Virtual League Baseball (the original) is tied with SD Gundam Dimension War as the worst game on the system. The hit detection is off, the CPU is far too good to reliably beat, and the game’s graphics and sound are terrible. Games like Virtual League Baseball give the Virtual Boy a bad impression.
I am shocked to be reporting that the sequel to that awful game, Virtual League Baseball 2, ranks among my most favorite pieces of software on the console, even when accounting for Virtual Boy’s thriving homebrew scene!
Virtual League Baseball 2 doesn’t seem a likely candidate for greatness, but it’s possibly my favorite baseball game I’ve ever played. Every single mechanic and attribute of the first game has been improved here:
-FINALLY, a 2-player option! This game is so much fun with link play.
-There is a semi-automatic setting for fielders, making the CPU much less daunting to play against! Your fielders will automatically run towards pop flys, attempt to field ground balls, and wait for you to throw to a base to catch runners out
-There are 3 stadiums to choose from, each with different dimensions
-Hit detection is perfect
-Pitching depth is unprecedentedly refined, and the differences between sidearm, overhand, and underhand (submarine) pitchers make an appreciable difference in throwing strategy and optimization
-the Full Swing mechanic (controlled by a simple toggle) makes it much easier to go for a Home Run hit
-sound design and music is excellent
-graphics emphasize depth and provide some of the best use of 3D on the console, especially at higher difficulties when you get to see opposing pitchers hurl 105mph fastballs straight at your face
I understand that not everyone is a fan of retro console sports titles. Most of the time, sports games are some of the worst games on a given system. VLB2 bucks that trend. If you are willing to learn the somewhat complex (but intuitive) controls, know a little bit about baseball strategy, and put a few hours into learning what play style suits you best, Virtual League Baseball 2 becomes one of the most rewarding, fun, and mechanically rich games to play on the console.
If you’re reading this review in the future and are having a hard time winning games, PM me on here and I’d be happy to share some of my best tips on how to get better.
Batter up!