Baseball

This article is about the Game Boy game. For other uses, see Baseball (disambiguation).

Baseball
Developer	Nintendo R&D 1
Publisher	Nintendo
Platform(s)	Game Boy, Virtual Console (3DS), Game Boy - Nintendo Switch Online
Release date	Game Boy: Template:Release Virtual Console (3DS): Template:Release Game Boy - Nintendo Switch Online: Template:Release
Genre	Baseball
Mode(s)	Single player, multiplayer
Format	Nintendo Switch: Digital download Game Boy: Game Pak Nintendo 3DS: Digital download
Input	Nintendo Switch: Joy-Con Nintendo Switch Pro Controller Game Boy: Gamepad Nintendo 3DS: Gamepad

Baseball is a Game Boy version of the Nintendo Entertainment System game of the same name. The game is based on the eponymous sport. It was released as a launch title for the Game Boy in both Japan and the United States, alongside Super Mario Land, Tetris, and Alleyway. The game's cover in the Western release features Mario pitching a baseball, but the Japanese cover does not. This is the first Super Mario game that involves baseball, and it is the predecessor to the Mario Baseball series, similarly to the Golf series' relation to the Mario Golf series.

The game was re-released on the Nintendo 3DS's Virtual Console in 2011 and on the Nintendo Switch's Game Boy - Nintendo Switch Online service in 2024 in celebration of the Game Boy's 35th anniversary.

Gameplay

There are two modes: "USA MODE," which has English character names, and "JPN MODE" (short for Japan Mode), where the characters' names are Japanese names. Aside from the names of the characters, "JPN MODE" also changes how the ball speed is indicated, the display order of the ball count, and the background music played. Both modes have two teams: White Bears (referred to in-game as W-BEARS) and the Red Eagles (displayed in-game as R-EAGLES), which always bat first and pitch first respectively. Mario and Luigi both appear as pitchers in the "USA MODE," both playing for opposite teams. The player can control the players catching the balls out on the field, something that the NES version does not allow for. The player can opt out and allow the game to control the players in the field by not pressing any buttons, as pressing a button during this scene will let the player take control. By using the Game Link Cable, it is possible to play the game with two players.

Characters

The stats for players are ranked with letters, A through C (with the exception of batting; batting is A through E). A is the strongest stat possible, while C (or E) is the weakest.

• Batting (A–E) indicates likelihood to hit the ball when batting.
• Skill (A–C) indicates chance of a successful bunt when batting.
• Stamina (A–C) indicates how easily the character gets tired, A being the toughest to tire. This stat is exclusive to pitchers.
• Speed (A–C) indicates how fast (on average) the character pitches. As such, this stat is exclusive to pitchers.
• Changeup (A–C) indicates sharpness of a curveball and screwball when pitching. As such, this stat is exclusive to pitchers.

USA mode

White Bears

US instruction manual description: Has a strong cleanup and ace, MARIO. One offensive team!

Name	Position	Batting average	Type	Batting	Skill	Stamina	Speed	Changeup
Mario	Pitcher	.150	Right over arm	E	A	B	A	C
Paul	Pitcher	.150	Right under arm	E	A	B	B	C
Eric	Pitcher	.150	Left over arm	E	A	B	A	C
Jimmy	Pitcher	.150	Left under arm	E	A	A	B	C
Mike	Batter	.301	Left	B	A	N/A	N/A	N/A
Tom	Batter	.278	Right	D	A	N/A	N/A	N/A
Jim	Batter	.333	Right	A	C	N/A	N/A	N/A
John	Batter	.341	Right	A	C	N/A	N/A	N/A
Bob	Batter	.326	Left	B	C	N/A	N/A	N/A
Rick	Batter	.291	Right	C	C	N/A	N/A	N/A
David	Batter	.270	Right	D	B	N/A	N/A	N/A
Eddie	Batter	.248	Right	E	B	N/A	N/A	N/A
Jack	Pinch hitter	.292	Right	C	C	N/A	N/A	N/A
Alan	Pinch hitter	.280	Left	C	B	N/A	N/A	N/A
Fred	Pinch hitter	.266	Left	D	A	N/A	N/A	N/A

Red Eagles

US instruction manual description: Team batting centers on left handed batters, and pitching on left handed speed ball pitcher RANDY. This is a team of strong individuals.

Name	Position	Batting average	Type	Batting	Skill	Stamina	Speed	Changeup
Luigi	Pitcher	.150	Right over arm	E	A	B	A	C
Phil	Pitcher	.150	Right under arm	E	A	B	B	B
Randy	Pitcher	.150	Left over arm	E	A	A	B	C
Sam	Pitcher	.150	Left under arm	E	A	A	B	B
Joe	Batter	.295	Left	B	B	N/A	N/A	N/A
Louis	Batter	.286	Right	C	A	N/A	N/A	N/A
Teddy	Batter	.323	Left	B	C	N/A	N/A	N/A
Steve	Batter	.358	Left	A	C	N/A	N/A	N/A
Peter	Batter	.301	Left	B	C	N/A	N/A	N/A
Scott	Batter	.282	Right	C	B	N/A	N/A	N/A
Brian	Batter	.264	Left	D	B	N/A	N/A	N/A
Jeff	Batter	.247	Right	E	B	N/A	N/A	N/A
Duke	Pinch hitter	.290	Right	C	C	N/A	N/A	N/A
Jason	Pinch hitter	.285	Left	C	B	N/A	N/A	N/A
Mac	Pinch hitter	.271	Left	D	A	N/A	N/A	N/A

Japan mode

White Bears

US instruction manual description: Dynamite batting lineup explodes! High-ranking batters are the star players.

Name	Position	Batting average	Type	Batting	Skill	Stamina	Speed	Changeup
Igawa	Pitcher	.150	Right over arm	E	A	B	C	B
Mura	Pitcher	.150	Right under arm	E	A	A	C	A
Kane	Pitcher	.150	Left over arm	E	A	C	B	B
Natsu	Pitcher	.150	Left under arm	E	A	A	C	A
Waka	Batter	.301	Left	B	A	N/A	N/A	N/A
Michi	Batter	.278	Right	D	A	N/A	N/A	N/A
Wan	Batter	.333	Left	A	C	N/A	N/A	N/A
Cho	Batter	.341	Right	A	C	N/A	N/A	N/A
Kohji	Batter	.326	Right	B	C	N/A	N/A	N/A
Buchi	Batter	.291	Right	C	C	N/A	N/A	N/A
Isao	Batter	.270	Left	D	B	N/A	N/A	N/A
Yoshi	Batter	.248	Right	E	B	N/A	N/A	N/A
Kake	Pinch hitter	.292	Left	C	C	N/A	N/A	N/A
Morio	Pinch hitter	.280	Right	C	B	N/A	N/A	N/A
Dai	Pinch hitter	.266	Right	D	A	N/A	N/A	N/A

Red Eagles

US instruction manual description: Strong-armed pitcher INAHO, has an excellent battling lineup to support him.

Name	Position	Batting average	Type	Batting	Skill	Stamina	Speed	Changeup
Tonbi	Pitcher	.150	Right over arm	E	A	B	C	B
Yama	Pitcher	.150	Right under arm	E	A	B	C	B
Keshi	Pitcher	.150	Left over arm	E	A	A	C	B
Inaho	Pitcher	.150	Left under arm	E	A	C	B	A
Fuku	Batter	.295	Left	B	B	N/A	N/A	N/A
Jiroh	Batter	.286	Right	C	A	N/A	N/A	N/A
Hario	Batter	.323	Left	B	C	N/A	N/A	N/A
Futo	Batter	.358	Right	A	C	N/A	N/A	N/A
Kado	Batter	.301	Left	B	C	N/A	N/A	N/A
Ochi	Batter	.301	Left	B	C	N/A	N/A	N/A
Nomu	Batter	.264	Right	E	B	N/A	N/A	N/A
Toyo	Batter	.247	Right	E	B	N/A	N/A	N/A
Hide	Pinch hitter	.290	Left	C	C	N/A	N/A	N/A
Erito	Pinch hitter	.285	Right	C	B	N/A	N/A	N/A
Irose	Pinch hitter	.271	Left	D	A	N/A	N/A	N/A

Nintendo eShop description

North American version

Re-live the glory of this 1989 Game Boy™ classic.

As the pitching team, deliver a series of fastballs while adjusting curve and speed, but be careful not to wear out your pitcher. If the batter connects, your outfield or infield will back you up.

As the batting team, shift your batter on the home plate and time each swing at the incoming ball. Try to safely reach the next base, or swing for a home run.

European version

Strategy, skill and determination: it takes all three to win in Baseball!

Choose a starting pitcher from your bullpen (Mario is an old favourite). Hurl fastballs past the batter. If he connects, your outfield backs up to snag a fly. A sturdy infield backs you up on grounders and pop-ups. Three outs later and your team is up. Take a strike to feel out the pitcher, then drive a long one - it's a home run!

You can even choose between American or Japanese-style modes.

Gallery

• 

  Japanese cover

• 

  Game title screen

• 

  USA MODE, starting pitcher character selection

• 

  Mario pitching to Teddy

• 

  Phil pitching to Tom

• 

  Luigi pitching to Mike

• 

  Out on the field

Trivia

• The game includes a character named "Yoshi" that plays in the game's Japanese mode for the White Bears as a batter. This game was released a year before Yoshi's very first appearance in the Japanese release of Super Mario World, and thus the connection is merely coincidental. In real life, Yoshi is a name in the Japanese language that can be a first name, a last name, or a commonly used shortened nickname for a longer name.

External links

• Japanese site
• Japanese game page (Virtual Console)
• North American game page (Virtual Console)
• UK game page (Virtual Console)