Baseball!, known in Europe as Videopac 8 – Baseball, is a 1978 baseball video game published by Magnavox and Philips for the Magnavox Odyssey², also known as the Philips Videopac G7000. It was a launch title for the system in North America. Contemporary critics considered it one of the better sports titles of its era and agreed it was better than Home Run for the Atari 2600 but not better than Major League Baseball for the Intellivision.
Gameplay
Baseball! is a two-player simulation of the sport of baseball. When pitching, players can choose to curve their pitches resembling the difference between curveballs and fastballs in the original sport. The defending player can also control the three outfielding players before and after a pitch. If an outfielder catches the ball they can choose which base to throw it to, potentially netting an out. All runners advance through the bases simulatinously, limiting the strategy on offense. The game features a home run fence, fly balls, and a full team of nine players. The game also features a rendition of “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” at the beginning of a game.
Reception
In 1980, Bill Kunkel and Arnie Katz wrote for “Arcade Alley”, a column of Video, that Baseball! was “the closest thing to the national pastime ever offered to home video game enthusiasts.” In 1981, the two authors writing for the New York Times said it had “aged well” thanks to its realistic gameplay and “attractive graphics”. They thought it was better than Atari’s Home Run but worse than Intellivision’s Major League Baseball.
The first issue of Electronic Games, edited by Kunkel and Katz, called it an “outstanding cartridge” and that it “balances out the key elements” of the sport. They thought it was “almost the equal of the best coin-op baseball machines.”
Brett Weiss in Classic Home Video Games, 1972-1984: A Complete Reference Guide said it was “one of the better pre-Intellivision sports games. He thought it was better than Atari’s Home Run in a number of different ways. George Sullivan in How to Win at Video Games: A Complete Guide simply called it “outstanding.” In 1983, French magazine Tilt called it one of the best sports video games currently available.
See also
- List of Magnavox Odyssey 2 games
References
External links
- Baseball! at The Odyssey² Homepage!
Gamer24h Editor's Take
Baseball! has made quite a name for itself in the gaming world, captivating us with its distinctive atmosphere and compelling gameplay dynamics. Thanks to Magnavox's meticulous craftsmanship and Magnavox's strong presentation, the high production quality is evident in every moment of the game. Masterfully blending Sports (Baseball) mechanics with modern standards, the game's fluid gameplay makes hours fly by unnoticed. If you're looking for an absorbing world and satisfying mechanics that pull you right in, this game might be exactly what you've been searching for.