Sega Genesis
Released in 1994 by EA Sports
Grade: B-
This is retro baseball on the easy setting. It seems primitive in a way that makes it downright embarrassing at times. But it makes baseball a breeze.
Where it falls in the series
EA had drastic changes in branding and gameplay style throughout their baseball games on Genesis:
- Tony La Russa Baseball (1993)
- Super Baseball 2020 (1994)
- MLBPA Baseball (1994)
- La Russa Baseball 95 (1994)
- Triple Play 96 (1995)
- Triple Play Gold (1996)
MLBPA Baseball is far more simplistic than all the others, and in my opinion, it’s the only decent game in the bunch.
Praises and gripes
Welcome to a simpler time, folks. The pitching-hitting interface is as basic as it gets. The action moves slow and the physics are way off, with a soaring baseball that looks like a beach ball and flies like one too. There are some goofy sights like fielders mechanically sticking their arms out to indicate they’re under the ball. The faux 3D graphics make batters running to first base look GIGANTIC compared to the other players.
But, as I took note of complaints to tell you all about, something happened. I thought to myself, “Wait a second, am I actually enjoying this game?”
I was. It’s a simplified version of baseball without any nagging difficulties. In the same spirit as EA’s early John Madden Football and NHL Hockey games, it dumbs down the sport in a way that makes for a fun video game.
The pitching uses the typical old-school “throw and steer” system, but I like how the magical “steering” is dialed down. Once you steer the ball one direction, you can’t steer it back. Once you push down to throw fast or push up to throw slow, you can’t suddenly change the ball’s velocity in mid-air. At-bats are surprisingly strategic and fair.
The slow action might look silly at times — what looks like a line drive might be a routine pop fly, and what looks like a harmless grounder might zip through for a base hit — but defense is delightfully intuitive to play. The slowed-down action also adds an element of suspense that I like.
The game in general plays fair, and it just feels comfortable to play. The pace from pitch to pitch is quick. The screen isn’t overloaded with displays. The sound is sparse but pleasant. And home runs create a satisfying effect as the crowd goes “Ohh!” and you watch the ball slowly drift over the wall.
After slogging through many old baseball games that feature ridiculous pitching, tricky batting, ruthless CPU opponents, slow pacing, ugly presentation, and botched action in the field, this game was a joyful surprise.
Published April 26, 2025