner advances to the championship series which consists of the Super Entire Nation Tournament (best of 3) and then the Ultra Grand Championship of the Universe Series (best of 5)! Batting Practice: Choose a batter and face Mr. Clanky for some batting practice. This is where you’ll learn just when to click to make your chosen batter hit that ball! T-ball - Select T-ball mode for more accessible game play. Simply click to hit, run, and field! BACKYARD BASEBALL RULES The rules for Backyard Baseball are a hybrid of Pro and Little League rules: No leading off No Injuries Bunting is allowed Tagging up is allowed Stealing is allowed 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. Backyard Baseball '97 runs buttery smooth for iOS devices, looks better than ever, 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 title that started it all.

About

Simply Match It!

Features
Read full description

Simply Match It... Fast, Fun, and Customizable Matching Mayhem! Race to find the one emoji both cards have in common... before your opponent does! Easy to pick up, endlessly replayable, and perfect for solo players or party nights. ▶ PLAY FOR FREE Jump into the action with classic 3x3 card sets and two-player gameplay. No ads, no clutter. Just fast-paced matching fun! ▶ WANT MORE? GO PREMIUM! Unlock the full experience with customization options that keep the game fresh: • Adjust card size and number of emojis for more challenge • Choose from emoji image sets organized by theme • Play solo or with up to four players • Customize player names and button colors • Set your own win score and speed settings ▶ PREMIUM PLANS Choose what fits your play style: • Monthly Subscription – 3-day free trial • Yearly Subscription – 1-week free trial • Lifetime Access – One-time purchase ▶ WHY CHOOSE SIMPLY MATCH IT? • AD-FREE & CLUTTER-FREE – No interruptions, just pure gameplay. • FAST & FUN – Play quick rounds or marathon matches. • FLEXIBLE SETUP – Go casual or turn up the challenge. • CROSS-PLATFORM – Play on iPhone, iPad, and Mac seamlessly. • HELP INCLUDED – Built-in “How to Play” with toggleable match glowing to practice. ---------------------- SimplyKyra creates simple, distraction-free apps that enhance your digital experience. Learn more: https://www.simplykyra.com Need help? Contact us: mail@simplykyra.com Terms of Use: https://www.simplykyra.com/simply-match-it-terms-and-conditions/ Privacy Policy: https://www.simplykyra.com/simply-match-it-privacy-policy/

Screenshots

Backyard Baseball '974 screens
Simply Match It!4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Simply Match It! at Free against Backyard Baseball '97's $4.99. Backyard Baseball '97's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 3) and update cadence (every 10 days vs every 2 months). On ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Simply Match It! is free to download; Backyard Baseball '97 costs $4.99 up front. Simply Match It! sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Backyard Baseball '97 asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Backyard Baseball '97 ships an update every 10 days, Simply Match It! every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 20, 2026 and October 13, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 7 level
Backyard Baseball '97 versus Simply Match It!: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBackyard Baseball '97Simply Match It!
Price$4.99Free — better
Rating4.0 (1.5K ratings) — better—
Positive reviews65.4% of reviews—
Number of ratings1.5K — better—
Update frequencyEvery 10 days — betterEvery 2 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationPaid—
Best chart rank#7 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, Mac — better
Requires iOS16.6 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size326 MB13 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperPlayground Productions LLCSimplyKyra LLC

Bugs and requests

Backyard Baseball '97

Reported bugs

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

Requested features

5 requests
  • 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

Simply Match It!

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

Backyard Baseball '97

No in-app purchases

3 purchases

Simply Match It!

Subscriptions2
  • Premium - Monthly3 Days trial$0.991 Month
  • Premium - Yearly7 Days trial$5.991 Year
One-time1
  • Premium – Lifetime$14.99

Questions

Is Backyard Baseball '97 free?
Backyard Baseball '97 costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Simply Match It! free?
Simply Match It! is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Backyard Baseball '97 or Simply Match It! have ads?
Neither Backyard Baseball '97 nor Simply Match It! shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Backyard Baseball '97 or Simply Match It!?
Backyard Baseball '97 ships an update every 10 days, and Simply Match It! every 2 months. Most recently, Backyard Baseball '97 was updated on October 20, 2026 and Simply Match It! on October 13, 2026.

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