 Super NES cover art | |
| Developer | MindSpan |
|---|---|
| Publisher | Accolade |
| Producers | Pam Levins Pam Davis |
| Designers | Mike Benna Jeff Sember |
| Programmers | Mike Benna Jeff Sember |
| Artist | John Boechler |
| Composer | Alistair Hirst |
| Platforms | DOS, Genesis, Super NES |
| Release | DOS Genesis/Mega Drive Super NES
|
| Genre | Sports |
| Modes | Single-player, multiplayer |
HardBall III is a multiplatform baseball video game developed by MindSpan and published by Accolade between 1992 and 1994 for the DOS, Sega Genesis, and Super Nintendo Entertainment System platforms. The game is licensed by the Major League Baseball Players Association and is the sequel to HardBall II.
The console versions are simplified versions of the HardBall series found on the personal computers of the time. Season stats are logged through a lengthy password in these versions due to the lack of a hard disk drive that was already common in the more expensive personal computers at that time.
Release
In November 1993, Accolade signed an agreement with Atari Corporation to be a third-party developer for the recently released Atari Jaguar and licensed five titles from their catalog to Atari Corp. in order to be ported and released for the system, with HardBall III (then titled Al Michaels Announces HardBall III) being among the five licensed games and it was first announced in early 1994.[4][5][6][7][8][9] It was originally planned for a Q3 1995 release date and was being developed by NuFX.[10][11][12] However, the port went unreleased for unknown reasons.
Reception
| Publication | Score | |
|---|---|---|
| Sega Genesis | SNES | |
| Electronic Gaming Monthly | N/A | 8/10 7/10 5/10 7/10 8/10[13] |
| GamePro | N/A | 3.5/5 4/5 4/5 3.5/5[14] |
| Joypad | 81%[15] | N/A |
| Total! | N/A | 62%[16] |
| MegaTech | 69/100[17] | N/A |
| Sega Force | 63/100[18] | N/A |
Computer Gaming World in 1992 said that "HardBall III looks like another winner", complementing its emphasis on action while also providing simulation functions. The magazine praised its "glorious" support for VGA graphics and sound cards, and concluded that the game "packs more features in a single box than any of its competitors".[19] Reviewing the Super NES version, GamePro praised the huge number of options and player stats, but felt the rough graphics and "choppy" player movements reduce the game to merely above average.[14]
References
- ^ "MegaDrive Review: HardBall III". MegaTech. June 1993. pp. 68–69. Retrieved November 23, 2024.
- ^ "Review Crew: Hardball 3". Electronic Gaming Monthly. No. 44. March 1993. p. 26. Retrieved January 10, 2022.
- ^ "Super NES Games" (PDF). Nintendo of America. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 11, 2014. Retrieved April 12, 2023.
- ^ "Other Stuff". GameFan. Vol. 2, no. 1. Shinno Media. December 1993. p. 212.
- ^ "ProNews: Atari Announces Jaguar Licenses". GamePro. No. 55. IDG. February 1994. p. 186.
- ^ "News - Update - Sports Accolade". ST Format. No. 55. Future plc. February 1994. p. 86. Archived from the original on 2016-07-20. Retrieved 2019-01-05.
- ^ Reutter, Hans. "Unreleased Or Unfinished Jaguar Games - Al Michaels Announced Hardball III". cyberroach.com. Archived from the original on 2017-10-01. Retrieved 2018-09-21.
- ^ doctorclu (May 23, 2016). Interview with Faran Thomason about Bubsy on the Atari Jaguar. YouTube. Archived from the original on 2021-12-14.
- ^ Wallett, Adrian (September 3, 2017). "Faran Thomason (Atari/Nintendo) – Interview". arcadeattack.co.uk. Retrieved 2018-09-19.
- ^ "Sports titles coming from Atari". TheFreeLibrary.com. Business Wire. January 6, 1995. Archived from the original on 2018-09-22. Retrieved 2018-09-22.
- ^ "Feature - XT Generation Report - Atari Jaguar". MAN!AC (in German). No. 20. Cybermedia. June 1995. p. 40.
- ^ CRV (August 7, 2017). "NuFX". gdri.smspower.org. Archived from the original on 2017-10-19. Retrieved 2018-11-02.
- ^ "HardBall III". Electronic Gaming Monthly. Vol. 7, no. 4. April 1994. p. 40. Retrieved September 18, 2025 – via Internet Archive.
- ^ a b The King Fisher (May 1994). "Number III is Best Hardball Yet". GamePro. No. 58. IDG. p. 108. Retrieved September 18, 2025.
- ^ T.S.R.; Destroy, J'm (April 1993). "HardBall III". Joypad (in French). No. 19. pp. 68–69. Retrieved September 18, 2025 – via Internet Archive.
- ^ Andy (October 1994). "Hardball III". Total!. No. 34. p. 42. Retrieved September 18, 2025 – via Internet Archive.
- ^ Glancey, Paul (June 1993). "Al Michael Announces HardBill III". MegaTech. No. 18. pp. 68–69. Retrieved September 18, 2025 – via Internet Archive.
- ^ May; Paul (July 1993). "Hardball III". Sega Force. No. 19. pp. 32–33. Retrieved September 18, 2025 – via Internet Archive.
- ^ Rogers, Win (August 1992). "Accolade's Al Michaels Announces Hardball III". No. 97. pp. 78–79. Archived from the original on 2014-07-02. Retrieved 3 July 2014.
External links
- HardBall III at GameFAQs
- HardBall III at Giant Bomb
- HardBall III at MobyGames
