Bases Loaded (video game)

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Bases Loaded

Developer(s)	Jaleco TOSE (NES version)
Publisher(s)	Jaleco
Release date(s)	Arcade version 1987 NES version ^JPN June 26, 1987 ^NA July, 1988 Game Boy version ^NA 1990
Genre(s)	Sports: Baseball
Mode(s)	Single player, two player
Platform(s)	Arcade, NES, Game Boy

Bases Loaded screenshot

Bases Loaded (Moero!! Pro Yakyuu in Japan) is a baseball arcade game by Jaleco that was released in Japan. A version for the Nintendo Entertainment System was released in 1987 in Japan and in 1988 in the US, and a Game Boy port was released in 1990. A mobile phone version also exists. The game allows the player to control one of 12 teams in either a single game or a full season. For single games, there is also a two-player option.

Bases Loaded featured a unique television-style depiction of the pitcher-batter matchup, as well as strong play control and a relatively high degree of realism, which made it one of the most popular baseball games of the early NES.

One unique feature of the game is that the pitcher can provoke a batter to charge the mound. Each team has only one batter who can be provoked in this manner, however (usually the team's best hitter); it is up to the player to discover who it is.

At the time Bases Loaded was released, few video games were licensed by major league sports. Therefore, the league depicted in Bases Loaded is a fictitious league of 12 teams. They are:

Boston - Good offense (Freida and Norkus), mediocre pitching
D.C. - Very potent offense (Doreo and Fendy), bad pitching
Hawaii
Jersey - Features Paste, the best player in the game, who can make almost any hit a home run. Very subpar team otherwise.
Kansas - Features Patson, who has the strongest fastball in the game (102 mph)
L.A. - "Small ball" team (high average, low power) with terrible pitching
Miami
N.Y. - Overall strong batting and pitching, but with no particular standouts
Omaha
Philly - Best pitching (Gantos), competent hitting
Texas - another "Small ball" team with decent pitching. Marcus in the middle of the lineup is quite dangerous. Ott is a very good pitcher.
Utah

There are three more video games in the Bases Loaded NES series, Bases Loaded II: Second Season, Bases Loaded 3 and Bases Loaded 4. An equivalent called Super Bases Loaded also appeared for the Super NES and Bases Loaded '96 for the Sega Saturn and Sony Playstation.

Tips:

Certain batters may retaliate with a "bean brawl" if you hit them with a pitch: Oko, Lynn, Frieda, Starr, Warner, Fendy, Paste, Debro, Agua, Bacon, Marcus, or Caras.

Put a left-handed pitcher on the mound and move him to the left side of the mound. Hold Down on the control pad while he throws his pitch and he'll blow it by the batter. Repeat until midway through the 5th inning and replace him with another lefty. Just to be safe, replace him with another lefty in the ninth. Repeat for a no-hitter.

Jersey seems to be the best-hitting club; start Rose as pitcher. Press A to pitch and as he brings the glove to his side hold Down and Right on the controller. Strike! Repeat this until the 5th and replace him with Less. Repeat this move with Less until the 9th, and replace Less with Pearl. Finish off the game for a no-hitter. You should have been able to score a few runs by now, at least.

You may be able to score an easy run if you have a man on third and steal while the batter is up (don't swing). If your base runner isn't particularly fast (or the pitch itself was particularly fast) the catcher will quickly throw the ball to 3rd. Don't run back, just continue on to home plate. You should easily beat the catcher to home plate for an easy score.

Password for New Jersey and New York in the pennant: JAELECO