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HardBall III technical data
Name | HardBall III |
System | Genesis - Mega Drive |
Year | 1993 |
Developer | Mindspan Technologies |
Genre | Sports |
HardBall III is a classic baseball video game that was released for the Sega Genesis and Mega Drive consoles in 1993.
Developed by MindSpan Technologies and published by Accolade, HardBall III was the third game in the HardBall series, and it built on the success of its predecessors by delivering an even more polished and realistic baseball experience.
Like its predecessors, HardBall III offered a range of different gameplay modes, including Exhibition, League Play, Playoffs, and Home Run Derby.
Exhibition mode allowed players to quickly jump into a one-off game between any two teams in the game.
League Play, on the other hand, let players compete over a full season of 162 games, complete with a realistic schedule and standings.
Playoffs mode allowed players to compete in the postseason to try and win the World Series.
Finally, Home Run Derby mode was a fun distraction that let players swing for the fences in a timed contest to see who could hit the most home runs.
Regardless of which mode players chose, the core gameplay of HardBall III was focused on delivering an accurate and challenging baseball experience.
The game featured all 28 Major League Baseball teams from the 1992 season, each with a full roster of real players.
The graphics and animations were improved over the previous game, with more detailed player models, smoother animations, and more realistic stadiums.
In terms of gameplay mechanics, HardBall III offered a range of different options to make the game more or less challenging, depending on the player's skill level.
For example, players could adjust the difficulty level to determine how accurate the pitching and hitting controls were, as well as how aggressive the AI-controlled fielders were.
Additionally, players could choose from three different control schemes, each with its own strengths and weaknesses.
The default controls were relatively simple, with players using the D-pad to move their batter or fielder and the A button to swing the bat or throw the ball.
However, more advanced players could switch to one of the other two control schemes, which offered more precise control over different aspects of the game, such as pitch location and batting stance.
One of the standout features of HardBall III was the game's attention to detail when it came to simulating different aspects of baseball.
For example, the game took into account factors such as wind direction and speed, the height of the outfield walls, and the quality of each team's defense when calculating the outcome of each play.
Additionally, the game included a wide range of different pitch types, each with its own unique movement and speed.
Players could choose from fastball, curveball, slider, changeup, sinker, and more, and each pitch had a different level of difficulty to execute successfully.
Another impressive feature of HardBall III was the game's ability to simulate injuries and fatigue over the course of a long season.
If a player took too many swings or threw too many pitches in a game, they could become fatigued and less effective in subsequent games.
Additionally, players could suffer from injuries such as pulled muscles or strained ligaments, which would force them to miss games or even entire seasons.
One of the biggest improvements over the previous game was the inclusion of a full batting practice mode, which let players hone their hitting skills in a controlled environment.
In this mode, players could adjust the speed and type of pitches they faced, as well as the location of the pitches in the strike zone.
This allowed players to practice their timing and swing mechanics, which was especially useful for players who were new to the game or struggling to hit effectively.
HardBall III also introduced a number of new features and improvements to the game's AI.
For example, the game's fielders were more intelligent and aggressive than in the previous game, making it more challenging for players to hit balls into the gaps or outfield