Backyard Hockey '02 (2025)

Developer: Mega Cat Studios
Publisher: Playground Productions
Platforms: Windows
Genres: Casual, Simulation, Sports, Free To Play
Rating: 4.0 of 5, 109 player ratings
Typical playtime: about 3.2 hours
Where to get it: Steam

The 3D catalog: game boxes on wooden shelves, with the cat sitting at the counter next to its greeting.

The catalog in 3D

The same catalog has a room you can walk around in. The cat behind the counter is the AI Catbot, and they pick real games from it when you tell them what you feel like playing. Nothing is for sale, here or in there. Go in from here and this game is already out on the counter, with more like it waiting on the shelf next to it.

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How it feels

Playing feels like a relaxed, playful pick-up hockey game with a nostalgic, kid-friendly backyard atmosphere.

casuallightheartednostalgicarcadeyaccessiblewhimsicalkid-friendly

What players say

Players say the game is a nostalgic trip back to childhood, with charming characters and voice lines that carry the experience. However, the gameplay gets repetitive, the default difficulty is laughably easy, and repeated crashing forces some to use third-party workarounds.

Screenshots

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More by Mega Cat Studios

This page is from Underplayed Gems, a catalog of older and overlooked games. Not quite it? You can browse by platform and genre, or take this one into the 3D catalog and ask the Catbot for something closer.