Super Mega Baseball 2 Review Realism Takes A Back Seat To Fun

Title: Super Mega Baseball 2

Available on: Xbox One, PS4, PC, Nintendo Switch

Developer: Metalhead Software

Publisher: Metalhead Software

Genre: Sports

Version Tested: Nintendo Switch

Official Site: Super Mega Baseball

Release Date: May 2019 for PC, Xbox One and PS4. July 25, 2019, for Nintendo Switch

Where to Buy: Microsoft Store, PSN Store, Steam, Nintendo Store

Fun Substituted for Realism

Super Mega Baseball 2 is a return to form for a beloved, off the beaten path, baseball game. It’s not every day a sports series can succeed without promising realism.

This is especially the case when talking about professional baseball. MLB The Show has cornered the market in this segment of video games. The title has only strengthened its hold over the years.

Contenders have come and gone, but MLB The Show stands alone. What makes Super Mega Baseball 2 refreshing is its developers aren’t trying to beat the king of the hill at its own game. Metalhead has decided it’s more important for players to have fun.

In aiming for enjoyment overstepping into a real major league park, the company has hit the mark. The good news is that Metalhead managed to take what it did well in Super Mega Baseball and improve on it. The graphics aren’t made to look as though the players are real. The stats aren’t going to look like a real major league team. It doesn’t matter and it doesn’t take away from the amount of fun that can be had.

Hitting it Out of the Park

Even the title of Super Mega Baseball 2 makes it clear realism isn’t the goal. That doesn’t mean there aren’t some features familiar to sports gamers.

This title includes a couple of different modes. The first is just a pickup and play exhibition version. There is also a regular-season mode that allows players to go up against the computer or another player for dozens of games. This allows players to amass stats that will really pop off the page.

Perhaps the most interesting, and simultaneously frustrating mode is the Pennant Race. This mode allows for some real separation for Super Mega Baseball 2 from MLB The Show in a positive way. The Pennant Race allows you to enter into a kind of online tournament with other people.

Going head-to-head for five innings with other people drives up the drama as you look to finish at or near the top in these timed tournaments. On the flip side, it’s a good idea to train yourself a bit on the details of how to play the game against the computer. If you jump into the Pennant Race right away, you’re likely going to find yourself struggling to score and keep your opponents off the board.

No matter what mode gets the favoritism, really getting a hold of a pitch is just as, if not more satisfying than in more realistic baseball titles.

Offering What Others Can’t

One of the best features of Super Mega Baseball 2 was likely included in the game out of necessity. Despite being available on the PS4, Xbox One, PC and even the Nintendo Switch, this isn’t a title that’s going to have a huge player base. In order to make up for the lack of players on any one platform, the game has cross-play capabilities.

That could also tip off one of the drawbacks of the game. While using the Switch to review this title there was a very obvious symbol that pointed out when a player from another platform was in the contest. It was rare not to see that symbol pop up next to a user’s name. While it’s entirely possible Super Mega Baseball 2 hasn’t been out long enough to build up a player base on the Switch, it released almost a month ago.

With such a low base on the Switch, it’s hard to know how long the Pennant Race feature is going to be fun enough to keep going back. However, the game offers enough fun just going up against the computer that a lack of people online doesn’t take all the fun away.

Customization options stand out

Finding a way to blow a pitch by a batter is fun enough. Finding the right combination for your favorite team is even better. Super Mega Baseball 2 offers a ton of different team options for players to choose from and tailor to their interests.

Are you someone who loves to run teams out of the ballpark by stealing base after base? How about shutting your opponent down with superb starters or a lockdown bullpen? Blasting it out of the ballpark more your thing? There’s a team in the game for you.

Should you want to tweak something here or there, you can do that as well. If you’re missing a bit of realism, you can, at the very least name all the players on your team after a real MLB squad. All of these features combine to make a truly enjoyable arcade baseball game.

Verdict: Super Mega Baseball 2 offers up a ton of fun despite eschewing realism. If there is one big drawback it’s some visibility issues using the Switch’s handheld mode.