“The one constant through all the years […] has been baseball. America has rolled by like an army of steamrollers. It has been erased like a blackboard, rebuilt, and erased again. But baseball has marked the time.” – Field of Dreams
At the dawn of the 32 bit era, the video game market was beginning to get a bit crowded. Nintendo had maintained dominance since pulling the industry up from the ashes after the video game crash of the early 1980s; however, Sega took a large chunk of the pie during the 16 bit era with its most successful console, the Genesis. By the mid-90s though, Sony had entered the game with its PlayStation, a system initially started out in a partnership with Nintendo to develop a CD add-on for the Super Nintendo.
As a teenager in 1996, I was faced with three options for a new video game system, and Nintendo’s N64 seemed like the apparent choice. Unfortunately, the system had recently launched and was highly in demand, leaving me with only two choices for instant gratification: the Sony PlayStation or the Sega Saturn.
Knowing the PlayStation only from a commercial for the game Descent, featuring Jenny McCarthy, I decided to stick with the company I had picked during the last generation.
After all, I was certain a new Sonic game to rival Super Mario 64 was on the way and I enjoyed Daytona USA at the arcade, well enough. Other than that, I knew nothing of the system’s potential offerings. After picking up the Saturn, the only question left was to decide which game would start the collection. Thankfully, there was a commercial to answer this question, too.
If Brad Radke isn’t enough to get consumers to shell out their cash, perhaps the appearance of Fred “Crime Dog” McGriff on the box will…
Even though the largest selling point of this era in gaming was the transfer into the 3D realm, World Series Baseball II still incorporated flat, sprite based images for the players. The stadiums, on the other hand, is where the game shines from a graphical standpoint. Each stadium is perfectly modeled to give the illusion of stepping onto the hallowed ground of each cathedral to the game. The opening video of Jacobs Field clearly demonstrates the power the Saturn has over the Genesis version.
At the time of the game’s release, my favorite team was the Baltimore Orioles, due to their relatively close proximity to my house and because they were actually decent for a few seasons. Being able to take the virtual reigns of a pre-steroids scandal Rafael Palmeiro, Iron Man Cal Ripken Jr., or ultimate “that guy” BJ Surhoff.
Of course, graphics matter for little if the gameplay is terrible. I’m looking at you World Series Baseball 2K1.
Thankfully, World Series Baseball II predates the endless options to cover every single aspect of the game, down to how much cocaine players snort before taking the field, and focuses on delivering a solid gameplay experience that’s still enjoyable today. Pitch the ball, hit the ball, field the ball. It’s like an updated NES R.B.I.Baseball for the mid-90s.
With the pickup and play quality of NBA JAM, a full 9 innings can be played in about 20 minutes, making this an excellent option for people who want to get their baseball fix but have shit to do. I enjoy Sony’s The Show series of baseball games, but I have to clear my schedule in order to play a single game. There simply comes a time when it takes longer to set the game up than it does to play it.
That’s not to say the game is barebones. Pitchers fatigue and will accordingly lose movement on their balls, as well as their pitches, forcing players to swap out the Ace for some scrub in the bullpen.
Players stats are weighted accordingly to their real-world performance. Frank Thomas is still a beast and Albert Belle is still an asshole. While it stings to give up the game winning homer to one of these sluggers, it never feels like the game is cheating.
Apart from the standard exhibition and season modes, the game features a fairly unique playoff mode where you can jump right into the post-season with a team of your choosing. This is a great feature for anyone who wants to play a few series of games but can’t stomach going through all 162 games; although, you can shorten the season to your liking.
Growing up, one of my favorites modes was always the Homerun Derby because I wanted to explore all of the great stadiums included in the game, and this was the best way to explore all the delicious nooks and crannies each stadium is known for. This is also a great historical document for all the stadiums that have been demolished since the game’s release, and it’s still as enjoyable as ever to take a crack at the right field upper deck in old Tiger Stadium
Nowadays, hipster d-bags will praise the Saturn and how it was a misunderstood system and other horseshit. I make no qualms that the system is my least favorite of this era, but it is mainly due to how well the other systems were executed. It was the last generation when each system genuinely had their own feel and identity.
The World Series Baseball franchise would see another game released on the Saturn before moving onto the Dreamcast, ultimately seeing its final releases for the PlayStation 2 and Xbox.
Baseball has not proven to be as successful on game consoles in recent years as the Madden series has for football, largely due to Sony being the only real publisher of yearly updates. There have been some updated versions of R.B.I. Baseball in recent years, but these appear to be slapped together mobile games that also got ported to the home systems and are largely banking on past nostalgia.
Like the game it emulates, World Series Baseball II remains a timeless classic that both veterans and rookies can appreciate and enjoy. Being a sports game, used copies are abundant and cheap, and it’s a worthy addition to anyone late to Saturn collecting who is looking to supplement their collection with more affordable titles.
