If you'd told me that one of my favorite games of 2020 would be a Baseball game, I would have told you that was very unlikely. Apparently I'd played one of these before, because I saw some achievements on my Xbox profile from four or five years ago when I guess it was free or something.
Anyway, I wouldn't have even given this a second glance if I hadn't watched Dan Ryckert play it a bunch over the summer. It looked fun so I ended up buying it on Steam to play with a friend online. Unfortunately he wasn't as on board as I'd hoped so I really wasted my cash and should have gotten it on console to play locally. But even playing it on the PC by myself, there's a lot of fun to be had. All the customization options, the little animations, and the baseball itself is fun and relaxing in a way that few games have been this year. I think I just needed a little break from all the dour violence of some of 2020's big AAA games. Play it with a friend. I'm living proof that even if you don't give a damn about sports, you can have a blast with this game.
Anyway, I wouldn't have even given this a second glance if I hadn't watched Dan Ryckert play it a bunch over the summer. It looked fun so I ended up buying it on Steam to play with a friend online. Unfortunately he wasn't as on board as I'd hoped so I really wasted my cash and should have gotten it on console to play locally. But even playing it on the PC by myself, there's a lot of fun to be had. All the customization options, the little animations, and the baseball itself is fun and relaxing in a way that few games have been this year. I think I just needed a little break from all the dour violence of some of 2020's big AAA games. Play it with a friend. I'm living proof that even if you don't give a damn about sports, you can have a blast with this game.
Probably my favorite arcade baseball game ever from a pure gameplay perspective. I have so much fun on the field. The systems are snappy and simple to get used to. Co-op, in particular, is brilliantly implemented and uses an alternating method when batting and in the field (one pitches an inning while the other fields, then next inning they switch). The franchise mode also allows for some slight team salary cap management and ability to train players and the stat-keeping across seasons is great.
This is about best-in-class for modern baseball on PC. It feels great to play, can run on just about anything, and has a pretty good sense of humor (the name Knox Oxensocksen makes me laugh every time).
The mechanics are surprisingly deep for how casual it is, too. The franchise mode has an interesting way of 'casually' handling free agency/development/etc. I wish there was a bit more depth to it, and I wish there were about twice as many traits that characters could have to make them feel a bit more unique, but it's not by any means lacking as it is. Just something to make up for the fact that SMB3 doesn't have real players. Not that I would want them, really. I think they'd just kind of take away from how interesting and wacky everything is in this fantasy world of baseball gods.
It goes on sale a lot, runs on almost anything, and can't really 'age' because it doesn't use real players or statistics. If you want a baseball game on PC, this is the one you want.
Wait, this game doesn't adhere to the saying "speed doesn't go into slumps," so 0/5.
The mechanics are surprisingly deep for how casual it is, too. The franchise mode has an interesting way of 'casually' handling free agency/development/etc. I wish there was a bit more depth to it, and I wish there were about twice as many traits that characters could have to make them feel a bit more unique, but it's not by any means lacking as it is. Just something to make up for the fact that SMB3 doesn't have real players. Not that I would want them, really. I think they'd just kind of take away from how interesting and wacky everything is in this fantasy world of baseball gods.
It goes on sale a lot, runs on almost anything, and can't really 'age' because it doesn't use real players or statistics. If you want a baseball game on PC, this is the one you want.
Wait, this game doesn't adhere to the saying "speed doesn't go into slumps," so 0/5.
I will go as far as to say Super Mega Baseball is the best sports game on the market for simulation or arcade play. Deep play, deep strategy, customizable sliders, rosters, jerseys, logos. Online play. It's a great series. It's a great game. It's a fun time. Seriously. The cartoon style probably turns many off but even those graphics are top notch. Really a massively fun sports gaming experience
Fun arcadey baseball game. I play in a league with friends and been through many games at this point.
Overall, quality game, but there are some frustrating issues with it. Biggest issue is just some de-sync as to the animations and what is actually happening. Sometimes the animations don't really show what's happening.
Overall, quality game, but there are some frustrating issues with it. Biggest issue is just some de-sync as to the animations and what is actually happening. Sometimes the animations don't really show what's happening.