R B I Baseball 4
R.B.I. Baseball is a baseball sports video game series. R.B.I. stands for “run batted in“. Launched in 1987 as a localized version of Namco‘s Family Stadium series, the R.B.I. Baseball series initially ran through 1995. In 2014, the series was rebooted as a competitor to MLB: The Show, with releases each year until its cancellation. The series ended in 2022 with the release of MLB The Show 22 on the Nintendo Switch.
History – R B I Baseball 4
Further information: Pro Baseball: Family Stadium
Namco developed and released Pro Yakyū: Family Stadium (Pro Baseball: Family Stadium) for the Family Computer (Famicom), the first game in their Family Stadium series, on December 10, 1986.[2] Pro Baseball: Family Stadium was created by Namco programmer Yoshihiro Kishimoto, who had previously worked on games such as Baraduke (1985).[3]
Atari Games released a Nintendo VS. System arcade machine of Family Stadium named Atari R.B.I. Baseball in 1987.[4] Atari programmer Peter Lipson adapted Family Stadium into the American localized version R.B.I. Baseball for the NES, which was published by Atari Games subsidiary Tengen.[5] Subsequent editions were published until 1995, mostly on Sega systems.
In 2014, Major League Baseball Advanced Media, the digital arm of MLB, revived the name for a new series of MLB games featuring arcade-style gameplay influenced by the original series. The new series, which had annual releases, was made available on multiple platforms.
The series was meant to contrast the Sony-published and formerly PlayStation-exclusive MLB The Show, which is considered more simulationist in its focus.[6] In 2022, the series was cancelled due to the release of MLB The Show 22 on the Nintendo Switch.[7]
Gameplay – R B I Baseball 4
R B I Baseball 4l was the first console game of its kind to be licensed by the Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA) and used actual MLB player names, unlike other baseball video games of the late 1980s. As it was not licensed by Major League Baseball (MLB) itself, it did not use team nicknames or logos. Instead, the game contained 8 teams listed by only their location: Boston, California, Detroit, Houston, Minnesota, New York, St. Louis, and San Francisco; their real-life, MLB counterparts were the first place teams in each division in 1986 (Boston, California, Houston, New York) and 1987 (Detroit, Minnesota, St. Louis, San Francisco) MLB seasons.
Reception – R B I Baseball 4
Most every edition of R.B.I. Baseball typically received “generally unfavorable reviews” from critics starting with its 2014 reboot, according to review aggregator Metacritic.[15][16][17][18] R.B.I. Baseball 19 received “mixed or average reviews”.[19]
IGN called R.B.I. Baseball 14 and 15 “bad”.[20][21] Forbes gave bad reviews to 16,[22] 17,[23] and 18. 18 was criticized for its animation and collision detection.[24] Polygon called R.B.I. Baseball 18 “primitive”.[25]
R.B.I. Baseball 18 was nominated for “Sports Game” and “Strategy/Simulation Game” at the 2019 Webby Awards.[26]
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