Okay folks, buckle up because today we’re diving deep into that burning question: which MLB The Show game actually feels the best to play? Seriously, this comes up constantly, so I grabbed my PlayStation, dusted off some older copies, and just sat down to play them back-to-back.
Starting From Scratch (Literally)
First thing I did was reset my expectations. You forget small details after a year, right? I plugged in my PS4 for the older titles and booted up each game – starting with MLB The Show 20. Just wanted to feel how the bat met the ball right out the gate.
- Loaded up Practice Mode every time.
- Chose the same hitter – Vlad Jr. – against the same pitcher on the same difficulty.
- Focused purely on the core hitting and pitching controls with default settings.
Right away with 20, the hitting felt… heavy? Solid contact sounded brutal, but timing windows felt weirdly tight sometimes. Fastballs jumped fast, but breaking balls felt like they floated a tiny bit.
Then I jumped into 21. Holy crap, the difference in smoothness! Everything just flowed better – fielding animations, pitching wind-ups. Hitting felt more responsive. PCI felt lighter? But man, the pinpoint pitching control they introduced… took me ages to get the hang of it that first year. Gave my thumb a workout!
Finally fired up 22. Graphics popped way more, obviously. But the gameplay… it felt like 21 but dialed up? Fielding was smoother, running animations felt more natural. Hitting? Felt forgiving sometimes, punishing other times. Pinpoint pitching still ruled, felt even tighter.
Digging Deeper Into The Feel
Okay, initial impressions done. Time to grind out some games. Played a full 9-inning exhibition match on each one.
- 20: Classic. Solid foundation. Felt kinda retro playing it after the newer ones. AI batters swung at everything outside. Fielding felt a step slow sometimes.
- 21: This is where it clicked. Flow felt natural. Pitches moved realistically. Seeing that perfect pinpoint pitch dot appear felt amazing. Best balance of challenge and fun for me.
- 22: Looks incredible. New stadiums are gorgeous. But… something felt off. Hitting line drives right at fielders constantly? Pitching felt spot-on, but hitting RNG sometimes just made me sigh. Still super fun, but little frustrations crept in.
So, Which One Stood Out?
After smashing buttons for days? My thumbs are sore! Honestly, MLB The Show 21 nailed the sweet spot for pure gameplay feel. It wasn’t just about looks, it was about how everything worked together.
Why do I care so much? Because I used to grind these for work. Years back, landed this gig writing quick blurbs for a gaming site. Boss thought “Hey, you kinda like baseball, right?” Suddenly I’m reviewing annual sports titles.
The thing is, they’d always send us the current year. But I started noticing players bitching online about older versions being better. Sound familiar? I dug out my old copies, like I did today. Found what I believed – like 21 feeling smoother than 22.
Tried to pitch the boss on a “Why Old Games Might Still Be Better” piece. Got shut down immediately. “Why would we promote people playing old games?! Focus on the new product!”
Felt like a cop-out. It wasn’t about promotion, it was about answering the question people actually had! Ended up scribbling notes for myself. Then that gig vanished. Site folded faster than a cheap lawn chair. Guess they stuck to the “only new” strategy a bit too hard.
Anyway, point is, playing them back-to-back like this? It proves what a lot of players feel deep down. Sometimes the middle child just gets it right. MLB The Show 21 still feels like home plate for my thumbs.
