Grand Slam (video game)

1997 sports video game

1997 video game

Grand Slam

Cover art featuring Jeff Bagwell and Scott Servais

Developer(s)| Burst Studios
Publisher(s)| Virgin Interactive Entertainment
Platform(s)| PlayStation, Sega Saturn, Microsoft Windows
Release| Saturn

* NA: May 1997

PlayStation

* NA: May 1997

Windows

* NA: May 31, 1997

Genre(s)| Sports video game
Mode(s)| Single-player video game, multiplayer video game

Grand Slam is a baseball video game developed by Burst Studios and published by Virgin Interactive Entertainment for the Sony PlayStation, Sega Saturn, and Microsoft Windows in 1997.

Grand Slam was met with mixed reviews, and any possibility of a sequel was eliminated when Virgin reconfigured to publish only PC games early in 1998.[1]

## Gameplay

[edit]

Grand Slam is a baseball video game that includes both a pitching meter and a power meter.[2]

## Reception

[edit]

Reception

Review scoresPublication| Score

|

PC| PS| Saturn
AllGame| N/A| [3]| N/A
CNET Gamecenter| 4/10[4]| N/A| N/A
Computer Games Strategy Plus| [5]| N/A| N/A
Computer Gaming World| [6]| N/A| N/A
Electronic Gaming Monthly| N/A| 7.75/10[7][a]| N/A
Game Informer| N/A| 4.5/10[8]| 4.5/10[8]
GameFan| N/A| 78%[9]| N/A
GameSpot| 5.1/10[10]| 6.5/10[11]| N/A
IGN| N/A| 6/10[12]| N/A
Next Generation| N/A| [2]| N/A
PC Gamer (US)| 72%[13]| N/A| N/A

Grand Slam received mostly mixed reviews. Critics agreed that the pitching and batting controls, while obviously derived from golf video games, are innovative and add a new depth of control to the baseball genre.[11][2][14] However, they lambasted the graphics and animation, often describing them as reminiscent of the 16-bit era.[11][2][14] Next Generation concluded that "Grand Slam has all the features and options in place, but ultimately can't make up for substandard graphics and slow pace."[2] Other reactions to the selection of features and options were mixed; Darren Lerhman of GameSpot and GamePro both found that though they were generally ample, the absence of create-a-player and team licenses stood out, since most of the game's competitors included these features.[11][14] Lerhman nonetheless judged that "It may not have the team licenses, fifty years worth of statistics, or incredible graphics, but it is indeed fun (and it does have real MLB players). Suffice to say baseball fanatics will be disappointed by this title, but casual sports fans looking for an enjoyable baseball sim may find themselves willing to overlook these shortcomings."[11] GamePro's assessment was similar but more dismal: "... if you can overlook the game's faults, you'll have a pretty good time playing. But with an extraordinary game like Triple Play 98 on the market, why settle for anything less?"[14][b]

## Notes

[edit]

1. ^ Two critics of Electronic Gaming Monthly gave the PlayStation version each a score of 7.5/10 and 8/10.
2. ^ GamePro gave the PlayStation version 3.0/5 for graphics, 2.5/5 for sound, 4.5/5 for control, and 3.5/5 for fun factor.

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Air Hendrix (April 1998). "Scouting Report". GamePro. No. 115\. IDG. p. 86\. "Finally, Virgin's decided to publish only PC games, so Grand Slam 2 isn't even a possibility."
2. ^ a b c d e "Grand Slam (PS)". Next Generation. No. 31\. Imagine Media. July 1997. pp. 157–58. Retrieved July 24, 2021.
3. ^ Marriott, Scott Alan. "Grand Slam (PS) - Review". AllGame. All Media Network. Archived from the original on November 16, 2014. Retrieved July 24, 2021.
4. ^ Brumley, Doug (June 12, 1997). "Grand Slam (PC)". Gamecenter. CNET. Archived from the original on August 16, 2000. Retrieved July 24, 2021.
5. ^ Bauman, Steve (1997). "Grand Slam". Computer Games Strategy Plus. Strategy Plus, Inc. Archived from the original on July 5, 2003. Retrieved July 24, 2021.
6. ^ McCauley, Dennis (October 1997). "A Real Slam (Grand Slam Review)" (PDF). Computer Gaming World. No. 159\. Ziff Davis. p. 228. Retrieved July 24, 2021.
7. ^ Kujawa, Kraig; Hager, Dean (June 1997). "Grand Slam". Electronic Gaming Monthly. No. 95\. Ziff Davis. p. 101. Retrieved July 24, 2021.
8. ^ a b "Grand Slam Baseball [sic] (PS, Saturn)". Game Informer. No. 50\. FuncoLand. June 1997. Archived from the original on October 21, 1997. Retrieved July 24, 2021.
9. ^ Joe Kidd (June 1997). "GrandSlam Baseball [sic] (PS)". GameFan. Vol. 5, no. 6\. Metropolis Media. p. 80. Retrieved July 24, 2021.
10. ^ Kaiafas, Tasos (September 27, 1997). "Grand Slam Review (PC) [date mislabeled as "May 1, 2000"]". GameSpot. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on October 19, 2004. Retrieved July 24, 2021.
11. ^ a b c d e Lerhman, Darren (May 8, 1997). "Grand Slam 97 [sic] Review (PS) [date mislabeled as "April 28, 2000"]". GameSpot. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on October 23, 2004. Retrieved July 24, 2021.
12. ^ PSX staff (May 13, 1997). "Grand Slam (PS)". IGN. Ziff Davis. Retrieved July 24, 2021.
13. ^ Novicki, Joe (September 1997). "Grand Slam". PC Gamer. Vol. 4, no. 9\. Imagine Media. Archived from the original on December 21, 1999. Retrieved July 24, 2021.
14. ^ a b c d Johnny Ballgame (June 1997). "A Long Out Is Still Just an Out". GamePro. No. 105\. IDG. p. 85. Retrieved July 24, 2021.

## External links

[edit]

* Official website
* Grand Slam at MobyGames