Last week I was browsing a local game store that specializes in retro titles. I found MLB Slugfest Loaded, a title absent from my Xbox baseball game collection, and picked up for $3.99.

Upon throwing it in my old console, I was surprised by this ancient arcade game's depth. While its on the field gameplay is pure arcade action, there’s a simulation at Slugfest’s core. Backed by the Baseball Mogul "sim engine", its franchise mode featured a loaded roster, realistic contracts and a wealth of stats.

Of course none of this makes Slugfest Loaded a classic -- or even great -- game, but it does provide contrast for the topic of this article: RBI Baseball 14 on PS4/Xbox One.

RBI Baseball 14 launched on the new generation a few weeks ago, and by all accounts, it’s the same title that released on current gen consoles in the spring (I didn’t spend very much time with that version). The graphics might be slightly better, but it is functionally the same game.

Like the previous version, RBI Baseball treads heavily on nostalgia, harkening back to the simple hardball titles of the 8- and 16-bit generations. Those games, including RBI's namesake, were fun, though we didn’t have much to choose from. Of course, RBI Baseball might be able to make the same claim: if you are playing on the Xbox One, it’s the only baseball you can get.

But, for me, the nostalgia didn't last long. As Chris points out in his review, there is no stat tracking, just one pitch type, and a very limited roster. Even those vintage baseball titles brought something new to the game, whether it be a fantasy element (Base Wars), roster management (Baseball Stars), or stat tracking (Super Baseball Simulator 1.000). And my previous example, MLB Slugfest Loaded, is an example of a more recent title that has all of those ingredients, yet is still a fast playing and simple arcade baseball game. The only thing RBI brings is an updated roster.

And so, the question of value pops up: Is RBI Baseball 14 on new generation consoles worth the $20 price tag? For those who've already bought it on PS3/360, I don't predict many arguing that it's worth investing $40 in this new franchise.

If you haven't bought it, I’d guess that you’d get more enjoyment spending that money on two or more actual retro titles, like the ones mentioned above, the MVP series, the All Star Baseball series, The Bigs, Powerpros, etc.

In fact, even if you don’t own a retro console, I presume most would be happier paying more than the cost of RBI 14 for an older machine and just one baseball game. While the rosters might be old, the title is guaranteed to be more feature complete. And at least the nostalgia might be real.