User Score
4.6

Generally unfavorable reviews- based on 9 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1 out of 9
  2. Negative: 4 out of 9
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  1. Apr 5, 2019
    7
    If you are buying RBI Baseball you should know what you are getting before you download it. You are not getting a super polished hyper realistic baseball sim.You are getting the new iteration of a classic baseball arcade game. RBI Baseball 19 scratches your itch for a baseball on Switch and Xbox One that no other available game can, and if you have a PS4, can be a lighter alternative toIf you are buying RBI Baseball you should know what you are getting before you download it. You are not getting a super polished hyper realistic baseball sim.You are getting the new iteration of a classic baseball arcade game. RBI Baseball 19 scratches your itch for a baseball on Switch and Xbox One that no other available game can, and if you have a PS4, can be a lighter alternative to MLB The Show that is obviously the leader in the slim class. It does a lot of things well, like the clean simple menus, fully updated rosters and adequate game modes. I am not usually left wanting for features when i play this game. The actual gameplay is fine to me as well. there are somethings that take some getting used to, like how you move the batter and pitcher around. there are no animations for adjusting your players position on the mound or in the batters box, instead moving them around just like you would in the NES/SNES version. i loved the nod to the classic games. the same nostalgia pang was present when i hit my first pop fly and the old school sound effect played for the fly ball. Overall the game play is consistent and satisfying.

    There are a lot of opportunities that RBI Baseball has for its devs to work on for next year. Pitching seems really underdeveloped, not popping up the traditional pitch type selection menu, instead letting you hold up for a slow/junk ball pitch, or down for a fast ball. you control left to right positioning/movement with the same stick. I never feel like i have a huge impact on the pitching of the game. Hitting can be frustrating as well. At first you feel like you have to swing way early to connect, but once you get the timing down, and figure out to hit up or down to affect the power of your hit it gets easier and more fun. The only other complaint i have is the lack of commentary in the game. the only noise is ballpark sounds. so crowd noise, umps and PA announcer. While game commentators always get old, you get used to it being there and it feels oddly dead without it. having music playing in the background would have been a nice option to break up the dead air. There also is the occasional hitch when swinging or fielding, but they are few and far between.

    Overall this game is worth the $30 price tag and something i would recommend if you are looking for a baseball game fix! Hope they continue to improve the series.
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  2. May 3, 2019
    7
    MLB Advanced Media definitely put in some extra effort this time around, with regular roster updates, slightly better player models, and modest improvements to the overall look of R.B.I. Baseball. It's definitely a bit better than RBI '18, which was a bit better than RBI '17, which was not great to begin with. At least it's a perfectly cromulent MLB game on NIntendo Switch, which is moreMLB Advanced Media definitely put in some extra effort this time around, with regular roster updates, slightly better player models, and modest improvements to the overall look of R.B.I. Baseball. It's definitely a bit better than RBI '18, which was a bit better than RBI '17, which was not great to begin with. At least it's a perfectly cromulent MLB game on NIntendo Switch, which is more than we can say for NFL and NHL fans. Expand
Metascore
51

Mixed or average reviews - based on 6 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1 out of 6
  2. Negative: 3 out of 6
  1. Apr 15, 2019
    40
    The lack of depth in RBI 19's basic mechanics has a crippling effect on the whole experience, first as frustration when trying to get used to timing-based batting, then with boredom after you're familiar. On top of that, it's an arcade baseball game that's presented like a sim, but without the depth to back that up or a hook to set it apart from actual sim games, it just feels barren and empty.
  2. Apr 4, 2019
    70
    RBI 19 is another step forward for the returning series, and it's still the only game in town on the Switch if you want a baseball game. But for a game that fancies itself as more arcade than simulation, it's still a bit bland to play for my liking. They either need to fully commit to the Arcade-stylings or try harder to be a sim. I'd expect RBI 20 to be more of the former.
  3. Mar 24, 2019
    85
    I’ve had an immense amount of fun with R.B.I. Baseball 19 — something I couldn’t say of the previous entry.