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Sports Games of the Decade: Baseball Game of the Decade

12:40 PM - November 24, 2010 by RaychelSnr

Gold: MLB 09: The Show

The quintessential baseball simulation, MLB 09 is a purist's dream game. During a decade that featured the best baseball games in sports gaming history, MLB 09 differentiated itself from its competition in terms of sheer realism. From the photorealistic player and stadium graphics to the incredibly deep Dynasty mode, no other game has ever replicated the atmosphere of baseball better. I would even go as far as to say that MLB 09 transcends sports gaming -- it's more of an interactive baseball broadcast than anything else. As a baseball fan it really does not get any better than that!

Silver: MVP Baseball 2005

When EA decided to revamp the Triple Play series, many felt that EA would no longer be a player when it came to baseball games. Oh how the masses were wrong. Regardless of the fact that MVP 2005 was the last version in the series -- thanks to 2K's exclusivity agreement -- it was the pinnacle of baseball gaming to that point in history. MVP perfected meter-based pitching, analog controls, ball physics and gave gamers the yet to be matched Owner mode that placed an emphasis on building a team like a real world Steinbrenner. There is no denying the importance of MVP 05 in baseball gaming history as many of its innovations are still being used in today's games.

Readers' Choice: MLB '09: The Show

MLB '09: The Show garnered 49 percent of the total votes while MVP Baseball was able to gather 29 percent of the total votes. The rest of the field garnered the other 22 percent of the vote.

Game: MLB '09: The ShowReader Score: 9/10 - Vote Now
Platform: PS2 / PS3 / PSPVotes for game: 90 - View All

MLB '09: The Show Videos

Member Comments

# 1 bcruise @ 11/24/10 01:07 PM

Nice....voted on by both the staff and regular members, and in landslide fashion too!

# 2 Galarius @ 11/24/10 02:46 PM

Wow, was 09 better than 10?I only played 09 a few times....what specifically was better about it?

# 3 bcruise @ 11/24/10 02:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Galarius


	Wow, was 09 better than 10?I only played 09 a few times....what specifically was better about it?

I think '10 represents the start of the new decade, so it may have been ineligible.

# 4 DR Russell @ 11/24/10 02:59 PM

@Galarious, personally i love 10 more than 09, the gameplay feels more organic and natural.

# 5 LucianoJJ @ 11/24/10 03:00 PM

My choice is off shore and in Japanese. PYS 6 is excellent!

# 6 RaychelSnr @ 11/24/10 04:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bcruise


	I think '10 represents the start of the new decade, so it may have been ineligible.

Exactly

# 7 vln13 @ 11/24/10 05:18 PM

MLB 09 The Show was just beautiful. 10 looked better, but couldn't match the leap in quality. Nice pick.

Personally, I don't know why people make such a big deal about MVP 2005. I liked ESPN 2k5 better, actually. It looks horrible, pitching is arcadish, and though the hitting is ok, it is nothing great in my opinion.

# 8 Armor and Sword @ 11/25/10 10:37 AM

Vin13:

I could not disagree more about MVP 2005. Graphics were good not great, but game play was superb. Best control scheme for fielding and baserunning of any console baseball game ever. The Show copied a ton of things from MVP 2005. Deep immersive owner/franchise mode. Fully playable minor league teams, just a superb title.

MLB The Show 2009 is the king but MVP 2005 paved the way.

# 9 EnigmaNemesis @ 11/26/10 12:37 AM

Definitely the right choices.

Nostalgia is a hell of a thing. And I was a huge MVP nut, but MLB 09' far surpassed it. And just as some have feelings, far surpassed probably every sports game.

They definitely set the bar that others are now starting to achieve with "the little things".

# 10 Kado456 @ 11/26/10 07:50 PM

The only reason I believe that The Show won out over MVP is the fact that this forum is mostly on Current Gen consoles. While I enjoyed The Show (up until my PS3 YLOD) the fact that there are active modding communities dedicated to MVP is not a coincidence, and goes beyond the fact that EA stopped making this game. While MVP doesn't have all the bells and whistles of The Show '09, it definitely plays a more solid game of baseball and is generally just a deeper game. Now, before you look at this post sideways really look at the two games. In MVP you control every squad of your organization MLB down to single A. Now true enough in the Show, you can hire and fire your Manger and you have the Rule 5 draft; but this really pales in comparison to what MVP offers. You can argue a call in MVP, this is huge and a critical aspect of baseball. You can move in the batter's box, and hitting in general is just better. I could go on; but I'll just say this while The Show is unquestionably the BEST sports game of this console generation, it is not the best baseball game of the decade MVP is.

# 11 Armor and Sword @ 11/26/10 09:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kado456


	The only reason I believe that The Show won out over MVP is the fact that this forum is mostly on Current Gen consoles. While I enjoyed The Show (up until my PS3 YLOD) the fact that there are active modding communities dedicated to MVP is not a coincidence, and goes beyond the fact that EA stopped making this game. While MVP doesn't have all the bells and whistles of The Show '09, it definitely plays a more solid game of baseball and is generally just a deeper game. Now, before you look at this post sideways really look at the two games. In MVP you control every squad of your organization MLB down to single A. Now true enough in the Show, you can hire and fire your Manger and you have the Rule 5 draft; but this really pales in comparison to what MVP offers. You can argue a call in MVP, this is huge and a critical aspect of baseball. You can move in the batter's box, and hitting in general is just better. I could go on; but I'll just say this while The Show is unquestionably the BEST sports game of this console generation, it is not the best baseball game of the decade MVP is.

You make a great case. I still love MVP 2005. Played that game more than any other baseball game ever. It does have aspects of it that are just flat out better as I stated before. The area that I love most is fielding and base running. It is the best. Hitting is also really good I agree. The full control of your minor league system is awesome. It is a complete package. But where the show did it for me is the simulation aspect and the hitter/pitcher dual. That aspect of the game for me is unmatched and MVP does not beat it IMO. Hitting is far more of a challenge in The Show. I was a sick hitter on MVP with tough sliders, higher difficulty levels etc. The AI was not as sharp and the hitting was more arcade than sim. MVP pushed the limits of the PS2 no question. Games play and feel more real on The Show.

Now there are things about the Show I don't like and the 2 things that bug me the most are what MVP did the best. Fielding and base running. Because of the clunky controls in that area I have set base running and fielding to auto so I can let the ratings decide those aspects (and the animations just look amazing playing that way) and I focus on pitching and hitting. And it is needed as I am exhausted after 9 innings of The Show.

Both are amazing titles.

# 12 Eski33 @ 11/27/10 09:39 AM

SCEA has done an outstanding job translating one of the most difficult sports to the virtual world. I played baseball for 20+ years, including college, and what makes baseball so tough to emulate is the stats. Most baseball games have had trouble providing realistic stats in human played games, especially hitting. The Show, although not perfect, is pretty damn close.

MVP was an outstanding series as well that was improving every year. If EA gets an opportunity to make MLB games again, we may have one of the best contested races in sports games year in and year out....

# 13 ajf14 @ 11/29/10 07:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eski33


	SCEA has done an outstanding job translating one of the most difficult sports to the virtual world. I played baseball for 20+ years, including college, and what makes baseball so tough to emulate is the stats. Most baseball games have had trouble providing realistic stats in human played games, especially hitting. The Show, although not perfect, is pretty damn close. MVP was an outstanding series as well that was improving every year. If EA gets an opportunity to make MLB games again, we may have one of the best contested races in sports games year in and year out....

i remember picking up mvp 05 on a whim, and i remember loving every minute of it. great graphics, and exellent controls, there was really nothing to dislike. im an xbox guy so i cant play the show, so i really dont know if its the best, but from my experience mvp would be hard to match

# 14 jth1331 @ 11/30/10 05:39 PM

I played the heck out of MVP 05, that game was so much fun. One thing I would like The Show to address is actually implement a numbers ratings system and not go off of bars, I hate that. I want to be able to see Tulo has a Contact of 75, power of 80 and not just a bar that you can't really tell if its better than so and so.

But man, MVP was so much fun. I liked their manage mode, and I remember I was a beast with Oliver Perez in that game. lol

# 15 EnigmaNemesis @ 11/30/10 06:10 PM

I think one of the best things about the ratings interface/UI in the game is that they are bars and not numbers like other games.

And I do not see this changing, thankfully.

# 16 EnigmaNemesis @ 11/30/10 07:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cardsleadtheway


	I agree with the you on the bar over the numbers. The use of numbers could have me going after one free agent that has a one point advantage in power over another free agent that might have put up better numbers, or someone I am already a fan of. I actually wish they would go one step further and make the attributes even more vague. Perhaps something along the lines of a real scouting report. Maybe even be inaccurate at times. There is nothing I love more in this game than a fringe player you got on the cheap over performing, or a superstar you overpaid for under performing. I love the randomness of it all.

In total agreement. It is what makes it feel so close to real life.

# 17 countryboy @ 11/30/10 08:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jth1331


	I played the heck out of MVP 05, that game was so much fun. One thing I would like The Show to address is actually implement a numbers ratings system and not go off of bars, I hate that. I want to be able to see Tulo has a Contact of 75, power of 80 and not just a bar that you can't really tell if its better than so and so. But man, MVP was so much fun. I liked their manage mode, and I remember I was a beast with Oliver Perez in that game. lol

if you go into edit player, you can see the numerical value for their ratings/attributes.

# 18 Knight165 @ 11/30/10 08:57 PM

Number ratings blow...and IMO don't belong anywhere near a sports game that considers itself "sim" in any respect.(unless those numbers are tied to a scouting report....different story...that's something that really exists.)
Now they are useful for editing...but outside of that I wish even the bars didn't exist....just scouting reports from your staff.
That would also push the game(including trades and salaries!)...more towards performance and potential rather than some pre-set ratings.(If they forced you to make choices on something other than ratings...they would have to have the CPU do the same!

)

M.K.
Knight165

# 19 Knight165 @ 11/30/10 08:58 PM

...and I don't remember any Manage only Mode in MVP '05 ??

M.K.
Knight165

# 20 bcruise @ 11/30/10 09:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Knight165


	...and I don't remember any Manage only Mode in MVP '05 ?? M.K. Knight165

There was a sportscast-ish mode that allowed you to pick strategy options and jump in-game, but yeah, nothing like the on-the-field Manage Only that the Show has.

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