Backyard Slugger
Backyard Slugger puts you at home plate in a small ballpark viewed from far overhead. A pitcher keeps the balls coming, and all you do is pick the instant to swing. There is no inning limit and no game clock, so a session lasts as long as you want it to.
You can take a few swings on a school Chromebook between classes, since the game needs no setup beyond opening the page. Frank Force built it with his LittleJS engine, and the ball physics come from Box2D.
How to play Backyard Slugger
After you press Play, the pitcher winds up and throws. Speed and location change a little on every throw. Most pitches cross the yellow strike zone, but some sail high, low or outside.
To swing, press Space, click the mouse or tap. A good connection shows a contact rating as a percentage, and the very best swings read PERFECT. Where the hit goes depends on the angle of the bat when it meets the pitch, so swinging early pulls the ball to one side and swinging late pushes it to the other.
The game keeps a real count. A miss or a called strike adds a strike, and a pitch outside the zone that you leave alone adds a ball. Strike three means you are out, ball four sends you to first on a walk, and either one starts a fresh count.
Controls
| Action | Keyboard | Mouse | Touch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Swing | Space (gamepad A) | Left click | Tap the screen |
| Throw the next pitch now | Enter | — | — |
| Clear session stats | R | — | — |
| Pause menu | Esc | Menu icon, top right | Menu icon, top right |
Tips
- Begin your swing before the ball reaches the plate. The bat takes about a quarter second to come through, so waiting until the ball is on top of you is too late.
- Take pitches that are clearly out of the zone. Holding still on those earns balls, and four of them give you a free walk.
- If your hits keep curving foul to the left, you are early, so wait a hair longer. Fouls to the right mean you should start sooner.
- Contact near the end of the bat gives the highest rating and the hardest hit ball, so aim to meet the pitch out front rather than near your hands.
- Tap Enter right after a hit to skip the pause between pitches and stay in a steady rhythm.
If you like Backyard Slugger, try these
Bullseye ArcheryTiming is everything here as well, with one input, a sliding bow and a narrow target in place of a pitch.
Free Throw FrenzyPut down the bat and grab a basketball, scoring as many points as you can in a minute while the hoop slides.
Questions
How do you hit a home run in Backyard Slugger?
Swing on time so the ball goes between the two foul lines, then make solid contact so it carries over the outfield wall. A high contact percentage gives the most distance.
Does Backyard Slugger save my stats?
No. Your hit count, perfect swings, home runs and longest drive are kept only for the current session. They reset when you press R or reload the page.
Can I play Backyard Slugger with a controller?
Yes. A gamepad works, with the A button used to swing. You can also play with a keyboard, a mouse or a touch screen.
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