MLB 11: The Show introduces new features including pure analog controls and co-op play
Release Date: Mar 8, 2011
Just barely nine months later, Sony is back on deck preparing MLB '11 The Show and is taking a big chance with a new control scheme. I had a chance to see the game at a Sony event in New York to see how it all works.
Baseball, RBI Baseball, Ken Griffey Jr Presents, World Series Baseball, Triple Play, High Heat, MVP Baseball, and my favorite, Little League World Series for NES – these are all fantastic baseball video games. I even loved the “fake” baseball video games like BaseWars and Super Baseball 2020.
These games used up hours of my days throughout my entire life. But what these games didn’t have was the realism that is present in Sony PlayStation’s MLB The Show.
A year after EA sports dropped professional baseball from its list of priorities to put all its money into the boring, repetitive, and lackluster Madden franchise, Sony set out to release the most realistic baseball simulation experience ever. It did that, with MLB: The Show. It took a few years to work out the kinks, but last year’s MLB 10 hit the nail as close on the head as any other game previous to it, and today, we see the release of MLB 11 The Show.
Unlike most sports franchises, The Show comes out with drastic changes each year that improve the realism of the game. This year, not only does each stadium have new aesthetic changes like stadium-specific JumboTrons and authentic home field fans (Tampa Bay gets more cowbell!), MLB 11 introduces a whole new analog control scheme.
Much like the MLB 2K series, swinging and pitching is now controlled analogically. This gives a bit more reward to those who felt button-mashing involved no skill. I, personally, will not utilize this option. It failed in the MLB 2K games, so I can’t see The Show perfecting something that is inherently flawed. However, Sony promises they wouldn’t have released this feature unless they’ve perfected it.
“The Road to the Show” is a feature of The Show that is a landmark in baseball simulation. You create a player and through performing various tasks and meeting certain goals, you work your way through the minors and into the majors where the goals and tasks are advanced. With MLB 10, I created a third baseman and a pitcher and lived my life through them. Sad, but fun.
However, there is a flawed logic in the software of the game. Despite what looks like me disowning the credibility of the RttS feature, it’s still better than anything out there.
It doesn’t stop with RttS either. The franchise feature is so in depth, one could play in this mode for years. Buy stadium updates like batting cages, playgrounds, pools, and other exciting niches for fans. Be A Catcher mode makes you feel like cover boy Joe Mauer. Charge 1 dollar for a hot dog or 100. See how the fans react to that and other stadium vendor options. Your team’s budget is yours. It’s empowering to be in charge of such an in-depth part of a game we all love.
Oh, and one more thing. It’s all in 3D! If you have no concern for the cash that you earn, and you’ve decided to buy a 3D Sony television for your video games, then you’ll love MLB 11. It also supports the new Sony Move™ controller system, so swinging the controller like Big Papi will result in you hitting into the shift – just like Big Papi!
All jokes aside, I’m ecstatic for the only video game I play year-round. Whenever I’m not playing baseball, watching baseball, or writing about baseball, I will be playing this game and if you’re online, challenge me to a game. PSN: Grevalt.*
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