R.B.I., Derby games a hit with Little Leaguers
LLWS Family Fun Zone gives players, fans a chance to play
SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. -- Even kids who aren't playing in this year's Little League World Series are getting into the game in Williamsport. In the Family Fun Zone, an area in the Little League complex behind Lamade and Volunteer Stadiums, fans of all ages are immersed in all things baseball, particularly through MLB's R.B.I. Baseball 15 and Home Run Derby 2015 games.
"I did really well in the last round; I had like 12 home runs," boasted Branden Settnek of his performance in Home Run Derby, in which players attempt to launch as many dingers as possible before time runs out. "It's fun; you get to be a player in MLB."
Gamers can launch big flies with any MLB Home Run Derby participant since 2010, including Reds third baseman Todd Frazier, who played in the 1998 Little League World Series and won the 2015 Derby at Cincinnati's Great American Ball Park.
Cubs first baseman and Little League graduate Anthony Rizzo graces the cover of R.B.I. Baseball 15, which has been redesigned from its original version to include new high-resolution graphics. All 30 of MLB's ballparks look more authentic and incorporate famous details. The result is a game that bridges generations of fans.
"I played R.B.I. as a kid back in the day; he just started this year," said fan Chuck Lamagra, who was in Williamsport with his son, Anthony. "We played a five-game series [together] a couple of days ago."
Folks who visit the gaming tent in the Family Fun Zone -- as well as those who purchase the game for Xbox One, PS4, PC/Mac via Steam, iOS and Android devices -- can choose to play as one of more than 1,000 active big leaguers, track batting and pitching stats and square off against other players at one of three competition levels.
For more information on these games, visit rbigame.com and atmlb.com/hrdgame. You can also follow them on Twitter @RBIGAME and @HRDerbyGame.