Video Game Review: Super Mega Baseball 3

Super Mega Baseball 3

Metalhead Software

Sports

Nintendo Switch

The Nintendo Switch isn’t the best place for sports game and that’s really a shame. Being able to play AAA titles on the go would be a dream, and while series like NBA 2K and FIFA are available on the Switch, the experience is highly compromised. There are quite a few baseball games available on the console, but the only decent title with a license has been the RBI Baseball series, and even then the game is hollow outside of the core gameplay. For baseball fans, Super Mega Baseball 3 is a surprising delight. Even without the MLB licensing, Super Mega Baseball 3 is the best baseball game available on Switch right now.

Super Mega Baseball 3 plays a lot like other baseball games, but everything feels tight and balanced. Pitches are aimed somewhere around a box, then the batter will try to place a cursor over the ball’s position and swing. There isn’t too much crazy depth in the actual act of pitching and swinging, though this isn’t a problem. This is an easy to pick up baseball game that can be learned by just about any player.

For those who are more experienced at baseball games there is plenty here to enjoy as well. While the gameplay loop is simple, it can get rather competitive at higher skill levels. Aiming pitches in the corners of the strike zone and trying to psych out the batter is a satisfying experience. A multitude of pitches that change up the gameplay keeps the experience strategic. Pitchers can alternate between standard and power pitches as well to change the tempo. Power pitches are much more difficult to pull off due to the player needing both accuracy and timing to avoid wild pitches. Power batting is similar when it comes to accuracy and timing, making the player constantly weigh risk vs reward.

The AI is fair and actually very competent. Super Mega Baseball 3 uses a difficulty system called Ego that allows the game to get more difficult as the player naturally grows. It’s a great system that allows the player to constantly challenge themselves against a worthy opponent. The game gets more difficult as the player’s ego grows, and even the most experienced players will likely be challenged at higher egos. The spectrum that is the ego system feels more natural than rigid systems in sports games like “Easy” or “Very hard.”

The ego system is also used for matchmaking in online matches, and while the system isn’t perfect, it does a fine job at matching players of similar skill levels. It’s less accurate in the beginning when everyone has a low ego and hasn’t had time to show the game just how good they are yet, but the experience gets better as the player plays more.

The lack of an MLB license will likely be felt by the most avid baseball fans, but the game’s solid gameplay and charm more than makes up for it. Super Mega Baseball 3 features some fantastic customization options that allow players to make the player, team, and league of their dreams. The lack of a license also leads to some original charm, introducing me to fictional players that I actually found myself loving. The leagues in Super Mega Baseball 3 seem to be coed, so men and women are present on the field together, adding some unique diversity that usually isn’t in baseball games.

The franchise mode is where most of the game’s depth can be seen. The customization options mentioned before all available to use as players lead whatever team they want to a dynasty. There are tons of management options, making this one of the most complete franchise modes available in all sports games. Player signings, growth, trades, and much more are all available in a satisfying package.

There are other ways to enjoy Super Mega Baseball 3 too. The Pennant Race Mode is a constantly competitive online mode that is surprisingly cross-platform. Those who don’t want to get invested into a full franchise can simply play a single season in the game’s Season Mode. The option to play solo and with friends exists beyond the simple exhibition mode with a variety of tournament options. I was disappointed to see that there isn’t a career mode where I can take a single player and lead them to stardom. It’s usually one of my favorite modes in sports games and I’d like to see in incorporated in the next sequel. Still, despite the lack of a career mode, there is plenty to do to keep busy in Super Mega Baseball 3.

The cartoony character models bring charm to the game, though not everyone will be a fan of the lack of realism. Still, the lack of realism in the models allows the game to look cleaner than other sports games on the Switch that look a bit muddy due to the system’s limitations. This is a good looking game with some beautiful fields to play in. The sound effects and commentating are a bit lacking, but that is probably the weakest area in this game’s presentation.

Super Mega Baseball 3 is easily one of the most satisfying modern baseball games available. It’s not as flashy as bigger titles like The Show, but it more than makes up for it with fantastic gameplay and a surprising amount of depth. This is a must-play for baseball fans, regardless of how casual or hardcore they are.