Baseball (Game Boy)

Baseball is the Game Boy counterpart to the Nintendo Entertainment System game of the same name. The game is based on baseball, most popular in the United States. 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; the Japanese cover does not. This game predates the first official Mario-themed baseball game, Mario Superstar Baseball, by 16 years.

The Game Boy version of Baseball was ported to the Nintendo 3DS's Virtual Console in 2011.

Gameplay
The game boasts two separate modes, a United States mode (displayed in-game as "USA MODE") with English character names and a Japanese mode (displayed in-game as "JPN MODE") where the character's names are Japanese names. Aside from the names of the characters, the Japanese mode changes how the ball speed is indicated, the display order of the ball count, and the background music played. The game features only two teams regardless of mode chosen: White Bears (referred in-game as W-BEARS; this team always bats first) and Red Eagles (displayed in-game as R-EAGLES; this team always pitches first). Mario and Luigi both appear as pitchers in the "USA MODE", both playing for opposite teams.

Using the Game Boy Video Link Cable, it is possible to play the game with two players.

One key difference between the NES and Game Boy versions, is that the Game Boy version introduces the ability to let the player control the players catching the balls out on the field. If the player wishes to let the computer control the players in the field, they can opt out by not pressing any buttons; pressing a button during this scene will let the player take control.

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


 * Batting (A-E) indicates likelihood to hit ball when batting.
 * Skill (A-C) indicates chance of a successful 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 curve and screwball when pitching. As such, this stat is exclusive to pitchers.

White Bears

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

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.

White Bears

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

Red Eagles

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

Nintendo eShop description
Re-live the glory of this 1989 Game Boy™ classic.
 * North American version

''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.''

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

''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.

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.