Posted February 22, 2024
Some interesting background on these two early spots sim titles.
Why is Hardball! celebrated?
Hardball! was a hit when it was first released in 1986 on the Commodore 64. Info Magazine said Hardball! was “easily the best baseball simulation we have seen to date.” Zzap paid the game as “surely the best real life sports simulation to date and sets new standards in gameplay, depth and animation.” When it was released for the Atari 8-bit, ANALOG Computing Magazine said it was “in a league of its own, above all other Atari sports games.”
Why was it so popular? The mix of deep simulation, the accurate sounds and settings of professional baseball, and accessible gameplay appealed to baseball fans. Hardball! was the first game that gave players the granular control of a managerial sim and control of the pitchers, fielders, batters and baserunners. More than any early baseball game, Hardball! was the precursor to modern baseball games that let you manage your team and get involved in the action.
In 1991, Entertainment Weekly ranked Hardball! as the 11th greatest game available saying “HardBall! is the closest you may ever get to playing in a real major-league ballpark."
How was Hardball! marketed?
Along with tear sheets for distributors and ads for magazines, Hardball! was supported by a broadcast television campaign featuring the St. Louis Cardinals All-Star shortstop Ozzie Smith. The campaign included 100s of prizes, including a trip to the 1988 World Series. Unlike the lucky winner, Smith did not make it to the World Series that year. Instead MVP Orel Hershiser led the Dodgers to a 4 to 1 game victory over the A’s.
Releases
Hardball! was released on a dozen different platforms over six years, evidence of its enduring popularity.
1985 (Commodore 64)
1986 (ZX Spectrum)
1986 (Amstrad CPC)
1986 (Apple II)
1986 (Atari 8-bit)
1986 (Macintosh)
1987 (MSX)
1987 (Atari ST)
1987 (Amiga)
1987 (Apple IIgs)
1988 (DOS)
1991 (Genesis)
Credits
The original Commodore 64 version of Hardball! was designed by Robert (Bob) Whitehead. Whitehead was hired by Atari in 1977 as one of the company’s first programmers for the Atari 2600. In 1979, he teamed up with leading game designers David Crane, Larry Kaplan and Alan Miller to form the gaming company Activision. In 1984, he co-founded Accolade together with Alan Miller and Hardball! was one of his first projects.
The graphics for Hardball! were created by Mimi Dogget, a designer and artist who has spent more than 40 years in the gaming industry, including with industry leaders Atari, Accolade and Sega.
The music was created by Ed Bogas, a prolific composer for video games and movies whose credits stretch from Accolade titles including Hardball! and Law of the West all the way to the 2004 title Gran Turismo 4.
Why is Hardball II celebrated?
Hardball II , which did not drop until four years after the release of Hardball!, won a Software Publishers Association award for best sports game of the year in 1989.
Hardball II expanded upon the original by adding a significant amount of customization options, including infield and outfield shifts and a team editor, and much deeper stat tracking, including live, in-game updates. The graphics were improved, increasing the frames for player animations and seven additional stadiums. A TV Replay feature gave players total control, including pause and normal, slow motion and even frame-by-frame replays.
A review in the Boston Herald read “until recently there have been few baseball simulation games worth $50. I’ve changed my mind after playing HardBall II … it hits a grand slam.” German gaming magazine ASM said Hardball II “offers the best baseball game currently in the world of home and personal computers.” The publication Amiga Joker similarly praised Hardball II as “clearly best in class thanks to its overwhelming wealth of options!”
How was Hardball II marketed?
The release marketing campaign stressed the “unparalleled realism” of Hardball II, including live stats, pickoffs, rundowns, fielding shifts and player errors. Hardball II did not get the broadcast TV support enjoyed by Hardball!, and seems to have been supported largely by ads in gaming publications and a review program.
Releases
Despite the four year release gap between Hardball II and the original Hardball!, the sequel was only released on three platforms.
1989 (DOS)
1990 (Amiga)
1990 (Macintosh)
Credits
Hardball II was developed by the Canadian video game studio Distinctive Software, Inc. and published by Accolade. Distinctive, which had a reputation for racing and sports games, was acquired by Electronic Arts in 1990 and became EA Canada. That studio (now called EA Vancouver) is responsible for the EA FIFA and NHL franchises.
The game was designed by Distinctive co-founder Donald A. Mattrick along with Rick Friesen and Chris Taylor, and programmed by Friesen and Taylor. Mattrick went on to hold major roles at EA, Microsoft and Zynga. Friesen continues to work at EA on the FIFA, NHL and NBA franchises. His last baseball game credit was the 2001 title Triple Play Baseball. Hardball II was Chris Taylor’s first industry credit. After working on 4-D Boxing and The Duel: Test Device II, Taylor shifted into the world of RPG and strategy games. He is credited on the Dungeon Siege, Supreme Commander, Total Annihilation and Age of Empires franchises.
Tony Lee is credited for the art in Hardball II. The music was created by Kris Hatlelid and Bernie Vachon.
Why is Hardball! celebrated?
Hardball! was a hit when it was first released in 1986 on the Commodore 64. Info Magazine said Hardball! was “easily the best baseball simulation we have seen to date.” Zzap paid the game as “surely the best real life sports simulation to date and sets new standards in gameplay, depth and animation.” When it was released for the Atari 8-bit, ANALOG Computing Magazine said it was “in a league of its own, above all other Atari sports games.”
Why was it so popular? The mix of deep simulation, the accurate sounds and settings of professional baseball, and accessible gameplay appealed to baseball fans. Hardball! was the first game that gave players the granular control of a managerial sim and control of the pitchers, fielders, batters and baserunners. More than any early baseball game, Hardball! was the precursor to modern baseball games that let you manage your team and get involved in the action.
In 1991, Entertainment Weekly ranked Hardball! as the 11th greatest game available saying “HardBall! is the closest you may ever get to playing in a real major-league ballpark."
How was Hardball! marketed?
Along with tear sheets for distributors and ads for magazines, Hardball! was supported by a broadcast television campaign featuring the St. Louis Cardinals All-Star shortstop Ozzie Smith. The campaign included 100s of prizes, including a trip to the 1988 World Series. Unlike the lucky winner, Smith did not make it to the World Series that year. Instead MVP Orel Hershiser led the Dodgers to a 4 to 1 game victory over the A’s.
Releases
Hardball! was released on a dozen different platforms over six years, evidence of its enduring popularity.
1985 (Commodore 64)
1986 (ZX Spectrum)
1986 (Amstrad CPC)
1986 (Apple II)
1986 (Atari 8-bit)
1986 (Macintosh)
1987 (MSX)
1987 (Atari ST)
1987 (Amiga)
1987 (Apple IIgs)
1988 (DOS)
1991 (Genesis)
Credits
The original Commodore 64 version of Hardball! was designed by Robert (Bob) Whitehead. Whitehead was hired by Atari in 1977 as one of the company’s first programmers for the Atari 2600. In 1979, he teamed up with leading game designers David Crane, Larry Kaplan and Alan Miller to form the gaming company Activision. In 1984, he co-founded Accolade together with Alan Miller and Hardball! was one of his first projects.
The graphics for Hardball! were created by Mimi Dogget, a designer and artist who has spent more than 40 years in the gaming industry, including with industry leaders Atari, Accolade and Sega.
The music was created by Ed Bogas, a prolific composer for video games and movies whose credits stretch from Accolade titles including Hardball! and Law of the West all the way to the 2004 title Gran Turismo 4.
Why is Hardball II celebrated?
Hardball II , which did not drop until four years after the release of Hardball!, won a Software Publishers Association award for best sports game of the year in 1989.
Hardball II expanded upon the original by adding a significant amount of customization options, including infield and outfield shifts and a team editor, and much deeper stat tracking, including live, in-game updates. The graphics were improved, increasing the frames for player animations and seven additional stadiums. A TV Replay feature gave players total control, including pause and normal, slow motion and even frame-by-frame replays.
A review in the Boston Herald read “until recently there have been few baseball simulation games worth $50. I’ve changed my mind after playing HardBall II … it hits a grand slam.” German gaming magazine ASM said Hardball II “offers the best baseball game currently in the world of home and personal computers.” The publication Amiga Joker similarly praised Hardball II as “clearly best in class thanks to its overwhelming wealth of options!”
How was Hardball II marketed?
The release marketing campaign stressed the “unparalleled realism” of Hardball II, including live stats, pickoffs, rundowns, fielding shifts and player errors. Hardball II did not get the broadcast TV support enjoyed by Hardball!, and seems to have been supported largely by ads in gaming publications and a review program.
Releases
Despite the four year release gap between Hardball II and the original Hardball!, the sequel was only released on three platforms.
1989 (DOS)
1990 (Amiga)
1990 (Macintosh)
Credits
Hardball II was developed by the Canadian video game studio Distinctive Software, Inc. and published by Accolade. Distinctive, which had a reputation for racing and sports games, was acquired by Electronic Arts in 1990 and became EA Canada. That studio (now called EA Vancouver) is responsible for the EA FIFA and NHL franchises.
The game was designed by Distinctive co-founder Donald A. Mattrick along with Rick Friesen and Chris Taylor, and programmed by Friesen and Taylor. Mattrick went on to hold major roles at EA, Microsoft and Zynga. Friesen continues to work at EA on the FIFA, NHL and NBA franchises. His last baseball game credit was the 2001 title Triple Play Baseball. Hardball II was Chris Taylor’s first industry credit. After working on 4-D Boxing and The Duel: Test Device II, Taylor shifted into the world of RPG and strategy games. He is credited on the Dungeon Siege, Supreme Commander, Total Annihilation and Age of Empires franchises.
Tony Lee is credited for the art in Hardball II. The music was created by Kris Hatlelid and Bernie Vachon.