MLB 2006

Last updated
MLB 2006
MLB 2006 cover.jpg
Developer 989 Sports
Publisher Sony Computer Entertainment America
Directors Scott Rohde
David Ortiz
Producers Chris Cutliff
Chris Gill
Jody Kelsey
Designers Kolbe Launchbaugh
Ed Brady
Programmer Tim Monk
Artist Brad Pollard
Composer Chris Stevens
Series MLB
Platforms PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable
ReleasePlayStation 2
PlayStation Portable
Genre Sports (baseball)
Modes Single-player, multiplayer

MLB 2006 is a baseball video game developed by 989 Sports and published by Sony Computer Entertainment for the PlayStation 2 on March 8, 2005. A PlayStation Portable version, simply titled MLB, was released in April 2005. Vladimir Guerrero of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim was featured on the cover.

Contents

The game was preceded by MLB 2005 and was the last game in the 989 MLB series before MLB games from SCEA started being released by San Diego Studio under the MLB: The Show series in 2006.

Gameplay

MLB 2006 offers a baseball simulation featuring all 30 Major League Baseball teams, authentic stadiums, and nearly 1,200 real players. The game includes multiple offline modes such as exhibition, season, career, franchise, and home run derby, as well as online options for tournaments and roster updates. Players can create custom athletes, even importing faces via an EyeToy camera. The season mode allows players to manage lineups, trades, and drafts while playing through a full schedule, including the All-Star Game and playoffs. Career mode focuses on a single player's journey from the minors to the majors, with performance-based promotions and contract negotiations. Franchise mode expands management responsibilities to include scouting, staff hiring, stadium upgrades, marketing, and budget control. Hits and fielding outcomes vary naturally, with bobbled balls, ricochets, and dirt-stained uniforms. Pitching uses a release-point meter system for accuracy, while batting relies on timing, with optional "guess pitch" and "guess location" features to improve odds. Fielding and baserunning controls allow for dives, throws to specific bases, and preloaded steal attempts. Confidence and player attributes influence performance, and CPU opponents adapt to patterns. Games can be fully played, simulated inning-by-inning, or managed through a SportsCast interface resembling a board game. Online play supports up to 32-player tournaments and includes messaging tools for organizing matches. Commentary by Matt Vasgersian and Dave Campbell tracks the action closely, complemented by realistic stadium sounds and crowd reactions. Adjustable difficulty levels and tuning sliders let players customize gameplay. [3]

Reception

The game received "favorable" reviews on both platforms according to the review aggregation website Metacritic. [4] [5] GamePro said that the PlayStation 2 version "follows up last year's comeback player of the year with control tweaks and makes its formidable Franchise mode even better." [24] [b] Some websites gave the same console version favorable reviews while it was still in development. [11] [21]

Notes

  1. ↑ Two critics of Electronic Gaming Monthly gave the PlayStation 2 version each a score of 7/10, and the other gave it 6.5/10.
  2. ↑ GamePro gave the PlayStation 2 version 4.5/5 for graphics, and three 4/5 scores for sound, control, and fun factor.

References

  1. ↑ "MLB 2006 SET TO HIT ONE OUT OF THE PARK ON PLAYSTATION 2". PlayStation.com. Sony Computer Entertainment America. March 8, 2005. Archived from the original on April 5, 2005. Retrieved March 2, 2025.
  2. ↑ IGN staff (May 3, 2005). "Game of the Month: April 2005". IGN . Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on July 20, 2018. Retrieved March 2, 2025.
  3. 1 2 Provo, Frank (March 11, 2005). "MLB 2006 Review". GameSpot . Fandom. Archived from the original on August 6, 2016. Retrieved March 2, 2025.
  4. 1 2 "MLB 2006". Metacritic . Fandom. Archived from the original on January 17, 2024. Retrieved March 2, 2025.
  5. 1 2 "MLB". Metacritic. Fandom. Archived from the original on April 20, 2024. Retrieved March 2, 2025.
  6. ↑ Ford, Greg; Intihar, Bryan; Mauro, Patrick (May 2005). "MLB 2006" (PDF). Electronic Gaming Monthly . No. 191. Ziff Davis. p. 132. Archived (PDF) from the original on August 8, 2022. Retrieved March 3, 2025.
  7. ↑ Reiner, Andrew (April 2005). "MLB 2006". Game Informer . No. 144. GameStop. p. 128. Retrieved March 2, 2025.
  8. ↑ Reiner, Andrew (June 2005). "MLB". Game Informer. No. 146. GameStop. p. 136. Retrieved March 2, 2025.
  9. ↑ Dodson, Joe (March 22, 2005). "MLB 2006 Review". GameRevolution . CraveOnline. Archived from the original on September 29, 2015. Retrieved March 3, 2025.
  10. ↑ Provo, Frank (April 15, 2005). "MLB Review". GameSpot. Fandom. Archived from the original on March 23, 2021. Retrieved March 2, 2025.
  11. 1 2 Leahy, Dan (February 25, 2005). "GameSpy: MLB 2006". GameSpy . IGN Entertainment. Archived from the original on June 24, 2007. Retrieved March 2, 2025.
  12. ↑ Chapman, David (April 22, 2005). "GameSpy: MLB". GameSpy. IGN Entertainment. Archived from the original on January 2, 2007. Retrieved March 2, 2025.
  13. ↑ Sandoval, Angelina (March 17, 2005). "MLB 2006 – PS2 – Review". GameZone. Archived from the original on December 30, 2008. Retrieved March 3, 2025.
  14. ↑ Lafferty, Michael (April 21, 2005). "MLB – PSP – Review". GameZone. Archived from the original on December 31, 2008. Retrieved March 3, 2025.
  15. ↑ Dunham, Jeremy (March 15, 2005). "MLB 2006". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on December 17, 2022. Retrieved March 2, 2025.
  16. ↑ Allen, Jason (April 15, 2005). "989 Sports MLB [sic]". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on January 11, 2025. Retrieved March 2, 2025.
  17. ↑ Ford, Greg (April 2005). "The Starting Lineup". Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine . No. 91. Ziff Davis. pp. 110–11. Retrieved March 2, 2025.
  18. ↑ Coffey, Robert (July 2005). "MLB". Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine. No. 94. Ziff Davis. p. 79. Retrieved March 2, 2025.
  19. ↑ "MLB 2006". PSM . No. 96. Future US. April 2005. p. 64.
  20. ↑ "MLB". PSM. No. 99. Future US. July 2005. p. 88.
  21. 1 2 Marriott, Scott Alan (February 15, 2005). "MLB 2006 Review". X-Play . G4 Media. Archived from the original on February 17, 2005. Retrieved March 2, 2025.
  22. ↑ Fischer, Russ (August 8, 2005). "MLB Review". X-Play. G4 Media. Archived from the original on November 14, 2005. Retrieved March 2, 2025.
  23. ↑ Cunningham, Sean (March 8, 2005). "MLB 2006". Maxim . MaximNet, Inc. Archived from the original on April 4, 2005. Retrieved March 2, 2025.
  24. ↑ Slo Mo (April 2005). "This Championship Season" (PDF). GamePro . No. 199. IDG. pp. 96–97. Archived (PDF) from the original on September 2, 2023. Retrieved March 2, 2025.
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