In the spring of 2014, after two decades of having to look elsewhere for video game alternatives, talk-show host Seth Meyers captured the sentiment of many excited baseball fans and gamers when he tweeted: "I am wildly excited about the relaunch of R.B.I. Baseball."
That successful relaunch just hit another milestone that he and others are going to love. On Tuesday, Major League Baseball Advanced Media announced that its popular R.B.I. Baseball 17 game is now available for the first time since the 1990s on a Nintendo platform -- where it all began back with a 1988 release.
R.B.I. Baseball 17, officially licensed by MLB and the MLB Players Association, is on sale at $29.99 for the Nintendo Switch across all major U.S. and Canada retail outlets, including GameStop, Best Buy, Walmart and Target, among other participating retailers.
"We couldn't be more excited to have R.B.I. Baseball 17 on the Nintendo Switch," said Jamie Leece, MLBAM's vice president, games. "The pick-up-and-play nature of the franchise is perfect for the platform. Our fans can play at home, on the go or anywhere."
Anyone who has ever replayed the classic Mookie Wilson-Bill Buckner at-bat that ended Game 6 of the 1986 World Series between the Mets and Red Sox -- simulated on the old Nintendo Entertainment System platform -- will appreciate what it means to be back with an old friend. Of course, the 2017 version is futuristic by comparison.
R.B.I. Baseball 17, developed by MLBAM to feature fast paced and fun baseball game play, gives you access to new features with the Switch's unique controller options that support gaming everywhere. R.B.I. Baseball 17, which features Dodgers All-Star shortstop Corey Seager on its cover (and Blue Jays center fielder Kevin Pillar on Canada's version), is a full nine-inning game with easy-to-use controls and Season, Postseason, Exhibition and Local Multiplayer modes, including season saving and simulation capabilities.
"The game is fun," Orioles center fielder Adam Jones said after the 2014 relaunch. "It brings back the old '90s feeling of the game and it's like playing Super Nintendo all over again. I miss those days."
These days, all 30 MLB ballparks are rendered in stunning detail and teams feature the latest rosters in regular updates. Players can modify lineups with complete MLB rosters or classic rosters, allowing them to play their game their way.
Here are some of the game highlights:
Accessible, fast-paced fun. Play a full nine-inning game in less than 20 minutes with easy-to-use two-button controls.
Authentic MLB experience. When it was introduced for Nintendo in the late '80s, R.B.I. Baseball was the first video game licensed by the MLBPA, so player names could be used. MLB did not license it at that time, however, so the game had no team nicknames or logos. Ah, how times have changed. Now you can play with all 30 MLB teams, 30 detailed ballparks and more than 1,000 MLB players with detailed attributes.
Your Team, Your Way. Modify lineups with complete MLB rosters or play classic R.B.I Baseball rosters. Stay current with downloadable roster updates throughout the 2017 season.
Keep stats. Track season stats by team, player and league leaders across multiple seasons. You might want to start with Seager, a steady leader on a Dodgers club that has sailed with baseball's record for most of the season.
"That was really cool for me," Seager said when he was announced as the cover athlete. "Growing up playing sports, video games and seeing all the people on the covers and idolizing them was awesome for me. It's surreal for me, I see smile every time I see it."
For more information, visit rbigame.com and follow @RBIGame.