| 3D Baseball | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Developer(s) | Crystal Dynamics |
| Publisher(s) | |
| Designer(s) | Sam Player |
| Platform(s) | PlayStation, Sega Saturn |
| Release | PlayStationSega Saturn |
| Genre(s) | Sports |
| Mode(s) | Single player, multiplayer |
3D Baseball is a sports game developed and published by Crystal Dynamics and distributed by Mindscape. It was released in December 1996 for PlayStation and Sega Saturn. It features CNN sportscaster Van Earl Wright as the announcer.
There are over 700 major league players included with their own statistics and batting stances (50 of which are included).
In the season mode, which is a full season of baseball, players can play it with an arcade setting or can be the general manager of the chosen team. Being the general manager means players will have to actually run the team. Players have to pick line-ups and the pitching rotation, substitute batters and runners, trade players, etc. This also allows players to build their very own dream team featuring their favorite players. Players can play a short or extended season or opt to play a quickie arcade game against the computer or friend. [2]
The player animations were created using a new animation process called Real Motion Control, which involved motion capture. [3] Game designer Sam Player explained the concept behind this process: "The reason everything always ends up looking choppy in [most motion capture] games is that the machines can't store all the frames necessary for the full animation, and they end up showing every fifth frame or so. What we do is build polygonal models, break each model up into joints, and then follow the curve of each joint in motion. Then we save those curves instead of each individual frame of animation." [4]
| Publication | Score |
|---|---|
| GameRevolution | B+ [5] |
| GameSpot | 7.6/10 (PS) [6] 7/10 (SS) [7] |
| Next Generation |   (SS) [8] |
| The Electric Playground | 6/10 (PS) [9] |
The game received mixed reviews from critics. Reviews for the Saturn version typically commented that the game's smooth polygonal models and motion capture methodology combined to make the most realistic-looking baseball players in a video game to date, [7] [8] [10] but that the gameplay, though as good or better than most baseball games, falls short of the leading competitors of the time, World Series Baseball II and Triple Play 97. [7] [8] [10] GamePro particularly mentioned some frustrations with the fielding controls. [10]
Reviewing the PlayStation version, Hugh Sterbakov of GameSpot praised the realism and the voice of Van Earl Wright, but criticized the absences of Major League Baseball teams or logos, that players can only take the field in four "imaginary" ballparks, and that it lacks all-star, home run derby, and playoff modes. [6] GamePro panned the game, remarking that "although the graphics rank among the best of any baseball game, the gameplay's among the worst." They elaborated that the camera's practice of zooming in on the fielder makes it hard to know what is going on, and the physics are highly inaccurate. [11] Game Revolution praised the game's "outstanding" 3D graphics, real stances and swings, "excellent" sound effects and commentary, competitive gameplay, and real teams that can be updated through trades. [5]
Virtua Fighter is a fighting game created for the Sega Model 1 arcade platform by AM2, a development group within Sega, headed by Yu Suzuki. An early prototype version was location tested in Japan by August 1993, before the complete game was released worldwide in October 1993. It is the first game in the Virtua Fighter series, and the first arcade fighting game to feature fully 3D polygon graphics. The game has been ported to several platforms including the Sega Saturn, Sega 32X, and Microsoft Windows.
Virtua Cop is a 1994 light gun shooter game developed by Sega AM2 and designed by Yu Suzuki. It was originally an arcade game on the Sega Model 2 system, and was ported to the Sega Saturn in 1995 and Windows in 1996. The Saturn version included support for both the Virtua Gun and Saturn mouse, as well as a new "Training Mode" which consists of a randomly generated shooting gallery.
X-Men vs. Street Fighter is a crossover fighting video game developed and published by Capcom. It is Capcom's third fighting game to feature Marvel Comics characters, following X-Men: Children of the Atom and Marvel Super Heroes, and is the first installment in the Marvel vs. Capcom series. As the title suggests, the game includes characters from Marvel's X-Men franchise and the cast from Capcom's Street Fighter series. Originally released as a coin-operated arcade game in 1996, it was ported to the Sega Saturn in 1997 and the PlayStation in 1998.
Wayne Gretzky's 3D Hockey is a video game developed and published by Atari Games for the arcade in 1996. A port for the Nintendo 64 console was released almost simultaneously with the arcade version, on November 15, 1996, making it the first-ever 4-player game for the Nintendo 64, beating Mario Kart's Japanese release by more than a month. The game was followed by a sequel, Wayne Gretzky's 3D Hockey '98.
Mortal Kombat Trilogy is a fighting game released by Midway in 1996 as the second and final update to Mortal Kombat 3 for the PlayStation, Nintendo 64, Sega Saturn and PCs. Further versions were also released for the Game.com and R-Zone. It features a similar basic gameplay system and the same story as Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3, but adds characters and stages restored from Mortal Kombat and Mortal Kombat II. New additions to the game included the "Aggressor" bar. The Brutality mechanic was introduced with this installment. The game was met with positive to mixed reviews upon release.
Marvel Super Heroes is a fighting video game developed by Capcom. Originally released in the arcade in 1995 on the CPS-2 arcade system, it was ported to the Sega Saturn and PlayStation in late 1997. The game, alongside Marvel vs. Capcom: Clash of Super Heroes, was also included in the Marvel vs. Capcom Origins collection, released digitally for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in September 2012.
Virtua Fighter 2 is a 1994 fighting video game developed by Sega. It is the sequel to Virtua Fighter (1993), and the second game in the Virtua Fighter series. It was created by Sega's Yu Suzuki-headed AM2 and was released for arcades in 1994. Ports were released for the Sega Saturn in 1995 and Microsoft Windows in 1997.
FIFA 97 is a football simulation video game developed by EA Canada and published by Electronic Arts. It was released for PC on 24 June 1996 and versions for PlayStation, SNES, Mega Drive and Sega Saturn followed.
Madden NFL 98 is a 1997 football video game. It was the last edition of the Madden series to be released for the Super NES, Genesis and Sega Saturn platforms, as well as the last Madden game to utilize 2D sprites for the players and referee, on 3D playing fields.
NBA Live 98 is a basketball video game based on the National Basketball Association and the fourth installment of the NBA Live series. Its cover art features Tim Hardaway of the Miami Heat. The game was developed by EA Sports in 1997 for Windows, PlayStation, and Sega Saturn, while also being the final NBA Live game released for the Super NES, Genesis, and Sega Saturn.
Dead or Alive is a 1996 fighting game by Tecmo and the first entry in Team Ninja's long-running Dead or Alive series. It was released first in arcades, followed by home ports for the Sega Saturn in Japan, and later for the PlayStation in all regions.
Virtua Fighter is a series of fighting games created by Sega-AM2 and designer Yu Suzuki. The original Virtua Fighter was released in October 1993 and has received four main sequels and several spin-offs. The highly influential first Virtua Fighter game is widely recognized as the first 3D fighting game released.
NHL 97 is an ice hockey video game by EA Sports. It was released in 1996 and was the successor to NHL 96. It is the sixth installment of the NHL series and the first to be released on both PlayStation and Saturn. A Panasonic M2 version was in development and slated to be one of the launch titles for it, but never happened due to the cancellation of the system.
Maximum Force is a light gun shooter arcade game developed by Mesa Logic for Atari Games in 1997. In 1998, Atari Games re-released the game as part of one machine called Area 51/Maximum Force Duo that also included Area 51, and later ported the game to both the Sony PlayStation and Sega Saturn game consoles.
Madden NFL 97 is a football video game released in 1996. It was the first multiplatform Madden game released for the 32-bit consoles, being released on both the PlayStation and Sega Saturn. 16-bit versions were also made for the established Super NES and Genesis platforms, as well as a portable version for the Game Boy.
Alien Trilogy is a first-person shooter video game developed by Probe Entertainment and published by Acclaim Entertainment in 1996 for the PlayStation, Sega Saturn, and MS-DOS platforms. The game is based on the first three movies in the Alien film series. One of the first games developed by Probe following their acquisition by Acclaim, it debuted Acclaim's much-hyped motion capture technology. The game was well-received by critics, who praised its recreation of the films' atmosphere and its gameplay depth compared to other first-person shooters, and was a commercial success.
NBA Jam Extreme is a 1996 basketball arcade game by Acclaim Entertainment based on the 1996–97 NBA season. After Midway Games released two NBA Jam games, Acclaim, the publisher of the home versions of NBA Jam, ended up winning the exclusive rights to use the Jam name. NBA Jam Extreme was the first Jam game from Acclaim, as well as the first edition of the game to use 3D graphics. In contrast, Midway's competing NBA game NBA Hangtime featured 2-D visuals similar to the previous Jam games. Extreme also features longtime sports broadcaster Marv Albert doing commentary instead of original commentator Tim Kitzrow. New to the game is the "Extreme" button, essentially a super version of the series' trademark "Turbo" button. The cover features Shawn Kemp of the Seattle SuperSonics, and Hakeem Olajuwon of the Houston Rockets.
Frank Thomas Big Hurt Baseball is a multiplatform baseball simulation game that was licensed by the Major League Baseball Players Association, featuring the likeness, motion captured movements, and "Big Hurt" branding of player Frank Thomas.
NBA Live 97 is the third installment of the NBA Live video games series. The cover features Mitch Richmond of the Sacramento Kings. The game was developed by EA Sports and released in 1996. The MS-DOS, Sega Saturn and PlayStation versions featured polygonal models for the on-court players, thus marking it as the first 3D EA Sports Basketball sequel for the series. It was also the first NBA Live released for the Sega Saturn. The game received mostly positive reviews for its advanced graphics and wide array of available moves and plays, though the Saturn conversion was reviled for numerous technical deficiencies. NBA Live 97 is followed by NBA Live 98.
Street Fighter EX is a 2D head-to-head fighting game with 3D graphics, originally released as a coin-operated arcade game for the Sony ZN hardware in 1996. It is a spin-off of the Street Fighter series co-produced by Capcom with Arika and was the first game in the series to feature 3D polygon graphics. It was followed by an updated arcade version titled Street Fighter EX Plus, as well as a PlayStation-exclusive home console version titled Street Fighter EX Plus α, both released in 1997. A Nintendo 64 version was also announced for release in 1997, but later cancelled.