Super Mega Baseball 4: Filling a Gap in the Sports Video Game Genre

Sports video games have been part of my DNA since I first bought a controller. My dad had an NES hooked up to the TV when I was young, so I was graced with amazing arcade-style sports games — like Blades of Steel, Tecmo Bowl, and RBI Baseball. When I was a little older I did a lot with games like Backyard Baseball, and after the Wii launched I jumped into the obvious hits – Wii Sports and Wii Sports Resort. I’m probably forgetting a few, but all of these games have one thing in common; none of them are simulators of the sports they represent. That’s why I love them, and why we need more games like Super Mega Baseball 4.

These days, the sports game genre is incredibly different. Organizations like the MLB, NFL, and FIFA are all incredibly selective with their licensing, and most game studios are unlikely to be able to afford the brand logo on the box, let alone the likeness rights. players, licensed stadiums and more. Hell, even EA was no longer willing to pay FIFA for its license, after the controversial football juggernaut reportedly demanded over a billion dollars to renew it. The growing popularity of almost every major sport in the world has led to a consolidation of video games in this space, leading to players having fewer options over time.

Well, I’ve been playing quite a bit of Super Mega Baseball 4 lately, of all things. I was able to familiarize myself with the game at Summer Game Fest, by which time it had already been released to the public for about a week. For those unfamiliar, the Super Mega Baseball series straddles the line between simulated baseball and a more arcade approach. The game rules, stats, verbiage, and AI all lean towards realism in many ways, but the game’s presentation is the opposite; creative, cartoonish and subtly funny if you pay attention to detail. The players are caricatures that almost look like the bobblehead figurines they sometimes hand out in real games, and the stadiums are all fictional, with over-the-top designs. If you’re unlucky at home plate, some batters break their bats in half, throw them, or react in some other way that would likely get them ejected in a simulation of the sport. Pay close attention to the sounds of fans in the stadium behind you, and you’ll often hear amusing remarks from guests who’ve lost their cellphones, vendors trying to sell weird food, and more. Commentators — who in games like MLB The Show are often real people — are rare here, but witty in an understated way.

The gameplay is grounded, but faster and snappier than other games in the genre. There is no downtime in the game; the camera cuts quickly during the action and the bats only have a few seconds between them. The controls are intuitive, but helpful tutorials pop up on your first playthrough to walk you through them anyway. It’s a game that most players will be able to play, play and have fun with, even if they don’t usually play baseball titles. On the other hand, there’s plenty of room to dive deep for those obsessed with things like franchise modes, creating custom teams and leagues, and adjusting granular player stats in games. menus.

Super Mega Baseball 4 fills a gap in the genre that desperately needs filling. The series is long, but there are usually a few years between entries, which leaves plenty of time to iterate and improve. This fourth release is notable for a number of reasons, but the interesting part of the story is that the developer – Metalhead Software, formerly an indie studio based in Canada – was bought by Electronic Arts a few years ago. This type of scenario might give many potential buyers pause, given EA’s reputation, but I was surprised how the company’s involvement seems to have helped this game evolve into a more compelling package. In addition to the game’s massive roster of fictional players, both male and female, it also features hyper-exaggerated versions of real-world baseball icons from across the history of the sport. Animations are improved, visuals are generally improved in most cases, there are new stadiums… the list goes on. Yes, you must have an EA Account to access online features. But there are no in-game microtransactions – you pay $50 (or $60 to get three extra stadiums) and you get a full game, end of story.

It is refreshing. It’s also EA’s first baseball game in about a decade. The cynic in me wonders if they bought Metalhead so they could then take them to another studio or have them work on their next big sports game – that wouldn’t shock me. But for now, I’m grateful that a game like this exists and that the Switch port is little compromised. There is absolutely a market for these types of releases; I just think a lot of these players are latent, jaded by the state of the genre as a whole. Still, there are glimmers of hope. Konami recently released WBSC eBaseball: Power Pros on Switch in the West for the shockingly low price of 99 cents, presumably to gauge interest and gauge the release of more of these games in the West. And 2K’s WWE games could have arcade-style competition when AEW: Fight Forever launches soon. I hope this trend will continue. I want sports games that help me feel like I was a kid: having fun. And I know I’m not the only one.

A report

2023-06-24 16:04:16
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