A third entry in one of the best sports game series’ around is on the way, and much sooner than expected: not only is Super Mega Baseball 3 a thing, it’s out next month, developer Metalhead Software announced today.
Where most sports games lean heavily into either detailed simulation or over-the-top arcade action, the Super Mega Baseball franchise walks a line somewhere in between. Its cartoony characters and presentation belie a deep, authentic baseball experience. In fact, the first game managed to take me from having very little interest in baseball to it being one of my favourite sports.
Related: Read our review of Super Mega Baseball 2 for a more detailed look at what makes this franchise special.
The intuitive design of its pitching system in particular made understanding and appreciating the intricacies of the pitcher-batter duel a natural extension of playing, even for someone going in with almost no knowledge of the sport. The brilliant Ego system helped, too, by cleverly scaling difficulty to accommodate everyone from complete beginners to seasoned pros.
Super Mega Baseball 2 refined that further, while also adding online multiplayer modes. Super Mega Baseball 3 is set to take the series to another level with the addition of a dedicated Franchise mode, day, night, and “alternate” lighting for all stadiums, and cross-platform multiplayer. Its simulation of baseball will be that much more authentic with the addition of wild pitches and passes, new pick-off and base stealing mechanics, designated hitters, and situational player traits.
Super Mega Baseball 3 is due to release in April, and there’ll be a free demo available at launch. It’s coming to Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC.