Summary

• Release Year: 1983
• Genres: Sport
• Platforms: Arcade, SG-1000
• Developers: Alpha Denshi
• Publishers: Alpha Denshi

Champion Baseball (1983)

Champion Baseball is a baseball game released for the Atari 2600 in 1983. It was one of the first baseball games released for the console, and it remains one of the most popular and well-regarded baseball games for the Atari 2600 today.

The game is played from a behind-the-batter perspective. The player controls the batter and must try to hit the ball pitched by the computer-controlled pitcher. The player can swing the bat at any time, but the timing of the swing is crucial to making contact with the ball. If the player swings too early or too late, they will miss the ball and the batter will be called out.

If the player makes contact with the ball, the ball will go flying into the field. The player must then control one of their fielders to try to catch the ball or field it and throw it to a base to get the batter out.

The game can be played with one or two players. In one-player mode, the player plays against the computer. In two-player mode, the two players take turns batting and fielding.

Champion Baseball is a simple game to learn, but it is difficult to master. The computer-controlled pitcher is very good at throwing strikes, and the fielders are very good at catching the ball. This makes it challenging for the player to score runs.

However, the game is also very fair. The computer does not cheat, and the player can always win if they play well. This makes the game very rewarding to play, and it is one of the reasons why it remains so popular today.

Gameplay

Champion Baseball is played on a baseball field with four bases. The player controls the batter and must try to hit the ball pitched by the computer-controlled pitcher. The player can swing the bat at any time, but the timing of the swing is crucial to making contact with the ball. If the player swings too early or too late, they will miss the ball and the batter will be called out.

If the player makes contact with the ball, the ball will go flying into the field. The player must then control one of their fielders to try to catch the ball or field it and throw it to a base to get the batter out.

The game can be played with one or two players. In one-player mode, the player plays against the computer. In two-player mode, the two players take turns batting and fielding.

Graphics and sound

The graphics in Champion Baseball are simple, but they are effective. The game uses a behind-the-batter perspective, and the player can see the pitcher, the batter, and the field. The field is divided into squares, and the ball moves around the field in a realistic way.

The sound in Champion Baseball is also simple, but it is effective. The game uses a series of beeps and boops to represent the different actions in the game. For example, there is a beep when the ball is pitched, a boop when the ball is hit, and a different boop when the ball is caught.

Reception

Champion Baseball was a critical and commercial success. It was praised for its simple but fun gameplay, its challenging difficulty, and its fair play. The game was also a commercial success, selling over one million copies.

Champion Baseball is still considered one of the best baseball games for the Atari 2600. It is a simple game to learn, but it is difficult to master. The game is also very fair, and the player can always win if they play well. This makes the game very rewarding to play, and it is one of the reasons why it remains so popular today.

Legacy

Champion Baseball has had a lasting impact on the video game industry. It was one of the first baseball games released for the Atari 2600, and it helped to popularize the genre. The game also helped to establish the behind-the-batter perspective as the standard perspective for baseball games.

Champion Baseball has been followed by a number of other popular baseball games, including Baseball (1984), RBI Baseball (1987), and MLB The Show (2006). These games have all built on the foundation laid by Champion Baseball, and they have helped to make baseball one of the most popular video game genres.

Review Score

7/10