Backyard Basketball, the latest entry in Atari's Backyard sports series, boasts 30 Backyard Kids and 10 kid versions of NBA stars in three-on-three action. Watch Yao Ming take it to the hole and make a crucial basket before naptime. With a variety of players and game modes to choose from, Backyard Basketball dishes up a bucket of fun for the little baller in everyone.

With a variety of players and game modes to choose from, Backyard Basketball dishes up a bucket of fun for the little baller in everyone.

Players include Shaquille O'Neal, Tim Duncan, Lebron James, Yao Ming, Tracy McGrady and Kevin Garnett

Play as one of 30 NBA teams or choose a Backyard team

Play a season, single games or minigames

Head-to-head action through the Game Boy Advance Game Link Cable

Don't get schooled by these grade-schoolers. Pick your own team members and play a pick-up game in the street, on the playground or at the beach. Game power-ups give you temporary mad skills, like hot hands and super speed.

Each team consists of five players. Three will play in the game and two are substitutes. If you choose, pick five of the 10 NBA players featured. But be warned, the Backyard Basketball kids are pretty good, too. Most of the NBA players are well balanced, but the Backyard kids are more extreme with their skills. One might be maxed out on quickness but have a horrible shot, so use him for point guard.

In addition to using the computer players, you can make up to 10 players of your own. Using these custom players in a season gives you a chance to upgrade their abilities. When you accomplish certain performance goals, the custom player's skills increase. Can you make your player better than the NBA superstars?

Along with the season and pick-up games, take your turn at the Hot Shot minigame. Your player has 30 seconds to shoot from one of six spots on the court. Each spot has a point value. The spots farthest away from the basket are worth the most points. In round two, you only get 20 seconds to make your shots and 10 seconds in the last round.