Grand slam

The team at Metalhead Software has quietly been building up their Super Mega Baseball franchise for a while now. When the first game released I remember being shocked at how much fun it was, in addition to being a genuinely solid baseball experience. In a world where one baseball game is pretty much the only option and the rest are poor imitations, it can be hard to stand out. Now with their third game the team has continued what worked with the first two while adding a ton of new features and tweaks to make this the biggest and most impressive version yet.

It’s worth discussing right out of the gate that the price of SMB3 is above and beyond its past iterations. The series started as a smaller project that ended up being better than it had any right to. The second game upped the ante some, but this third game feels like a fully-fledged sports title. So while it seems drastic on the surface, the $44.99 price tag is not unreasonable. This is a game that has so much packed into it, it justifies the cost.

MSRP: $44.99
Platforms: XB1 (reviewed), PS4, Switch, PC
Price I’d Pay: $44.99

One of the things I love most about the Super Mega Baseball series is that anyone can play it however they want to. The game uses an extremely unique difficulty system called Ego. Setting it higher increases the difficulty making it more challenging. This affects everything from ball contact during batting to the pitching meter and fielding. It can be tweaked at any time during game play thus allowing players to either dominate or slowly build their skills for more of a challenge. As someone who is not into all the nuances of the sport,it reminded me of playing games like R.B.I. Baseball and Sports Talk Baseball back in the 16-bit days. Of course, if I wanted to it could also mimic a more simulated version of the sport if that is what I wanted.

One of the more fleshed out features in SMB3 are traits. In past games, these were as simple as players being nervous when the bases were loaded and the pitcher was facing a strong batter. In this iteration, they go further with each player having their own unique traits. One example is an RBI trait that increases contact when there are runners in scoring position or more control over pitching when ahead in strike count. What I love most about these is how forefront they are. Simply pulling the right trigger shows what traits are active and there is a sound cue anytime one is activated.

All of the previous game modes return with of course some new ones. The biggest addition of course being franchise mode. Players can now take on multiple seasons with their favorite team and develop players along the way. The new system is neat as players will age and retire and I had the option to train and develop younger players along the way.

Much like the exaggerated player models, upgrading players comes off just as whimsical and fun. For example, I could put a player into yoga classes to improve their running ability, or put them on a red meat-only diet in order to increase their hitting accuracy. Goofy stuff like this keeps things fresh and interesting. I loved connecting with my players and learning who I could rely on and who to sit on the bench.

Speaking of customization this game is packed with it. Like previous entries, there is a host of standard teams and stadiums to choose from, but I can also create my own. The options feel limitless and I have seen creations out there of original MLB teams all the way to compilations of other sports and even fantasy characters. The logo editor is great and coming up with my own roster of players with their own team name and logo is truly a blast.

There are plenty of online modes as well including the often-requested Pennant Chase, which is a ranked mode where players can test their skill against others. Playing with and against friends is a blast and I am glad the online has been fleshed out in this version.

I would be remiss if I didn’t discuss the visuals of the game. I love the character designs and exaggerated animations. The game did have some issues at times with performance even on my Xbox One X, but it seems to be getting ironed out with patches. The sound design is the only disappointment. The music feels forgettable and there is no announcing outside of player names as they walk up to the plate. I wish they could get a goofy team of commentators at some point to really liven up the overall experience.

Super Mega Baseball 3 is a phenomenal entry in the series, and it couldn’t have come at a better time. With MLB The Show branching out to multiple platforms next year it feels good that we will finally have two baseball games worth talking about during the season. No more is it a one-man game when it comes to America’s great pastime. Don’t let the price tag scare you, SMB3 is more than worth the price of admission and that overpriced hot dog.

Review copy of game provided by publisher.