10 Best Baseball Video Games of All Time
Let’s be clear – there are only a handful of releases deserving of the title “best baseball video games of all time.” Still, I’ve taken the liberty to seek out the highest tier baseball games that are worth playing – ten of which I’ll share with you today, from one baseball fan to another.
Whether you’ve been itching for some ultra-realistic gameplay, deep franchise management, or pure, arcade fun, this list of mine covers just about every preference you have. Here, we’ll dive into titles spanning decades, from latest-gen AAA games to timeless classics.
Ready to find the next baseball game you’ll sink dozens of hours into? Batter up, then!
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Our Top Picks for Baseball Games
Here are our team’s picks for the absolute cream of the crop – five baseball games that we’re sure you’ll have tons of fun with as a baseball enthusiast, regardless of your preferences:
- MLB The Show 25 (2025) – the latest installment to the MLB The Show series, and is by far the most breathtaking baseball game when it comes to visual fidelity, movement physics, commentary depth, sound design, and current-season roster accuracy.
- MLB The Show 24 (2024) – an impressive predecessor to MLBTS25 that’s equally fine-tuned in the graphics and core gameplay departments. A good starting point for the series if you’re planning to get into all the latest MLBTS games.
- Super Mega Baseball 4 (2023) – boasts a more casual-friendly playstyle and over-the-top visuals than the usual hyper-realistic baseball sims. Still, it has surprisingly deep mechanics and a varied selection of game modes that are perfect for both casual and in-depth play.
These titles will give you the most enjoyable and complete baseball experience out of all the other top-tier baseball games out there.
Is that it? Not even close. Keep scrolling as we step up to the plate with even more baseball games.
10 Best Baseball Video Games That Hit It Way Out of the Park
The wait is over! Here are the ten GOATed baseball games that offer tons of ball-hitting, bat-cracking fun – including my thoughts on all the things that make each of them stand out above all the other baseball games, and why YOU, specifically, will find them charming depending on your gaming preferences.
1. MLB The Show 25
| Platforms | Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S |
| Release Year | 2025 |
| Developer | San Diego Studio |
| Best Features | Realistic graphics and fluid action physics |
The MLB The Show series is to MLB what the 2K series is to the WWE and NBA, so there’s really no surprise why MLB The Show 25, its latest installment, leads the pack when it comes to baseball games. It’s one of the greatest sports video games you can get your hands on, and it’s simply a must-have if you’re a baseball fan.
Being a bona fide AAA title, MLB The Show 25 boasts stunningly realistic gameplay and fluid play-by-play animations via ShowTech, which lets you indulge in hundreds of unique player animations.
The core mechanics for batting and pitching are well-optimized here, and even more so compared to its past installments. It’s also fully licensed by Major League Baseball, so you can be sure that every player in every roster and all stadiums are accurate for the season.
This game is the ultimate pick for true MLB fans seeking the most “complete” and realistic baseball simulation experience available. If you want top-tier graphics, authentic Major League baseball action, and deep franchise mode management, you should’ve already been playing MLB The Show 25 yesterday!
2. MLB The Show 24
| Platforms | PlayStation 4/5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S |
| Release Year | 2024 |
| Developer | San Diego Studio |
| Best Feature | Expanded Storylines mode |
Not to be outdone by its successor, MLB The Show 24 is yet another AAA MLB game that’s more than worthy of a playthrough. With outstanding graphics comparable to some of the best Madden games of all time, you’ll be able to experience a highly realistic gameplay that’s both responsive and amazing to look at, which really is the strongest selling point of these MLB The Show games, at least for me.
As is the case for recent MLB The Show entries, the pitching and batting mechanics in this one are meticulously refined, making for an awesome on-field experience. Being a massive fan of story-rich games, I also particularly liked the expanded Storylines mode in this installment, which introduced us to the story of classic MLB legends such as Derek Jeter, Toni Stone, and other players in the Negro Leagues.
I highly recommend getting this game if you want a genuine MLB experience, especially if you’re interested in the historical Storylines mode it offers. In fact, I think it’s an excellent entry point into the series if you’re already planning on getting MLB The Show 25, given its solid gameplay and graphics that hold up well even against its latest counterpart.
3. Super Mega Baseball 4
| Platforms | PlayStation 4/5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Cloud Gaming |
| Release Year | 2023 |
| Developer | Metalhead Software Inc. |
| Best Features | Casual gameplay and cartoony visuals |
Super Mega Baseball 4 is the number one game I recommend for those of you looking for a more casual and less hyper-realistic, yet still massively fun baseball experience. Instead of season-accurate rosters and true-to-life graphics, this game opts for more bombastic player designs and rosters filled with a mix of fictional characters and retired MLB players, such as Babe Ruth, Nolan Ryan, Chipper Jones, and Vince Coleman.
Despite its stylized, cartoonish aesthetics, Super Mega Baseball 4 has a surprisingly deep strategic layer and skill expression, thanks mostly to its massive “Traits” system and infamous Shuffle Draft mode, which is admittedly more challenging and stimulating than most traditional Fantasy Draft modes I’ve ever played.
Being an over-the-top arcade game, every hit feels extra impactful and the fielding extra fluid in Super Mega Baseball 4. You’ll have tons of exciting moments here, whether you’re going for a double play or a home run. This game is a fantastic pick-up for casual baseball fans, especially for those who need a break from intensive, life-accurate, and often more expensive AAA baseball sims.
4. Baseball Stars 2
| Platforms | Microsoft Windows, Arcade, Linux, Macintosh, Neo Geo AES, Neo Geo CD, NES, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation Network, Virtual Console, iOS, Android |
| Release Year | 1992 |
| Developer | SNK |
| Best Feature | Timeless, fast-paced arcade action |
Speaking of standout arcade titles, Baseball Stars 2 is about as awesome a casual baseball game as can be. This timeless classic rocks a straightforward gameplay loop and an arcade aesthetic straight out of the ’90s that’ll evoke a sense of nostalgia for any retro enthusiast out there.
Peak ‘90s SNK cooked exceedingly well, releasing some of the most iconic baseball games, along with their equally impressive golf games and fighting games back then. For older baseball fans, Baseball Stars 2 was the quintessential baseball game that showed us the potential of the sport in video game format, which is why it’s just hard for me not to include this game on my list.
Here, you don’t need to worry about overly complex roster management or drawing up plays for your team. Both hitting and pitching rely mostly on your reaction time, so all you have to do is time your inputs accurately while you sit back, relax, and enjoy those iconic and punchy sound effects whenever you manage to hit the ball.
Baseball Stars 2 may be old, but it’s the perfect choice if you like revisiting iconic retro sports games, or you just want a highly replayable and fast-paced baseball experience you can get into whenever or wherever you want, especially since you can now access this game through your smartphone. No need to buy near-antiquated gaming consoles just to experience this one!
5. Out of the Park Baseball 25
| Platforms | Microsoft Windows, Linux, MacOS |
| Release Year | 2024 |
| Developer | Out of the Park Developments |
| Best Feature | Outstanding strategic and management depth |
Fancy yourself a baseball mastermind? Out of the Park Baseball 25 will let you play out your front-office fantasies, as it’s by far one of the most immersive sim games you could ever get your hands on as a baseball fan.
Its core gameplay revolves around you being able to create custom leagues, manage real players and teams to the T, and replay historical seasons to see what you, specifically, would do differently as the General Manager in terms of strategic execution per match and roster planning over the season.
Every hit and pitch here is simulated with incredible detail, and it allows you to fully manage your team and guide them through countless seasons of baseball challenges. This game makes you feel like an actual Baseball GM, and not just a watered-down, oversimplified caricature of one.
Hardcore baseball fans who’ve been craving an in-depth baseball sim will find Out of the Park Baseball 25 simply irresistible, as its strongest point by far is its focus on strategy, simulation, and statistics over direct on-field control for each player. Want to see if you’ve got what it takes as a General Manager? This will put your strategic prowess to the test!
6. R.B.I. Baseball 15
| Platforms | Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, iOS, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, MacOS |
| Release Year | 2015 |
| Developers | MLB Advanced Media, HB Studios |
| Best Features | Simple, accessible, and MLB-licensed |
R.B.I. Baseball 15 delivers a more accessible “modern” MLB gaming experience with its addition to iOS devices, along with its well-optimized, multi-platform support. It features an official MLB license, which means it had real players, teams, and stadiums that were accurate for the league at the time.
Despite being more dated than most of the titles on this list, its controls are quite streamlined and easy to get used to, not to mention the visuals hold up fairly well even today. It goes for a less customization-extensive approach than the likes of MLB The Show titles, offering simpler Franchise mode features and on-field gameplay mechanics, making the game excellent for casual play.
It’s easy to pick up, so you’ll definitely enjoy R.B.I. Baseball 15 if you want a straightforward, arcade-style baseball game with official backing from Major League Baseball. Want to just bang out quick matches while playing as your favorite team without fussing about anything else? This is the game for you!
7. MLB The Show 23
| Platforms | PlayStation 4/5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S |
| Release Year | 2023 |
| Developer | San Diego Studio |
| Best Feature | Immersive Storylines mode |
MLB The Show 23 is the first title in the series ever to feature the Storylines mode, which is why, as a huge fan of single-player-friendly game modes, this one holds a very special place in my top ten list. It’s already a top-of-the-line baseball game in terms of visual fidelity, movement physics, and commentary depth, so the addition of the game mode is just icing on the already delicious cake for me.
Aside from its awesome selection of Storylines matches, I think you’ll also enjoy just how deep this game’s franchise customization is, alongside its well-tuned on-field pitching, fielding, and batting mechanics. Then again, this much is fairly standard for modern MLB The Show releases at this point.
MLB The Show 23 is the title that showed me great flashes of where the series is headed, and is undoubtedly one of the best installments in the franchise. It’s a 10/10 pick-up if you’re looking for a comprehensive and realistic baseball simulator, or if you’d prefer to start your MLB The Show Journey with an older, yet still top-tier title featuring official teams and stadiums.
8. Little League World Series Baseball 2022
| Platforms | Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4/5, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch |
| Release Year | 2022 |
| Developers | IguanaBee, GameMill Entertainment |
| Best Feature | Casually fun youth matches and tournaments |
Little League World Series Baseball 2022 is another arcade-style banger that features cartoony graphics as well as a simple gameplay loop. It’s fun, casual, stylish, and easy to learn, pushing it ahead of most of the competition if you’re looking to take a break from hardcore baseball sims.
Don’t mistake its simplicity for a lack of customization depth, though, as you can create your very own little league team and characters here from scratch. Its core gameplay is simplified yet engaging, with simple controls for pitchers and batters. It also sports fairly straightforward Tournament, Exhibition, and Skill Challenge game modes.
Again, the priority here isn’t to give you ultra-realistic baseball simming sessions, but rather an enjoyable, lighthearted experience of leading a bunch of kids to their very own series title.
The bright, over-the-top visuals and character designs are a dead giveaway to Little League World Series Baseball 2022 being geared toward younger baseball fans, but I think it’s a very solid title for casual game enthusiasts, too. It captures that wholesome essence of Little League baseball whilst rocking a casual-friendly gameplay that somehow avoids being “too simple” to its detriment.
9. Out of the Park Baseball 23
| Platforms | Microsoft Windows, Linux, MacOS |
| Release Year | 2022 |
| Developer | Out of the Park Developments |
| Best Feature | Comprehensive GM simulation |
Just like its 2025 iteration that I’ve previously discussed, Out of the Park Baseball 23 is a no-brainer for anyone who wants to play a top-notch baseball game with an outstanding degree of managerial control and detailed simming mechanics. It offers a very insightful and immersive look into the life of an MLB manager and is, by far, one of the deepest sports sims dedicated to all you aspiring baseball strategists and dynasty-builders out there.
Here, you can create custom leagues, lead a low-level backyard baseball roster into a Major League franchise, and take over teams during some of their historic runs to control the outcome as you please.
Whether it be scouting talent, negotiating contracts, or trading players both in and off-season, you have control of just about every management-related aspect of professional baseball in this game.
Out of the Park Baseball 23 is an easy recommendation for anyone looking to sharpen their strategic and managerial skills for baseball. It challenges you to build rosters from scratch, analyze stat sheets, manage your team’s financials, and make critical decisions as a manager rather than as a player on the field.
10. TOTALLY BASEBALL [VR]
| Platform | Microsoft Windows |
| Release Year | 2021 |
| Developer | VIEWER READY |
| Best Feature | Unmatched VR realism |
TOTALLY BASEBALL is a top-tier VR game that lets you feel like you’re actually playing a baseball game without actually touching grass, which is a massive game-changer for any baseball fan who’d like to enjoy batting or pitching from the comfort of their own home. The immersiveness this game offers you is simply unmatched, making it a definite must-have if you’re both a baseball and VR enthusiast.
It is, hands down, among the best baseball VR games currently available on the market. With your haptic VR controllers, you can feel every hit and throw you make in this game, not to mention the stunning graphics and stadium details are meticulously designed to fully immerse you, offering a different brand of “realistic experience” that very few other baseball games, even the ones on this list, could replicate.
Got a VR headset? TOTALLY BASEBALL will rock your world, and I highly recommend you try it ASAP. This game will give you a totally unique baseball video game experience that goes way beyond what your flatscreen monitor can offer, making you a more active and engaged player during your gaming sessions.
FAQs
What is the best baseball video game?
The best baseball game is MLB The Show 25, which boasts impressive visuals, realistic movement physics, fluid on-field action, optimized controls, and better overall gameplay compared to any other baseball game released yet.
Is baseball more popular than the NFL?
The popularity of baseball ranges a lot further than the United States. It has deep historical roots in countries like Japan, the Dominican Republic, Cuba, Puerto Rico, and Canada, where it continues to enjoy strong popularity.
Is the MLB game good?
Yes, the MLB The Show series is good and is widely considered the best baseball game series of all time by critics and fans of the sport. MLB The Show 25, in particular, is currently the best MLB game you can play.
