1994 

 

 

Before World Series Baseball by Sega, baseball video games were essentially in a 2D "stone age".  Some of you might remember the old "RBI Baseball" series by Tengen, as well as most 8 bit baseball games.  Now, to be fair to 8 bit "Bases Loaded" for NES, it "almost" advanced the pitcher/batter duel into the modern age of "simulated 3D"...but all you had to do was follow the catcher's mitt to hit the location where the ball would arrive (since it was a "behind the pitcher view). Bases Loaded stopped short of the next "logical step" in simulated batting/pitching. 

However, World Series Baseball by Sega took the "behind the catcher" batting view and directional hitting idea and made it into reality (or...virtual reality).  WSB was an immensely playable licensed baseball game with the most remarkable 3D batting/directional hitting interface of its day.  It influenced most future baseball games and their hitting (particularly EA's "MVP Baseball Series"). 

WSB also had several optional types of batting cursors that were varying in size to simulate the ability of a given hitter and their contact area.  This gave extremely "sim" results that - until that day- were only possible by using mostly "stat driven" games such as Tony LaRussa Baseball.  

Even today, I contend that my biggest gripe about 2K's MLB Baseball series is that it doesn't have directional/3D hitting- something introduced 14 years ago in World Series Baseball, which- unsurprisingly- is a core component of EA's MVP Series and Sony's "The Show" series.  Its even present in the more cartoony "MLB Power Pros".

 

..But we have World Series Baseball to thank for that.

 

 

 

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