The Nintendo Entertainment System, commonly known as the NES, launched in 1985 and brought video games into the homes of millions of families. Among the most popular sports games on the system was the R.B.I. Baseball series published by Tengen. These games featured licensed Major League Baseball players and allowed gamers to build their dream teams. While the 8-bit graphics were primitive by today’s standards, having authentic MLB stars added greatly to the authenticity and appeal of the games.
Some of the biggest names in baseball during the late 1980s appeared as playable characters in R.B.I. Baseball, including Don Mattingly, Wade Boggs, Roger Clemens, and Orel Hershiser. Don Mattingly was a first baseman for the New York Yankees who won the American League batting title in 1984 with a .343 average. His power and consistency at the plate made him one of the top sluggers of his era. In R.B.I. Baseball, Mattingly had above average hitting stats that made him a dangerous threat in any lineup.
Wade Boggs was a hitting machine as the third baseman for the Boston Red Sox. Between 1982-1988, Boggs won five batting titles by consistently making contact and spraying line drives to all fields. His ability to hit for average was unmatched during this period. In the NES games, Boggs had some of the best contact ratings but lacked power. Gamers needed to utilize his ability to hit the ball where it was pitched to rack up base hits.
Roger Clemens burst onto the scene with the Boston Red Sox in the mid-1980s. His overpowering fastball and slider combination led MLB in strikeouts several times. By the late 1980s, Clemens was already considered one of the most intimidating pitchers in the game. In R.B.I. Baseball, Clemens had some of the highest velocity and breaking ball ratings. Batters struggled mightily just making contact off his virtual pitches.
Orel Hershiser had a breakout season in 1988 for the Los Angeles Dodgers. That year, he set the MLB record with 59 consecutive scoreless innings pitched over the course of the regular season and postseason. Hershiser’s pinpoint control and assortment of off-speed pitches made him a nightmare for hitters. In the NES games, Hershiser featured excellent control ratings and above average stuff to keep opponents guessing at the plate.
In addition to these superstars, R.B.I. Baseball rosters included other 1980s MLB greats like Mike Schmidt, George Brett, Nolan Ryan, and Rickey Henderson. Having these authentic players added realism and excitement for young baseball fans playing the games. While the graphics only featured basic stick figures, gamers could still recognize their favorite athletes by their uniform numbers and stats.
Later R.B.I. Baseball sequels on the NES continued adding new MLB stars as players’ careers progressed. Ken Griffey Jr. was among the young stars included after breaking into the league with the Seattle Mariners in the late 1980s. As Griffey developed into one of the game’s premier sluggers, his stats in the video games improved yearly to mirror his real-life breakout. By the early 1990s, Griffey was among the top rated outfielders in R.B.I. Baseball for his elite power and defensive skills.
Barry Bonds also made his video game debuts in R.B.I. Baseball as his legendary career was just beginning with the Pittsburgh Pirates. His five-tool talents were evident even in his early seasons, giving him well-rounded ratings across the board in areas like hitting, power, speed, and fielding. Gamers could develop Bonds into a superstar player just like he became in real life later in the 1990s with the San Francisco Giants.
While graphics were primitive by today’s standards, having authentic MLB stars and rosters added greatly to the appeal and replay value of the classic R.B.I. Baseball games on NES. For a generation of baseball fans in the 1980s, these 8-bit titles provided some of their earliest and most memorable experiences playing video game versions of America’s pastime. Even with only basic stick figure representations, gamers could still recognize their favorite players and build lineups matching the MLB rosters of that era. The licensed players transported some of the excitement of big league baseball into the living room.
