After Home Run, I had to check out RealSports Baseball. Upon first glance, this game appears to be a large improvement, but is it a good game? I'll address that at the end.
RealSports Baseball lives up to its name by sticking to the rules of the game, as well as it can, anyway. I like how the game opens with the sound of a cheering stadium and the players running out onto the field. Now that's some real sports!
You can bat in different directions depending on where you aim the joystick. For instance, I found it easy to hit home runs by pulling the joystick back. This game uses specific joystick angles for absolutely everything, whether running bases, throwing, pitching, or batting, so you'll need to remember things like "push up to throw to second base," which doesn't feel right when second base is below you.
Looking through the manual, I'm impressed with the available actions that impact the gameplay, such as stealing bases or hitting too early. Even the pitches have purposefully random accuracy. It all seems pretty complex to me, and it's supposed to be. The RealSports games were developed in response to Intellivision, who had, as we know, slammed Home Run by showing it next to Major League Baseball, which looked as good as a live broadcast in comparison.
But is RealSports Baseball good? I feel unqualified to answer, because I didn't play enough of this game (or Home Run) to base my critique on the gameplay. I did, however, play around with both games, look over the manuals, and read some history. What I'm saying is take it or leave it; I did my best.
Based on my research, I conclude that RealSports Baseball may be good enough, if you are a fan of retro sports games and willing to learn the controls. I imagine some players are nostalgic about this title as well.
That said, the non-intuitive gameplay won't be worth the trouble for most players, and we all know there are better baseball games out there (thanks, Intellivision).
Therefore, I recommend RealSports Baseball to Atari nerds and collectors only.
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