With summer in full swing, America's national pastime is doing its best to stay relevant. As Major League Baseball fights the stigma of being too slow and boring, fans of the sport may want to play the game through the host of stellar video games that have been created throughout the decades.
Baseball video games date back to the arcade days of the early '70s, with later titles such as Home Run and Baseball released on Atari and NES, respectively. In the decades since, such iconic games as MLB 2K, MLB The Show, Mario Baseball, and many more have proliferated among all major gaming consoles. As such, baseball games are among some of the best sports gaming franchises available.
MVP Baseball 2005 - 88
Rated highest for its Nintendo GameCube release, MVP Baseball 2005 was designed and published by EA Sports. The game drew praise for its immersive depth, refined gameplay, and top-notch play-by-play commentary by San Francisco Giants announcers Duane Kuiper and Mike Krukow.
With two franchise modes, manager's mode, exhibition mode, a new "hitter's eye" control, and various practice scenarios, the game also became hailed for featuring 15 classic ballparks, over 100 retro uniforms, and more than 60 legendary players. Fans still wish this series was around today.
Out Of The Park Baseball 15 - 89
Created in 1999, Out of the Park Baseball (OOTP) is a baseball simulator made exclusively for the PC. What began on Windows 98 is now available on Windows 10, macOS, and Linux. As such, the technological upgrades of OOTP 15 are among the best in the genre.
With the option to play single games, whole seasons, or create an entire league from the ground up, OOTP 15 has been applauded for its incomparable flexibility, customizable gameplay, exhaustive stat tracking, managerial strategy, and stellar 3D graphics.
World Series Baseball 2K3 - 89
As the only 2K baseball game to make the list, World Series Baseball 2K3 earned its highest marks for the Xbox release. With marked improvements over its predecessor, the game boasted countless game mode options, including an expanded Franchise mode.
The game also drew praise for its fluid graphics, dynamic and realistic centerfield camera option, and three batting modes that include Regular, Curse & Power, and Timing. The only major gripe the game receives was its stodgy baserunning and extreme crowd noise.
MLB 11: The Show - 90
Sony's MLB The Show has supplanted all rivals to become the number one baseball game title on the market. The PS3 release of MLB 11: The Show garnered near-universal praise for Pure Analog Control System, lifelike graphics, the four-player Co-Op mode that allows online gamers to play on the same team, and a fun single-player Challenge of the Week that can bolster their online score.
The hyper-realistic baseball simulator boasts unparalleled tech such as stereoscopic 3D protocols, modified camera editing, upgraded weather patterns, pyrotechnic crowd displays, and more.
MVP Baseball 2004 - 90
MVP Baseball 2004 became the first game to feature licensing by both Major League and Minor League Baseball. As such, players could access players and teams in the Class AA & AAA league, which partially accounts for its higher rating than its 2005 successor.
Lauded for improved upgrades from its predecessor as well, the PS2 version of the game was most noted for its more precise batting controls, advanced Dynasty mode, dynamic player motion, and superb lifelike graphics.
MLB 09: The Show - 90
The PS3 version of MLB 09: The Show earned universal acclaim, with Metacritic giving it the "Must Play" seal of approval. The game is aimed at hardcore baseball fanatics who want to put their fingerprint over every minor and major part of running a professional franchise.
Upgrades to the previous franchise entry include Road to the Show 3.0, which adds a lead-off and steal portion to the beloved Career Mode, a Franchise Mode 2.0 that expands a player's contract negotiations, and an overhauled online mode that allows for customizable rosters. It also boasts 18 different types of pitches, new "Hotshot Fielding," "Multi-Branch Fielding," and "Progressive Batting Performance" options.
Out Of The Park Baseball 16 - 91
One of the major appeals of Out of the Park Baseball 16 is the number of international leagues it includes. The preeminent simulator game added the Australian Baseball League to a roster that already included leagues in Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, Cuba, Mexico, Holland, and Italy.
The PC version drew universal acclaim, according to Metacritic, namely for its granular managerial detail, allowing players to control every minor aspect of running a day-to-day, year-to-year franchise. The comprehensive gameplay and unmatched verisimilitude make OOTP 16 a winner all around.
MLB 10: The Show - 91
According to Metacritic, the best game in the MLB The Show franchise belongs to the PS3 version of MLB 10. With a "Must-Play" badge to go with its universal acclaim, the game's biggest addition was the popular Home Run Derby game mode.
The polished realism of the graphics and fluid dynamism of the players earned the game a reputation for being the most accurate and immersive baseball game on the market at the time. MLB 10: The Show also marked the last time in the franchise that the fan-favorite Legends Team was included, allowing players to access former all-time greats.
Out Of The Park Baseball 17 - 92
The text-based baseball simulator Out of the Park Baseball 17 is the ideal game for fans of the sport who always wished they could function as a general manager. Running every aspect of a franchise, from the micro to the macro, the sheer amount of statistical information, historical knowledge, and exhaustive detail is absolutely ideal
The depth of the game allows for endless managerial strategies to ensure the team's utmost success. Players can create leagues from whole cloth, participate in the current MLB, or go back in history and play the game's best and brightest.
Out Of The Park Baseball 2007 - 96
According to Metacritic, OOTP 2007 is the best game baseball video game out there. As the second-highest rated PC game in Metacritic history, the universally beloved text-based simulator is ideal for the fantasy sports nut or obsessed armchair GM.
Extolled for its user-friendly gameplay, a wealth of mode options, and highly entertaining replay value, OOTP 2007 was also seen as a return to form for the franchise that had been declining in previous years. Upgrades to the online engine, speed of play, and interface navigability make OOTP 2007 the best of its kind.