Foolish (but Officially Licensed) Games

Hayes Bowman

For the price you'd pay to see two analog ballgames, you can instead play season after season of baseball in the cold glow of your computer monitor and/or television. This is ideal if you live in a city without Major League Baseball (like Pittsburgh), or a city with demoralizing, spirit-breaking baseball (Seattle), or if like me, you have a web of civil-disturbance related court orders that technically prevent you from getting your own mail (see previous articles). Here's a handy guide to the major players and what they offer. I reviewed titles on a PC running Windows 95 with a Voodoo graphics card, and a Sony Playstation.

Before I start, I'd like to lament the lack of fighting in MLB video games. Sure, you can bean players all you want, and in Triple Play they'll stare back at the pitcher before trotting off, but you can never brawl. Remember "Blades of Steel"? You know what I'm talking about.

Triple Play 99 (PC/Sony)

Why do games seem to randomly select a year for their titles? It's wacky. Anyway, TP99 has smooth graphics that are equal to any in the genre, smooth play, fine sound, and commentators significantly less annoying than my own home team's. It's the best of its class.

Difficulty scales nicely from introductory beginner to the All-Star level which is extremely challenging. Once you get the hang of game play so you can mash the buttons without thinking, it's nice. Smoking liners still make me look stupid on the hot corner, but hey, Cal gets away with it. And like all computer games, the computer has a much better eye for pitches than you do, which puts you at a biiiig handicap (my strategy: jam 'em). I often found my baserunners making basic, stupid errors, but that could just be me drinking.

Commentary is sometimes annoying and out-of-place (I hit a 386-ft double that bounced against the wall, and the computer said "he didn't get much wood on that one"). All in all, as much fun as I've had playing a computer game in a long time. Also features Alex Rodriguez, best player in baseball, on the front.

MLB 99 (Sony)

Looks great, plays pretty good. Controls are easy (but then, it's a console game, and console games tend to be designed by people with a lot of experience with making controls simple and elegant). Game play is actually fun and rarely frustrating. You can actually fool batters with off-speed stuff, which made me happy. I preferred Triple Play for the PC just because you get better and clearer 3D graphics, but MLB's a good time. Rent 'em both.

Baseball Mogul (PC)

You think you can run a baseball club better than your local GM? Well, you can. Baseball Mogul lets you change ticket prices, concession prices, trade players, decide how much money to spend on medical expenses, your farm system, and lots more. It's great to lower ticket prices to $5, beer to $2, pack the stadium to build fan loyalty while almost making your losses back in concessions. You can conduct fire sales, raid the free agent market, and stick it to Steinbrenner over and over. It's great. For a while.

The problem with Mogul is that after you've managed a successful franchise to a decade of playoff appearances, your roster stocked with hand-picked fine players (hint: Jose Cruz Jr. hits 55+ HRs/year his whole career in the last data patch -- get him), you'll realize you've spent days playing it, and for what? Still, I recommend checking this out if you're into the front-office side. There's a new version due out Any Day Now (since the start of the season), because MLB is screwing around with the license, but check out this year's demo at www.imonkey.com.

Hardball 6 (PC)

Maybe I'm spoiled, but the graphics weren't that great, the audio wasn't that great, and the game play wasn't that great. The only thing I thought was cool was the Training Camp, where you can practice. Other games would do well to pick this feature up. It's hard to learn how to cut off a throw in the middle of a game, and this went a long way in making me comfortable. Still, I found myself playing Hardball 6 and thinking of Triple Play 99. Hardball 6 has better options and a better menu system, but really, who cares?

Microsoft Baseball 3D 1998 Edition (some PCs)

Microsoft again hires a smaller, nimbler company to give the impression that Microsoft has a fun side (it doesn't). It worked with Age of Empires, but it fails here. This game is for 3D-accelerator-equipped machines only (and by only, we mean those box requirements are for real). Pitching is controlled by frantically trying to move a cursor in a box in a limited amount of time. Batting is equally tough. Fielding is tough. And while you'll initially find the crowd response funny (they'll boo and heckle as you flail ineffectually), it quickly grates. You could play in spoon-feeding mode, but it's no fun, and the hard levels are impossible. I want difficulty from my baseball games, but not like this. Plus, it's from Microsoft, so you'll have to live with that on your head.

Front Page Sports Baseball Pro 98 (PC)

Great front-office features, but the actual game is akin to Superstar Baseball on the NES. Graphics are lame. Game play is lame. If you want front-office sim, play 'Baseball Mogul', and if you want an enjoyable game sim, play 'Triple Play 99'. And why does Sierra put 'Pro' on their titles? To distinguish them from "Front Page Sports: College Baseball 99" or "Independent League 99"?

Super MLB Unassisted Triple-Play Pro Mogul Baseball 99 (PC)

Awesome graphics, smooth, intuitive game play, great sound, non-intrusive announcers and play-by-play, regional context-sensitive hecklers, a wide variety of play options, a realistic economic front office model, and endorsed by Alex Rodriguez. Mastery enables you to participate in the front office decisions of your local team.

Hayes Bowman is currently negotiating with a neighborhood pub to run tubing from the bar to Hayes' living room so that he will never have to leave the house again. Contribute generously to the MLB Extra Innings Satellite Fund at bowman@strikethree.com.