Opening Day 2020 came and went quickly on March the 26th due to the outbreak of “COVID-19.” Obviously, there are more pressing matters of public health at play, but nevertheless, it was sad to see the start of the MLB season delayed. Everyone knows if you want to play a baseball game, MLB: The Show is the best experience in town. Other developers cannot create simulation baseball games due to a contract that expires next year. So, we get arcade-style baseball games like R.B.I. Baseball 20. How does it compare? Let’s talk.

Is R.B.I. Baseball 20 for the Nintendo Switch Any Good?

Overall, most people scoff at the R.B.I. Baseball series. A few key things to keep in mind; firstly, the presentation is going to be much different. You don’t get announcers in the game, or even replays. It’s just an arcade baseball experience akin to older titles in the 80s and 90s. Secondly, it’s not going to look as good as MLB: The Show. Although, if you’ve played the latest three games in the R.B.I. series since its modern iteration began, the graphics improvements are significant.

The most jarring thing for most people, despite everything above, is the actual gameplay. New pitching features help answer concerns about the simplicity of the pitching mechanic. Each pitch you throw now has a confidence meter, which goes up and down depending on how the option is working for you in that matchup. The batting mechanic is also improved, with a powerup bar utilized by holding ‘B’ until the pitch arrives. This gives you a lot more control over the type of hit you want.

So, is it any good? Yeah, if you keep your expectations reasonable. There are a lot of things to love about the game, and pitching to me is the brightest spot. I love the confidence meter, and you can change the placement of the pitch up until it leaves the batter’s hand. The flexibility you feel on the mound is not matched anywhere else on the field, unfortunately.

A Few Negatives for R.B.I. Baseball 20

Let’s hit the negatives. R.B.I. Baseball 20 for the Switch has no option for online play, despite other versions offering the game mode. To me, it’s not a huge deal, but that could be a dealbreaker for you. The game also features limited game modes, with options to ‘Play Now’ and play a ‘Season’ up to 10 years. In-season features like trading and things like that are present, but bare bones. To be honest, you don’t buy R.B.I. Baseball 20 for depth. You buy it for fast action. So, where does the actual gameplay falter?

Diving and fielding is still a matter of being close enough; precision is not important here. Unfortunately, that means you easily miss ground balls through no fault to your own. It works both ways; you can make plays you really shouldn’t, and miss ones you should. If you can look past these flubs, the overall experience is pretty enjoyable.

Final Thoughts on R.B.I. Baseball 20

I think for baseball fans without access to a PS4 and MLB: The Show, R.B.I. Baseball 20 scratches the baseball gaming itch better than in previous years. I can see myself playing this game quite a bit until the MLB season returns. That being said, please know what you’re getting into. You don’t have the depth you would enjoy on PS4 in a season mode, or even in a full-fledged presentation of baseball. If you just want to play some baseball, but want things to look a bit more legit than Wii Sports, I think R.B.I. Baseball 20 is the best entry in the series yet.

A review copy of R.B.I. Baseball 20 for the Switch was provided by MLB Advanced Media for this review.

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RBI Baseball 20

$29.99 USD

7.5

Score

7.5/10

Pros

• Improved graphics
• Great new pitching mechanic
• Scratches the arcade baseball itch

Cons

• Gameplay still isn't precise
• No presentation value, or replays
• Limited options for gameplay
• No online mode for Switch