Coronavirus has rapidly swept across the globe, leaving most of us trapped in our homes with little to do. While doctors, nurses, and other essential workers bravely risk infection, the rest of us are desperate for entertainment to keep our minds off the current state of affairs. Readers of this site usually turn to baseball for this purpose, but MLB is suspended indefinitely andif they do return it may be in empty spring training stadiums with quarantined players.

Therefore, digital simulations may be the closest thing to normal baseball for the foreseeable future. With that in mind, I wanted to take a look at the current baseball video game landscape and try to offer some help to people who may be looking to jump in for the first time. I won’t be covering every single game out there but instead will summarize the strengths and weaknesses of the main players. If you love baseball but haven’t experienced the gaming side of it, this really is the best time to give it a shot.

Cubs Shortstop Javier Baez graces the cover of this year’s edition

Cubs Shortstop Javier Baez graces the cover of this year’s edition

Before talking about the game it is important to note that The Show is currently EXCLUSIVE TO PLAYSTATION 4. If you have an Xbox One or a Nintendo Switch you cannot play this game, but I do have good news!Starting next year, The Show will be available for these consoles.This is great for fans who have been locked out of a true baseball simulation for years, and also good for the game of baseball as it seeks to grow its young base. Having the premiere baseball title only available on Playstation while games like Madden, FIFA, and NBA 2K have successfully driven youth interest in those respective sports was never a good situation for MLB.

Price Point:$59.99

Ever since2K backed out of the baseball market in 2014, MLB The Show has been the dominant, and really only, title for realistic simulation baseball. That characterization is not exactly fair though, as The Show was consistently delivering a vastly superior product than the 2K titles.

For most baseball fans, this is the game you are looking for. It includes everything that sports fans expect from a top tier title. “Franchise Mode” allows you to play as a Major League team for multiple seasons, “Road to the Show” tasks you with creating a player and pushing through the minor leagues and onto the big stage, and “Moments” places you into memorable moments in the league’s history and asks you to recreate them.

The Show 20 also features a variety of online modes that include “Diamond Dynasty”, where players collect cards featuring players from different eras and try to build the ultimate roster to take on other competitors. This game mode is incredibly deep and offers a variety of challenges and customization that always give players something to come back for.

This year’s game features full Minor League rosters and likenesses along with a team and logo editor for franchise mode, both firsts for the franchise. To the annoyance of many fans, the game still does not have a create your own ballpark option.

Ultimately, The Show 20 has the best animations, graphics, commentary, stadium detail and finish of any game on the market. As is typical for most yearly sports franchise games, The Show 20 is not a huge upgrade from the 2019 version, so I would recommend only upgrading every few years.

Final Verdict:This is the premiere baseball simulation on the market. If you are a baseball fan and own a Playstation, this is a must buy title. If you already own The Show 19, take a deeper look at the new features to decide whether is is worth the upgrade or not.

RBI Baseball 20

Brewers superstar Christian Yelich is featured on the cover of RBI 20

Brewers superstar Christian Yelich is featured on the cover of RBI 20

RBI Baseball 20 is available on Xbox One, Playstation 4, Nintendo Switch, Android, Windows, iOS, and Steam

Price Point:$29.99 (Console and Computer), $6.99 (Mobile)

In 2014, Major League Baseball Advanced Media decided to reboot the RBI Baseball franchise. With MLB The Show being a Playstation exclusive, it seems like Major League Baseball decided that the other systems had to have some kind of baseball game so they went out and made this. It’s not a great sign when a major sports league has to literally develop its own game.

The series had not seen an entry since 1995, and if the new game had come out that year I’m sure it would have drawn rave reviews. Instead,it was a colossal flop. Look, technically the game is not meant to be a realistic simulation but instead offer an arcade style throwback experience. I was not alive during the prime years of RBI Baseball and have little appreciation for such a simplistic approach.

So maybe I’m not the perfect reviewer for this game, but that doesn’t negate the fact that the first offering was embarrassingly bare bones, had terrible graphics, and lacked pretty much everything people expect from a modern video game. There were two game modes, exhibition and season and the game had no online functions whatsoever.I mean seriously look at this gameplay, it’s pretty insulting.

After spending my money on the series initial offering and being incredibly disappointed, I pretty much gave up on any future entries. Now it is time to see if RBI Baseball has stepped up its game or followed the precedent set by the 2014 version.

The first thing I noticed about RBI Baseball 20 was how much better it looked than the 14 version. You can actually see the stadiums, players look like real human beings, and the uniforms are recognizable. Honestly, for an arcade game it looks really good. In addition the game has more than two modes! This time we get home run derby, exhibition, postseason, franchise, and online multiplayer (online is not available on the Switch, PC, or mobile versions of the game). Pitching controls have seen major improvements and the addition of real time feedback on contact and timing makes hitting more enjoyable.

If you are a fan of the old school RBI gameplay, where pitchers and batters slide around the mound and batters box, you are able to switch back to that.

Still, the game is incredibly simplistic, has very little replay value, and therefore grows stale in a short period of time. The lack of commentary, repetitive presentation styles, and jittery animations take you out of the experience quickly. RBI Baseball 20 might provide a few hours of fun but it has very little to keep you coming back after the novelty has worn off.

Final Verdict:Don’t buy this game unless you are a huge fan of old school arcade style games or a die hard baseball fan who doesn’t own a Playstation and is desperate for anything with an MLB license. The game just doesn’t offer enough to justify a 30 dollar price tag and there are better arcade games on the market.

Out of the park baseball 21

OOTP 21 is available on Windows, Mac, Steam, and Linux

Price Point:$39.99

Out of The Park Baseball 21 is NOT a game where you take control of players on the field. In the same vein as games like Football Manager or Hockey Manager, in OOTP you act as a manager and GM of your own franchise. As manager, your choices still impact in game outcomes such as when to steal or lay down a bunt. You make pitching substitutions and sub in pinch hitters in key moments. But the real emphasis is behind the scenes where you work to build a championship roster, assemble a successful coaching staff, and negotiate contracts and trades. OOTP gives you access to a wide range of professional leagues across the world, making it more than just an MLB game.

As a newcomer to the series I asked fellow Baseball.FYI writer Daniel R. Epstein to offer his insight on the game: “In any game mode, OOTP remains #1 in customizable baseball simulation. The Show might reign supreme in actually playing a game, but all the stuff that happens outside of the field of play is captured beautifully by OOTP.”

When first starting my OOTP journey, I was overwhelmed by the variety of tasks, options, scouting reports, and things to check. While I still have not gotten the hang of it all, the experience has been generally positive. In my third game of the season as the Cubs, Craig Kimbrel blew a 2 run lead to the Brewers and then gave up a walkoff homer. After punching my pillow multiple times, I realized this game had already sunk its hooks into me.

OOTP also offers “Perfect Team”, a game mode that challenges players to compete online after opening card packs in an attempt to build the best roster with players from a variety of eras. If it sounds a lot like The Show’s Diamond Dynasty mode, that’s because it is. It is an always addicting format that provides a reason to come back.

As usual, Daniel R. Epstein says it best: “Perfect Team mode is the baseball addiction I need right now. It’s methadone for the heroin of real baseball that is absent. While I’m stuck inside social distancing like everyone else, it gives me something to check in on every half hour.”

Final Verdict:If you are a baseball junkie who has always dreamed of being Theo Epstein or Terry Francona, this is the game for you. If you are looking to control the action on the field or are unwilling to spend the time required to understand the nuances of the game, maybe sit this one out.

Super Mega Baseball 2

Super Mega Baseball 2 is available for Windows, Playstation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and Steam

Price Point:$19.99 (Base Game), $29.99 (Ultimate Edition that includes all DLC)

Before talking about the game, I want to point out thatSuper Mega Baseball 3 is slated to come out in Aprilso you may want to hold off until then to jump into the series. Obviously, I have not played Super Mega Baseball 3, so my commentary will be on the second game.

Super Mega Baseball does not have an official MLB license which means the game has no real players, teams, or stadiums. Instead, the game is populated by cartoon characters playing in exotic stadiums for hilarious sounding teams. But don’t let that turn you off, this game is a ton of fun.

The game strikes a perfect balance between the silliness of a game like Backyard Baseball, and a dedication to providing a competitive environment. For example,you can drill the pitcher with a line drive that renders him unconscious. While this is never funny in real life, it’s pretty hilarious in the game. At the same time, hitting and fielding controls are well designed and take time to really master. When you finally drill a ball into the gap after setting your cursor perfectly and nailing the timing, it is a highly rewarding experience. I did have some frustrations with the fielding controls at first, but after playing a few games I came to understand them.

There is a convenient difficulty slider in the form of the “ego” bar. Casual players can turn it down low to relax and crush some dingers while dedicated fans can crank it up for a challenge. The game features local and online multiplayer, along with Exhibition, Season, Elimination, and Pennant Race modes. The multiplayer is where this game really shines as it creates fun competition and a ton of wacky moments.

While it doesn’t have all the bells and whistles of a major release like MLB The Show, this game still offers up a ton of fun. Plus it’s pretty cheap.

Final Verdict:This is the best baseball arcade game on the market. I highly recommend getting this game over RBI Baseball 20, unless the lack of an MLB license is a deal breaker for you.

Mobile Game RECOMMENDATION:

Tap Sports Baseball 20:This game is very simplistic, but a ton of fun. Instead of controlling all the action on the field, players simply bat. You don’t run the bases, field the ball, or pitch (although you do control pitching substitutions). The game boils down to identifying balls and strikes and tapping the screen to swing at the correct moment. It may sound lacking, but the gameplay is addicting. When your side is retired you either wait for your opponent to play their turn of the inning (for online play) or simply sim until you bat again (for offline play).

TSB20 features a surprising amount of game modes and challenges that reward players with in-game currency and draft picks. I especially like the “Walk Off Events” that task players with coming through in the clutch in increasingly difficult scenarios.

This all makes it an easy game to pick up and play for 5 minutes in between tasks instead of having to commit to 9 innings of baseball. The game has a fun roster-building mechanic where you collect superstars, draft picks, and mystery boxes in an attempt to build a dominant team to take down your friends. TSB20 has an MLB license, making collecting your favorite players an exciting endeavor. While you can pay to win through microtransactions, the game can be enjoyed free of any charge.

Other mobile games such as MLB 9 innings 20 and MLB Perfect Inning 2020 try to match the depth, customization, and overall experience of a AAA console title like MLB The Show. While they somewhat succeed in bringing that to mobile (although with much blander gameplay), it’s just not what I’m looking for when it comes to a game on my phone. I’ll stick with mindlessly tapping my screen over and over again.

I will tip my hat to Perfect Inning 2020 for somehow convincing Joe Buck to do some of the worst commentary I’ve ever heard. In my few hours of playing, I think I noticed him comment on how the pitcher “is in a full windup” at least 500 times.

PS:If you are looking for a fun mobile arcade baseball game,I would recommend Baseball 9.