Sega Genesis
Released in 1994 by Sega
Grade: C
It’s the first baseball video game with a catcher’s eye view and a realistic pitching interface, significantly changing how video baseball is played.
Where it falls in the series
Sega released Tommy Lasorda Baseball in 1989 and Sports Talk Baseball in 1992, two arcade-style games that couldn’t be further from WSB. So let’s call this the first in its series, followed by 95, 96, and 98. (They shamelessly released a game with 1997 rosters and called it 98.) The later versions have a new announcer, easier batting, and slightly nicer graphics, but are curiously identical games. See my review of World Series Baseball 98 for more details.
Praises and gripes
The new viewpoint and pitching interface are fantastic. While all previous baseball games have you steer the ball after releasing it, WSB has you decide on a pitch beforehand. Choose a location, pitch type, and one of three speeds, and let it rip.
Pitching is a legitimate tactical challenge. With some knowledge of how a major league at-bat works, you can use realistic strategy and be justly rewarded. You can actually pitch in this game.
Batting involves your ability to read what type of pitch is coming soon after it’s released. Understanding the count and knowing what to expect can help, but it’s mostly about read-and-react skills. Sound like real baseball? It is!
The graphics during at-bats are pretty. The pitcher actually looks like he’s 60 feet out on a pitching mound, and you can see the ball’s seams spinning, but the pitcher’s motion is seriously choppy.
While the at-bats do unfold like real at-bats, I’m unsure how deep the AI is. Will the CPU figure out that I throw the first pitch outside every time? Will it know that I never swing on a 1-0 count? Even if I’m playing human vs. human, and I handcuff the hitter high and inside for several pitches, will the game logic lower his chances of knocking my low sinker out of the park?
The real bummer is that the pace is too slow. Between pitches you wait a while for the catcher to return the ball to the pitcher. Between batters, the game stops so we can look at the scoreboard.
The action in the field lacks excitement. The controls seem delayed. Timing a simple catch-and-throw feels unnatural.
The whole scene has an unusual washed out color to it, like the game is a living baseball card from the 70s. It may look “off” to some people, but I like it.
The sound is lame and annoying. The announcer, crowd, and effects are drenched in static.
As much as this game has going for it, I never wanted to spend much time with it. It’s lacking fun in a way I can’t just put my finger on. It feels like a bit of a chore to get through nine innings.
This game is in the “I want to love it, but it just comes up short” category. It’s more impressive than it is fun.